Cooking vocabulary includes the common words used to talk about food preparation and kitchen activities. These words help describe actions, tools, and methods such as cutting, boiling, frying, and baking. Learning cooking vocabulary improves everyday English and makes it easier to understand recipes and instructions. In this article, you will learn cooking vocabulary words in English with pictures, helping you recognize important terms and use them confidently in daily cooking situations.
list of 60 Cooking Vocabulary Words
- Bake
- Boil
- Steam
- Fry
- Roast
- Grill
- Broil
- Simmer
- Poach
- Sauté
- Stir-fry
- Blanch
- Braise
- Stew
- Barbecue
- Toast
- Char
- Deep-fry
- Shallow-fry
- Pan-fry
Basic Cooking Vocabulary Words with Pictures
- Bake
To cook food using dry heat in an oven.
- Boil
To cook food in hot water at its highest temperature.
- Steam
To cook food using hot water vapor.
- Fry
To cook food in hot oil or fat.
- Roast
To cook food in an oven with dry heat, often until browned.
- Grill
To cook food over direct heat on a metal grate.
- Broil
To cook food using strong heat from above.
- Simmer
To cook food slowly in hot liquid just below boiling.
- Poach
To cook food gently in hot liquid without boiling.
- Sauté
To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil.
- Stir-fry
To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil while stirring.
- Blanch
To boil food briefly and then cool it quickly.
- Braise
To cook food slowly in liquid after browning it.
- Stew
To cook food slowly in liquid with other ingredients.
- Barbecue
To cook food slowly over wood or charcoal for flavor.
- Toast
To brown food with dry heat.
- Char
To cook food until the outside is blackened.
- Deep-fry
To cook food by fully submerging it in hot oil.
- Shallow-fry
To cook food in a small amount of hot oil.
- Pan-fry
To cook food in a frying pan with some oil.
Basic Cooking Vocabulary Words with Pictures
Essential Cooking Terms in English
- Microwave
- Pressure-cook
- Marinate
- Glaze
- Caramelize
- Tenderize
- Knead
- Whip
- Mix
- Purée
- Mash
- Chop
- Slice
- Mince
- Julienne
- Shred
- Peel
- Grate
- Zest
- Skim
Cooking Method Vocabulary with Simple Definitions
- Microwave
To cook or heat food using microwave energy.
- Pressure-cook
To cook food quickly using steam in a sealed pot.
- Marinate
To soak food in a flavored liquid before cooking.
- Glaze
To coat food with a shiny layer, often sweet or savory.
- Caramelize
To heat sugar or food until it turns golden brown.
- Tenderize
To make meat softer by pounding or using special methods.
- Knead
To press and fold dough until smooth and stretchy.
- Whip
To beat ingredients quickly to add air and make them fluffy.
- Mix
To combine ingredients until evenly blended.
- Purée
To blend food into a smooth, thick paste.
- Mash
To press soft food until smooth or lumpy as needed.
- Chop
To cut food into small, uneven pieces.
- Slice
To cut food into thin, even pieces.
- Mince
To cut food into very tiny pieces.
- Julienne
To cut food into thin, matchstick-like strips.
- Shred
To tear or cut food into thin, long pieces.
- Peel
To remove the outer skin from fruits or vegetables.
- Grate
To rub food against a grater to make small pieces.
- Zest
To scrape off the colored outer skin of citrus fruits.
- Skim
To remove a layer of fat or foam from liquid food.
Cooking Method Vocabulary with Simple Definitions
Common Cooking Word in English
- Drizzle
- Sprinkle
- Baste
- Brew
- Sous-vide
- Flash-fry
- Half-bake
- Reheat
- Sear
- Brown
- Crisp
- Crust
- Pickle
- Preheat
- Dry-roast
- Oven-bake
- Griddle
- Roast-broil
- Air-fry
- Steam-bake
Cooking Words in English with Pictures
- Drizzle
To pour a thin stream of liquid over food.
- Sprinkle
To scatter small amounts of an ingredient on top of food.
- Baste
To brush or spoon liquid over food while cooking.
- Brew
To make a drink by soaking ingredients in hot water.
- Sous-vide
To cook food sealed in a bag in warm water for a long time.
- Flash-fry
To cook food very quickly in very hot oil.
- Half-bake
To partially cook food in the oven.
- Reheat
To warm cooked food again.
- Crisp
To cook food until the outside is firm and crunchy.
- Crust
To form a hard or firm outer layer while cooking.
- Pickle
To preserve food in vinegar or salty liquid.
- Preheat
To heat an oven or pan before cooking. - Dry-roast
To roast food without adding oil or liquid.
- Oven-bake
To cook food inside an oven with dry heat.
- Griddle
To cook food on a flat, hot surface.
- Roast-broil
To cook food using a mix of roasting and broiling.
- Air-fry
To cook food with hot air that works like frying but with less oil.
- Steam-bake
To bake food in the oven with added steam.
Cooking Words in English with Pictures
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