al dente

[al den-tey, -tee, ahl den-te]

adjective

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

   spaghetti al dente.

al dente

/ al ˈdɛnte /

adjective

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of al dente¹

1945–50; Italian: literally, to the tooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of al dente¹

literally: to the tooth

Example Sentences

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

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

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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.

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

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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.

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