Never cook cereal and pasta like this: what to do to prevent water from boiling over and spilling onto the stove

When cooking side dishes such as pasta, cereals, or potatoes, you often encounter an unpleasant situation when water starts to spill out of the pan, leaving hard-to-clean marks on the stove. This happens due to the high starch content, which contributes to the formation of foam.

The FoodOboz editorial team shares simple and effective ways to make cooking more comfortable. Water will not spill out.

Why water boils and how to deal with it

The problem of water boiling over is related to the reaction of starch contained in many foods: potatoes, pasta, rice, and other cereals. When heated, starch forms a foam that gradually rises with the boiling water. To avoid this, you don't have to stand near the stove or lower the heating temperature. There are two effective ways that will become your kitchen saviors:

An ice cube in a saucepan

If the water in the pot starts to rise and is about to overflow, drop an ice cube into the pot. The sudden cooling of the surface will stop the formation of excess foam and the boiling process will become more controlled. This method works quickly and is ideal when you have already noticed a problem.

A wooden spoon

Another tried-and-true method is to place a wooden spoon on top of the pan. It prevents foam from forming because the surface of the spoon absorbs moisture and partially cools it. This prevents water from overflowing.

Additional recommendations

• Do not overfill the pot. Leave some space to the edges so that the water has room to circulate.
• Add oil. A couple drops of oil in boiling water will also help reduce foaming.
• Keep an eye on the temperature. Avoid high heat so that the boiling process is even.