Cooking verbs are essential when following recipes, preparing meals, and giving instructions in the kitchen. Learning these verbs will help you speak more naturally about cooking and understand recipes better. Below is a list of the most common cooking verbs, along with their meanings and examples.
Cooking Verbs with Meanings and Examples
Cut – To divide something into pieces using a knife.
She cut the vegetables for the soup.
Chop – To cut into small pieces, usually roughly.
Chop the onions before frying them.
Slice – To cut into thin, flat pieces.
He sliced the bread for sandwiches.
Dice – To cut into small cubes.
Dice the potatoes before roasting them.
Peel – To remove the skin of fruits or vegetables.
Peel the apples before making the pie.
Grate – To shred food into tiny pieces using a grater.
Grate some cheese for the pasta.
Mince – To cut food into very tiny pieces.
Mince the garlic before adding it to the sauce.
Mash – To press food until soft and smooth.
Mash the potatoes with butter and milk.
Squeeze – To press something to extract liquid.
Squeeze fresh oranges for juice.
Stir – To mix with a spoon in a circular motion.
Stir the soup while it’s cooking.
Mix – To combine different ingredients together.
Mix the flour, eggs, and sugar in a bowl.
Beat – To mix quickly and repeatedly.
Beat the eggs until they become fluffy.
Whisk – To mix with a whisk to add air.
Whisk the cream until it thickens.
Blend – To mix food using a blender.
Blend the fruits to make a smoothie.
Boil – To cook in hot, bubbling water.
Boil the pasta for 10 minutes.
Simmer – To cook at a low temperature without boiling.
Simmer the soup for 30 minutes.
Fry – To cook in hot oil.
Fry the eggs for breakfast.
Deep-fry – To cook in a large amount of hot oil.
Deep-fry the potatoes for crispy fries.
Sauté – To cook quickly in a small amount of oil.
Sauté the mushrooms until they soften.
Grill – To cook over direct heat or a flame.
Grill the chicken for a smoky flavor.
Roast – To cook in an oven using dry heat.
Roast the turkey at 180°C.
Bake – To cook in an oven, usually for bread, cakes, or cookies.
Bake a chocolate cake for dessert.
Steam – To cook food with steam.
Steam the broccoli to keep it healthy.
Poach – To cook in simmering water.
Poach the eggs for a soft texture.
Blanch – To briefly boil food and then cool it in ice water.
Blanch the spinach before using it in the dish.
Carve – To cut cooked meat into slices.
Carve the turkey before serving.
Season – To add spices or salt for better taste.
Season the steak with pepper and salt.
Marinate – To soak food in a flavorful liquid before cooking.
Marinate the chicken overnight for extra flavor.
Coat – To cover food with a layer of something.
Coat the chicken with breadcrumbs before frying.
Knead – To press and fold dough to make it smooth.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes before baking.
Roll out – To flatten dough with a rolling pin.
Roll out the pastry for the pie crust.
Glaze – To brush a thin, shiny coating on food.
Glaze the cake with chocolate icing.
Spread – To apply a thin layer of something.
Spread butter on the toast.
Sprinkle – To scatter small amounts over food.
Sprinkle some sugar on top of the cake.
Garnish – To decorate food with small ingredients.
Garnish the dish with fresh parsley.
Pour – To transfer liquid from one container to another.
Pour the milk into the bowl.
Serve – To present food for eating.
Serve the meal while it’s still hot.
Melt – To turn a solid into a liquid by heating.
She melted the butter before adding it to the dough.
Drain – To remove liquid from food.
After boiling the pasta, drain the water using a colander.
Scramble – To mix eggs and cook them while stirring.
He scrambled the eggs with cheese and vegetables.
Add – To put ingredients into a dish.
Add some salt to enhance the flavor.
Weigh – To measure the weight of an ingredient.
Weigh the flour carefully before baking the cake.
Break – To separate into pieces, especially eggs.
She broke two eggs into the bowl.
Measure – To determine the amount of an ingredient.
Measure two cups of sugar for the recipe.
Microwave – To heat food using a microwave oven.
She microwaved the leftovers for two minutes.
Sift – To pass dry ingredients through a fine mesh to remove lumps.
Sift the flour before mixing it with other ingredients.
Decorate – To make food look attractive with additional items.
She decorated the cake with fresh strawberries.
Tenderize – To make meat softer by pounding or marinating.
Use a mallet to tenderize the steak before cooking.
Rinse – To wash food with water to clean it.
Rinse the vegetables under cold water before cutting them
Quiz: Cooking Verbs in English
1. She ______ the vegetables before adding them to the soup.
a) Sliced
b) Chopped
c) Boiled
2. We need to ______ the butter and sugar until it’s smooth.
a) Grate
b) Whisk
c) Bake
3. He ______ some salt and pepper on the steak for extra flavor.
a) Boiled
b) Sprinkled
c) Kneaded
4. The chef ______ the fish in hot oil for a crispy texture.
a) Fried
b) Blended
c) Roasted
5. She ______ the pasta sauce over the spaghetti before serving.
a) Poured
b) Chopped
c) Squeezed
6. Before putting the cake in the oven, he ______ the batter well.
a) Stirred
b) Peeled
c) Mashed
7. They ______ the dough with a rolling pin to make it thinner.
a) Rolled out
b) Deep-fried
c) Blanched
8. He ______ the chicken in lemon juice and herbs overnight.
a) Marinated
b) Carved
c) Steamed
9. After baking, she ______ the cake with chocolate icing.
a) Garnished
b) Glazed
c) Roasted
10. Before serving, the waiter ______ some fresh parsley on the soup.
a) Sprinkled
b) Simmered
c) Boiled
Quiz Answers
1) Chopped
2) Whisk
3) Sprinkled
4) Fried
5) Poured
6) Stirred
7) Rolled out
8) Marinated
9) Glazed
10) Sprinkled
