Salt your pasta water until it tastes like the sea.

Yes, salt it aggressively — about 1 tablespoon of fine salt per gallon (or 1% of the water weight), and no, the type of salt barely matters for the result.

The whole point is to season the pasta from the inside while it cooks. Pasta absorbs salted water, so if the water is bland, the pasta stays bland. You want it noticeably salty — think ocean water, not a light sprinkle.

For a standard pot (4-6 quarts), that’s 1-2 tablespoons of table salt or fine sea salt. If you’re using kosher salt, go closer to 2-3 tablespoons because the flakes are bigger and less dense. Diamond Crystal kosher is even fluffier, so adjust accordingly. But don’t overthink it: taste the water. It should taste pleasantly salty, not mouth-puckering.

The type of salt matters only in terms of how fast it dissolves. Fine salt dissolves instantly. Coarse or flaky salt takes a few seconds longer — not a real problem unless you dump it in right before adding pasta. Kosher salt is fine. Fancy fleur de sel is wasted here; save that for finishing.

Bottom line: salt until it tastes like the sea, use whatever salt you have, and stop worrying.