Why You Should Add Parmesan To Cooked Pasta Before Any Sauce

When it comes to enjoying a plate of perfectly cooked pasta, you might be surprised by how you should be finishing the dish. While it might be natural to assume that adding the sauce first is the best course of action, there's a compelling case for shaking things up and giving parmesan cheese the spotlight by adding it before the sauce. While it might not seem like a big difference in how you prep the dish, it actually does alter the final dish in a significant way.

Many people pour their carefully prepared sauce directly over their cooked pasta, saving the cheese for a final flourish on top. This is a deeply ingrained practice and is often seen as the "correct" way to plate pasta because it allows the pasta to soak up more of the sauce. However, when you sprinkle grated Parmesan over hot, unsauced pasta, the cheese begins to melt and adhere to the noodles. This not only creates a creamy, cheesy coating but also allows the cheese to meld with the pasta, infusing every bite with its salty, savory goodness.

To achieve the best results when trying this new cheesy trick, opt for freshly grated parmesan cheese as it melts more smoothly and imparts a superior flavor compared to pre-packaged, pre-grated cheese. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over your hot, freshly cooked pasta immediately after draining it. The residual heat helps the cheese melt and adhere to the noodles. Gently toss the pasta and parmesan together to ensure an even distribution of cheese. This step allows the cheese to coat every noodle, delivering a consistently delightful flavor in every bite.

After the parmesan cheese has melted onto the pasta, it's time to introduce your sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine. The sauce will cling better to the cheese-coated noodles, ensuring that you get more sauce in every bite, too.

So, the next time you prepare pasta, consider switching up the order and adding the parmesan cheese first. Not only will your taste buds thank you, but you'll also elevate an everyday dish through flavor integration and harmony.