How Long to Boil Elbow Macaroni

Macaroni is a key ingredient used in dishes all over the world, and it couldn’t be simpler to make and use in all kinds of cuisine. It’s often difficult, however, for lots of home chefs to remember one key piece of information: how long to boil elbow macaroni?

What is elbow macaroni?

Elbow macaroni is a type of pasta that is tubular in shape and bent at an angle in the middle, resembling an elbow (which is why it’s often called elbow macaroni). Elbow macaroni can be used in many different kinds of pasta dishes, from the world-famous macaroni and cheese – also known as mac’n’cheese – to traditional Italian pastas with herbed sauces. Macaroni comes in many sizes, from mini macaroni pieces to jumbo pieces of pasta.

Why boil elbow macaroni?

Elbow macaroni needs to be boiled, whether it’s dried and purchased at the store or freshly made at home. Because of the tricky tubular shape and bend, it’s typically easier to purchase in the store, and it remains a very popular grocery item for households in many parts of the world.

When it’s purchased at the store, it’s dried and usually too hard to even bite into, much less eat. Boiling the macaroni makes it tender and delicious! Once it’s been boiled, it can be incorporated into many kinds of dishes, making it an easy addition to any meal.

How long to boil elbow macaroni

So, how long does it take to boil macaroni? It largely depends on the type and size of the macaroni, but standard macaroni typically only takes between 9 -12 minutes to boil.

The key to boiling elbow macaroni is making sure you stop at the right time. Dried pasta is very sensitive to boiling water and it can go from underdone to overdone in a matter of two or three minutes, so it’s imperative that you pull it from the heat and strain it at just the right time. You can determine when that is by tasting the pasta!

Carefully use a wooden spoon, or other heat-safe utensil, to pull a single noodle or two from the pot. Blow on the noodle to cool it to a safe temperature and take a bite. If the noodle retains its shape but is soft and tender (known as al dente), go ahead and drain the pasta. If it’s falling apart and getting mushy, it’s overcooked – there’s not much you can do to save it. If it’s stiff and unpleasant or difficult to bite through, let it boil for another minute or two and try it again.

How to make elbow macaroni

There are just a few steps to making elbow macaroni:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Once it’s reached a rolling boil, add the macaroni.
3. Boil the macaroni for 9 -12 minutes until al dente, or follow package directions for your specific size and type of macaroni.
4. Strain the macaroni using a colander or sieve, retaining some of the pasta water.
5. Add additional toppings, like cheese, vegetables, meat, etc. – or use the pasta in a soup or casserole.

Not sure how much to serve? Use this handy chart to determine exactly how much macaroni to make depending on how many people you intend to feed.

Serving Sizes of Dry Macaroni