Cooking Verbs in English
Today’s lesson is going to be about cooking verbs in English. These are verbs that we use when we’re preparing food in the kitchen and they’re pretty common verbs. This lesson will help you improve your vocabulary. Let’s get started!
Cooking Verbs with Examples and Meaning
Bake : to cook something with dry heat, in an oven
– Bake the cake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven.
Grill : to cook food over fire or hot coals, usually on a flat metal frame
– My father hasn’t grilled the meat yet.
Grate : to reduce to small particles by rubbing on a grater
– Grate the cheese into a mixing bowl.
Slice : to cut something into thin, flat pieces
– Slice up the onions and add them to the meat.
Melt : to change a solid substance into a liquid
– Melt the butter in a saucepan.
Squeeze : to press something such as a liquid out of something
– She squeezed a bit of lemon juice onto the fish.
Whisk : to beat eggs, cream, etc. with a fork or a whisk
– You should whisk two egg whites until stiff.
Mash : to crush food until it is soft and smooth
– Mash the fruit up so that the baby can eat it.
Dice : to cut food into small cubes
– Dice the potatoes and put them in the pot.
Chop : to cut something into smaller pieces
– Chop onions and carrots into small pieces.
Peel : to remove the skin of fruit and vegetables
– I cut my finger peeling potatoes.
Drain : to make the water or liquid in something flow away
– Can you drain the pasta, please?
Spread : to cover a surface with a thin layer of a soft food
– She spread some strawberry jam on his toast.
Mix : to combine or blend into one mass or mixture
– Mix about 50 grams of flour with a pinch of salt.
Fry : to cook food in hot oil or fat
– Slice the mushrooms thinly and fry in butter.
Scramble : to cook beaten eggs by stirring them gently until firm
– My sister prefers scrambled eggs to boiled eggs.
Cut : to divide something, using a knife etc.
– Can you peel the apple and cut it in half?
Add : to put something with another thing or group of things
– Beat the eggs before you add the flour.
Boil : to cook something in boiling water
– She’s boiling the potatoes to make potato salad.
Roll out : to make food that you are preparing flat and thin by pushing a rolling pin over it
– Roll out the dough into one large circle.
Knead : to press a mixture of flour and water many times with your hands
– Knead the dough on a floured surface.
Roast : to cook food in an oven or over a fire
– Put the meat into the oven to roast.
Weigh : to measure how heavy something is
– She weighed some tomatoes on the scales.
Break : to cause something separate into two or more pieces
– Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat them.
Measure : to discover the size, amount, or degree of something
– She measured the flour, baking powder and sugar into the bowl.
Blend : to mix different foods or other substances together
– Blend the eggs with a tablespoon of milk.
Microwave : to cook something in a microwave
– I’m going to microwave a bowl of soup for lunch.
Sprinkle : to scatter small drops of liquid or small pieces of something
– Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the tomatoes.
Carve : to cut cooked meat into slices for eating
– Can you carve me a slice of beef, please?
Stir : to mix a liquid or other substance by moving an object such as a spoon
– Stir the sauce until it begins to boil.
– I need a teaspoon to stir my tea.
Sift : to put flour, sugar through a sieve or similar container to remove large pieces
– Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
Sauté : to cook something quickly in a little hot oil or fat
– You should sauté the onions until they’re brown.
Decorate : to make something look more attractive by adding extra items
– He decorated the cake with whipped cream and strawberries.
Tenderize : to make meat easier to eat by beating or slow cooking
– Do you know how to tenderize the meat?
Layer : to arrange something in a layer or layers
– Layer the onions and potatoes in a dish.
Rinse : to wash something quickly, especially without soap
– She rinsed the vegetables under a cold tap.
Marinate : to soak meat or fish in a marinade, or to be left in a marinade
– He marinated the beef in red wine vinegar for a few hours.
Simmer : to cook slowly at a temperature just below boiling
– Just leave the soup to simmer for a few minutes.
