In the never-ending quest to get weeknight dinners on the table in a reasonable amount of time, a new champion has emerged: pasta water. TikToker Nikki Gillespie posted a video back in 2021 that needs another round of recognition. In it, Gillespie ignores the iconic blue box's directions instructing her to boil and drain the pasta, instead using the pasta water to simultaneously shave time off the preparation and create an extra-rich, creamy cheese sauce her kids love while making boxed mac and cheese better for everyone.
Instead of using the boatload of water pasta usually calls for, she pours in just enough to barely cover the pasta and adds the powdered cheese and butter straight to the pot. A generous splash of heavy cream ("generous" meaning about a third cup per box) added in the home stretch turns the already creamy mixture into a silky, luscious sauce after just a few minutes of cooking, no draining required. Why it works and how to adapt it The no-drain mac and cheese hack works because the pasta's starch seeps into the pasta water as you cook.
The starch molecules in the water become gel-like and thicken when cooled, as gelatin is apt to do. That increases the sauce's viscosity (thickness) and even helps the sauce stick to the pasta. While you can get 75% of the way there with the pasta water, the butter and cream do their jobs too.
In addition to contributing to thickening, they add flavor, richness, and sheen. So you can skip them, but you'll be happier with them..
