al dente

This term originates from Italian, literally meaning to the tooth, and is used primarily as an adjective to describe pasta or rice that has been cooked so as to be still firm when bitten. It denotes a specific culinary standard of texture that avoids mushiness, signaling a level of precision in cooking.

In a broader gastronomic context, the term is occasionally applied to vegetables to indicate they have been blanched or steamed just enough to retain a crisp snap. Because it functions as a loanword phrase, it remains invariable and does not change form regardless of the noun it modifies.