In general, pasta should not be rinsed before serving. When you take it out of the water, your pasta will have a beautiful starchy layer. Classic sauces like bolognese and alfredo benefit from the additional starch. However, there are a few times when rinsing your pasta can help to improve your dish. For example, chefs always suggest rinsing if you're cooking a pasta salad. In this dish, starchiness isn't a good thing because it makes your pasta stick together.