What kitchen item is used to drain cooked spaghetti?

The kitchen item used to drain cooked spaghetti is a colander.

A colander is a bowl-shaped utensil with perforations that let cooking water escape while retaining the pasta. After spaghetti is cooked in boiling water, the contents of the pot are poured into the colander, leaving the drained strands ready for sauce. The Italian term is scolapasta, literally referring to a pasta drainer.

A colander is different from a fine-mesh sieve: its larger holes are designed for draining foods such as pasta, vegetables, and beans. A ladle can lift small portions of food or cooking water, but it cannot efficiently drain an entire pot of spaghetti.

Cooks sometimes reserve a little pasta water before draining. Its starch can help loosen sauce and help the sauce adhere to the noodles. The spaghetti is then usually returned to the pot or added directly to the sauce.