Stop Your Pots From Boiling Over with This Surprising Kitchen Secret
They say a watched pot never boils, but leave it unattended for too long and you’re staring down a foamy mess bubbling over your stove and wasting food in the process. Multitasking in the kitchen is part of cooking, but it’s also how most boil-overs happen. One minute you’re chopping vegetables or checking your phone, and the next you’re scrubbing starchy water off the burners.
The good news is that there’s a ridiculously simple way to stop it. Before you even turn on the burner, coat the rim of your pot with a thin layer of butter or oil. That little step acts as a barrier, keeping bubbles from climbing over the edge and turning into a volcano. It takes seconds, doesn’t require any special tools, and it works every time, saving you from the headache of a sticky stovetop cleanup.
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♬ original sound - ELYSE BENNETT
How This Hack Works
The hack couldn’t be easier. After filling your pot with water, coat the rim with a thin layer of butter or oil. That fat barrier changes the way bubbles behave as they climb the sides of the pot. Instead of stacking up and spilling over, the foam collapses on contact, keeping the water where it belongs.
It’s especially useful when you’re cooking starchy foods like pasta, potatoes, or rice, the usual suspects behind messy boil-overs. Does it mean you can crank the burner and walk away for twenty minutes? Not exactly. If the heat is too high or the pot is too small, you’ll still get bubbling. But in most everyday situations, it keeps things under control and saves you from scrubbing down your stove after dinner.
Related: The Trick That Makes Hard-Boiled Eggs Easy to Peel Every Time
Other Tricks Worth Keeping In Your Back Pocket
The old coat-of-butter trick is a classic way to keep bubbles in check, but it’s not the only method cooks swear by. One of the most common alternatives is the wooden spoon method. Just rest a spoon across the top of the pot. As the bubbles rise, the spoon breaks them apart, slowing things down before they spill over. It’s not foolproof, but it can buy you just enough time to catch a boil-over. Pro tip: Use a wide spoon that sits flat across the pot, or it’ll roll off once things really start bubbling.
Another simple solution is to check in more often and turn down the heat once the water hits a rolling boil. Pasta, potatoes, and most other starchy foods don’t need a raging boil. Medium or medium-low heat cooks them just fine. Turning down the burner cuts down on aggressive foam and reduces the chance of a messy overflow. And finally, don’t underestimate the size of your pot. Using a bigger pot with plenty of water gives starches more space to move around, so bubbles don’t stack up as quickly. It's like giving the foam some breathing room.
Related: Never Stir Peanut Butter Again With This Easy Trick