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

Add the asparagus and let everything turn glossy for a few minutes, then toss with sweet snap peas, chives and al dente pasta.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

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

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2025

Meanwhile, bring pasta water to a boil, and cook the orecchiette until it’s al dente.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2024

Cook, adding ¼ cup of the broth at a time, until the rice is al dente and loose but not soupy, another 8 to 10 minutes.

From Washington Times • Sep. 18, 2023

They resembled noodles that had been cooked al dente.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston