Plus, all the tools you need to perfect them.
Don’t know how to boil water or even make a sandwich? Whether you think of yourself as a hopeless cook or just a novice, it’s never too late to learn basic skills in the kitchen.
We’re all adults here, and as adults, there are just some things in life you can’t avoid: laundry, dishes, taxes, and cooking, to name a few. But one of those is at least slightly more enjoyable than the rest: cooking. (Unless you’re one of those people who finds sorting laundry relaxing, in which case, more power to you.)
Sure, prepping meals can be a pain, but to many (myself included), it’s an art. If it’s a chore you’ve avoided all your life, we get it. But give it a chance: Cooking can be a creative, vibrant experience, and you get to enjoy the results afterward, which you can’t say about every “chore.”
I’ll be the first to admit that cooking isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. There are loads of dishes that are easy to learn how to make, and can become your go-to’s in the kitchen. To that end, here are five foods everyone should know how to cook. And if you find yourself enjoying these, I’ve got more recipes where that came from.
5 Easy Recipes Beginner Cooks Should Master
1. How to Make Eggs
It’s often said that great chefs test new hires by asking them to make an omelette or scramble some eggs. The theory? If you can cook an egg perfectly, you can learn to cook anything well. The secret to cooking any type of egg recipe is low heat. In addition, the pan needs to easily release the eggs, so make sure you have a great nonstick or cast iron pan, like the Lodge Pre-Seasoned skillets, and don’t be afraid to include butter or oil before adding the eggs. Beyond the standard pinch of salt (which takes an egg from drab to delicious every time), try experimenting with a dash of other spices (like smoked paprika or garlic powder), or even sprinkling some chili crisp on top for a little extra heat.
2. How to Roast Vegetables
Frozen vegetables were a staple of my youth, and I can still visualize the soggy green beans, carrots, and peas that were always in a little saucepan on our cooktop — getting mushier by the second while somehow simultaneously burning. But I banish those bad veggie memories by working primarily with fresh vegetables. When I’m prepping anything from broccoli to carrots to cauliflower, I cut them into 1/2” pieces, toss them in olive oil, sprinkle them with a little kosher salt, and spread them out on a sheet pan, making sure to leave space between pieces so they brown instead of steaming. Throw that pan in a very hot oven — I’m talking 400 to 425 degrees F — and let them roast for 10 minutes. Give them a stir and let them keep cooking for another 5-15 minutes, or until they start to brown and blister. Squeeze a little lemon over the top if desired, or add a sprinkling of chopped herbs or a tablespoon of grated parmesan. Prepare to love vegetables.
3. How to Make Pasta
There are three tricks to making perfect pasta every time: a pot that’s big enough to let those noodles swim freely (I use the 8-quart Le Creuset stockpot), salted water, and knowing how to tell when it’s done. No matter what type of noodle you’re cooking, make sure to bring the water to a boil before adding the pasta. In addition, the salt should be added to the water liberally before the pasta goes in. (I use a tablespoon of kosher salt for a pound of pasta.) Having a 6 to 10 qt. pot is key if you’re cooking a large batch — when the water is boiling, add the pasta and give it a stir. As the water comes up to a boil again, stir the pasta some more to ensure it’s swirling around in the pot and has room to move. Last but not least, always check to see if it’s done a few minutes before the instructions tell you. Pasta should always have a little bite to it when it’s drained, as it will continue to cook when the sauce is added. And yes, saving a bit of the starchy pasta water to add to your sauce is a great technique. It thins out the sauce, if necessary, while improving the texture of the final dish.
4. How to Roast a Piece of Chicken
When I see people cutting into their chicken to see if it’s done cooking, I cringe. Any time you’re cooking animal protein, the key to keeping it juicy is to keep from cutting into it until it’s finished cooking. Allowing it to rest for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board before slicing will allow the juices to be distributed evenly throughout the chicken, leaving you with juicy and delicious pieces every time. That’s especially true when working with lean pieces of meat like boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Whether you choose to grill your chicken or roast it in an oven, adding a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and your favorite seasonings will help bring out the flavors of the chicken. I like to cook mine at a temp around 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. The most important part? Cooking the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of about 160F, and you can use an instant-read thermometer for that. I rely on the Thermapen, which will give you a read in under 3 seconds. The meat will continue to cook while it rests, raising the final temperature to 165 degrees, which is the perfect temperature for chicken parts, despite what you might’ve read elsewhere.
5. How to Grill a Steak
There’s a long-running joke among my girlfriends: knowing that I basically grill for a living, they always ask me to teach their husbands how to properly grill a steak. Now I’ll share my know-how with you. There are a few tricks to grilling a perfect steak, whether it be a ribeye, skirt steak, or filet. First, allow the meat to come to room temperature for an hour before grilling. If the meat has been marinated, pat it dry before putting it on the grill. If it’s not marinated, brush it with a little olive oil and sprinkle it with kosher salt on all sides. Place the meat on a hot grill grate — 400 degrees or higher — and cook for 4-8 minutes per inch, flipping once during cooking to sear both sides. If the steak is so thick it’s starting to char before it’s finished cooking on the inside, move the steak to a cooler part of the grill or even to a 350-degree oven to finish cooking.
The most important part? The steak should be between 130 and 150 degrees F when you take it off the grill, depending on how you like it cooked. And as with chicken, using an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of steak instead of cutting into it makes a huge difference in the outcome. Again, allowing the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving will ensure the juices stay where they should — inside that beautiful steak, instead of on your cutting board.
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