al dente

American  

[al den-tey, -tee, ahl den-te] / æl ˈdɛn teɪ, -ti, ɑl ˈdɛn tɛ /

adjective

1. (especially of pasta) cooked so as not to be too soft; firm to the bite.

   spaghetti al dente.

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al dente British  

/ al ˈdɛnte /

adjective

1. (of a pasta dish) cooked so as to be firm when eaten

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Etymology

Origin of al dente

1945–50; Italian: literally, to the tooth

Example Sentences

Their handmade al dente noodles are perfect — they overnight them from Italy.

From Los Angeles Times

The finished dish should be incredibly silky and thick, with perfectly al dente noodles slicked in a rich, lemony sauce.

From Salon

Be sure to salt your water heavily — “like the ocean,” as chef Anne Burrell always says — and to cook al dente, even a minute or two shy of the box directions.

From Salon

You want the rice to still have a subtle, slight bite, almost like an al dente noodle.

From Salon

Meanwhile, low glycemic index carbs, such as parboiled rice and al dente pasta, that are more slowly absorbed and produce a smaller blood sugar spike are associated with decreased risk.

From Salon