Spanish for Cooking & Recipes

Ingredients, techniques, measurements. Read and follow recipes in Spanish.

Kitchen vocabulary

SpanishEnglishSpanishEnglish
la sarténfrying panla ollapot
el hornoovenla tabla de cortarcutting board
el cuchilloknifela cucharaspoon
el tenedorforkel platoplate
el vasoglassla tazacup

Cooking verbs

SpanishEnglishSpanishEnglish
cortarto cutpicarto chop/mince
pelarto peelrallarto grate
mezclarto mixbatirto beat/whisk
freírto fryhervirto boil
asarto roast/grillhornearto bake
cocinar a fuego lentoto simmercalentarto heat
añadir / agregarto addremoverto stir
sazonarto seasonprobarto taste

Measurements

Recipe measurements

una cucharada = a tablespoon | una cucharadita = a teaspoon
una taza = a cup | un vaso = a glass
una pizca = a pinch | al gusto = to taste
gramos (g), kilogramos (kg), litros (l), mililitros (ml)

Recipe instructions use commands!

Recipes use usted commands or infinitives

Corte la cebolla en trozos pequeños. (Cut the onion into small pieces.)
Añada sal al gusto. (Add salt to taste.)
Mezcle los ingredientes. (Mix the ingredients.)
Cocine a fuego medio durante 20 minutos. (Cook on medium heat for 20 min.)
Sirva caliente. (Serve hot.)
OR infinitive style: Cortar, añadir, mezclar...

Describing food

How does it taste?

dulce (sweet) | salado (salty) | amargo (bitter) | ácido (sour)
picante (spicy) | soso (bland) | crudo (raw) | crujiente (crispy)
jugoso (juicy) | tierno (tender) | quemado (burnt)

Quick quiz

1. Frying pan = _____.

2. To chop = _____.

3. To boil = _____.

4. A tablespoon = una _____.

5. To taste (test food) = _____.

6. Add salt to taste = Añada sal al _____.

7. Spicy = _____.

8. Recipes use _____ commands or infinitives.

9. Serve hot = _____ caliente.

10. A pinch = una _____.

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