I started doing this recently and I've been quite pleasantly surprised at the difference it has made.

I think this was the first thing I learned from mom when I was growing up, though we didn't wait until the water was coming to a boil - we added it as soon as we turned on the burner. I wonder if the timing of the salt makes any difference?

Are you using table salt or kosher salt?

Oh, wow. I am trying this tonight! I have always salted my pasta cooking water, but waaaay less. That might explain some things...

I've heard Mario Batali say, "salty like the sea" -- and that seems to work. Not sure what the exact ratio is, or whether that's Atlantic or Pacific (or Mediterranean), but when in doubt, I taste.

I do this too, I wonder if I'm adding the right amount or too little. I also add mine right when I turn the stove on not after it's already boiling. I never measure just just a pinch.

@ Lalaluluj - I use kosher salt because it's just what I prefer, but you can definitely use table salt here

Like Alex Navarro-McKay, I've heard the saying "as salty as the ocean". ...add salt just until you can barely stand to swallow it, haha.

I prefer to salt it both ways. Salt the water, then salt the finished product slightly. BUT DON'T MAKE THE BOILING WATER AS SALTY AS OCEAN WATER. That's just way too salty, especially if you'll be using any salted/cured ingredients in your recipe. If you plan to add pasta water to the sauté (which is generally a good idea), it gets even worse. I agree with the sentiment that there's no way to properly salt the pasta if it has been cooked in unsalted water, however err on the light side and get another little zing from adding a bit of salt to the finished dish.
As far as when to add the salt, as far as I can tell most people have a rule ("when putting on the stove" or "when adding the pasta", or whatever) just to make sure they don't double-add the salt.

I began doing this a few years ago, and as a new cook I was amazed at the difference. In a four quart pot, I also use about 2tbsp kosher salt (my prefered cooking salt). Because I use satailess steel pots, I salt the water when it's hot. I believe that prevents your pots from being marred by the salt sitting on the bottom of the cold pot. As for over salting, I think you'd have to be adding 4-5 tbsp to a 4 quart pot before you have to worry about that. And if you know your going to use the pasta water in your sauce, hold off til after you've added it to salt the sauce. This is definitely a great tip, one I learned from watching Mario Batali.

Yikes. I can't imagine salting my pasta like this... I usually don't put any salt in at all! Instead, I use my pepper grinder to add flavor to the finished dish.

Theoretically, salting the water right away will alter the boiling point and make the water take longer to boil, but you'd need a LOT of salt to notice the difference.

Just FYI for those asking about salting at the start.

I have always heard that salting cold water will pit your pans, or leave little imperfections in them. I wait until the water boils, because I love my pans a bit to much to risk the experiment.

I have never felt that salting the water improved the pastas flavor, but being in Colorado the reason we all salt the water is due to the decreased atmospheric pressure decreasing thhe boiling point so our water is colder than elsewhere. Salting the water increases the boiling point so that our pasta will cook evenly, and faster.

I'm italian and I've been eating pasta 44 years now...in Italy we ALWAYS salt the boiling water and NEVER the pasta. Cooked pasta doesn't get the salt properly. When you salt the water I suggest to put the salt in the already boiling water, not in the cold water.
Put water on the fire-boiling-add salt-add pasta-cooking time-serving.
In Italy we use coarse salt (bigger grain) for cooking pasta (same kind of salt you can use in dishwasher). I really don't know if it makes any difference but I never cooked pasta with regular salt and it looks very weird to me.

thnks will try this

..I've never even thought about NOT salting the water before adding the pasta.. I just learned it that way.

Adding the salt to the water when it's still cold could also damage your stainless steel cookware (on the long run).

@LSwanson, I heard the same thing! I think when I got my All-Clad pans, there was some warning about that.

That being said, I still sometimes salt mine when it goes on the stove. Haven't seen any major pitting or imperfections yet...

You can even put pasta and salt together. I don't know if salt can stain stainless steel pots but I normally use a specific pot only to cook pasta (one with a drainer to fit it, so you don't have to drain the hot water in the sink and it's much better for the pipes). This kind of pot is very useful to steam vegetables or any other food if you just put water on the bottom and food in the drainer. You can see a picture here: http://fl1.shopmania.org/files/immagini/15931/pentola-scolapasta-pastaiola-lagostina-week-end-cuoci-e-scola~15930897.jpg

I assumed this was common knowledge -- doesn't it even say to salt the water on most pasta's directions?

I always thought this was common knowledge too -- i salt/season my water when i boil pretty much anything....pasta, potatoes, rice...

I was brought up salting everything that's cooked in boiling water too, as a matter of course for decent flavour. Pasta, rice, potatoes, veg, etc etc. Makes a huge difference.

I would suggest cold-adding the salt for people who haven't done this before and aren't used to the proportions. Taste-testing boiling water is annoyingly slow. Add the salt to the cold water and stir occasionally as it warms, it should still be a comfortable temperature by the time it's all mixed in and you can see if you need to add more then. Once you're familiar with the amount you like, then just add it at the boil, it dissolves almost instantly in a roll.

Taste testing boiling water?? Are people really doing this?

Folks this isn't rocket science, or maybe I'm taking my upbringing for granted, but there isn't some hard and fast rule on the ratio. You have a medium pot of water for a pound or 2 of pasta - throw in a scant handful or so, don't be stingy. Wait until the water is boiling unless you enjoy buying new pots.

And kosher salt only please, unless you like the taste of iodine in your pasta.

How does adding this much salt affect your health? I have not added salt to food for nearly 35 years and find most "chef food" way to salty.