50 phrasal verbs for cooking

Cooking is an art that brings people together, and mastering the language of the kitchen can make the experience even more enjoyable. Phrasal verbs, with their unique ability to combine simple verbs and prepositions, add flavor and precision to how we describe culinary actions. From chopping up vegetables to spicing up a dish, these expressions are essential for anyone looking to navigate recipes or share their love of food. In this collection, we’ll explore a variety of phrasal verbs related to cooking, each paired with an example to help you stir in some linguistic zest to your kitchen adventures.

Here are 50 phrasal verbs that are used for cooking

1. Add in – To include an additional ingredient into a mixture.
   Example: Add in the sugar after the butter melts.
2. Bake off – To finish cooking something in the oven or to hold a baking competition.
   Example: Let’s bake off the cookies now.
3. Beat in – To mix an ingredient thoroughly into a batter or mixture, usually with force.
   Example: Beat in the eggs one at a time.
4. Blend in – To mix an ingredient smoothly with others until fully combined.
   Example: Blend in the flour to avoid lumps.
5. Boil down – To reduce a liquid by heating it until it thickens or concentrates.
   Example: Boil down the sauce to enhance the flavor.
6. Boil over – When a liquid overflows from a pot due to excessive heat.
   Example: The milk boiled over and made a mess.
7. Boil up – To bring a liquid to a boiling point quickly.
   Example: Boil up some water for the pasta.
8. Break up – To separate something into smaller pieces, often with hands or a utensil.
   Example: Break up the chocolate into chunks.
9. Brown off – To cook something until it turns brown, often for flavor or appearance.
   Example: Brown off the meat before adding it to the stew.
10. Burn off – To remove excess fat, alcohol, or calories through cooking or heat.
    Example: Simmer the wine to burn off the alcohol.
11. Chop up – To cut food into small, irregular pieces.
    Example: Chop up the onions for the soup.
12. Cool down – To allow food to lower in temperature after cooking.
    Example: Let the cake cool down before frosting it.
13. Cook down – To reduce the volume of food, usually a liquid, by cooking it longer.
    Example: Cook down the tomatoes into a thick sauce.
14. Cook up – To prepare a meal or dish, often creatively or spontaneously.
    Example: Let’s cook up something special tonight.
15. Cut back – To reduce the amount of an ingredient used.
    Example: Cut back on salt for a healthier recipe.
16. Cut down – Similar to “cut back,” to decrease the quantity of something in cooking.
    Example: Cut down on oil to lower the fat content.
17. Cut in – To mix a solid fat (like butter) into flour using a cutting motion.
    Example: Cut in the butter until the mixture looks crumbly.
18. Cut off – To remove a part of an ingredient, often the inedible portion.
    Example: Cut off the stems before cooking the spinach.
19. Cut up – To slice food into smaller pieces, usually bite-sized.
    Example: Cut up the chicken for the stir-fry.
20. Dish out – To serve food onto plates or bowls.
    Example: Dish out the stew while it’s hot.
21. Drain off – To remove excess liquid from food, often after cooking.
    Example: Drain off the fat from the cooked meat.
22. Dredge up – To coat food with a dry ingredient like flour or breadcrumbs (less common usage: to bring up something forgotten, but in cooking, it’s about coating).
    Example: Dredge up the fish in flour before frying.
23. Dry out – To remove moisture from food, intentionally or unintentionally.
    Example: The turkey dried out in the oven.
24. Eat up – To finish all the food served.
    Example: Eat up your vegetables before dessert.
25. Fold in – To gently mix a light ingredient into a heavier mixture without deflating it.
    Example: Fold in the whipped cream carefully.
26. Fry up – To cook something in hot oil or fat quickly.
    Example: Let’s fry up some bacon for breakfast.
27. Grind up – To process food into small particles, often with a grinder.
    Example: Grind up the spices for a fresh flavor.
28. Heat up – To make food hot or increase its temperature.
    Example: Heat up the leftovers in the microwave.
29. Knead in – To work an ingredient into dough by kneading.
    Example: Knead in the herbs for extra flavor.
30. Mix in – To combine an ingredient with others in a mixture.
    Example: Mix in the cheese until it melts.
31. Mix up – To blend ingredients together, sometimes confusingly or thoroughly.
    Example: Mix up the batter until smooth.
32. Peel off – To remove the outer skin or layer of a fruit or vegetable.
    Example: Peel off the potato skins before boiling.
33. Pick over – To sort through food (like beans or berries) to remove unwanted parts.
    Example: Pick over the lentils to remove stones.
34. Pour in – To add a liquid ingredient into a mixture or container.
    Example: Pour in the broth slowly.
35. Pour out – To transfer liquid from one container to another or to discard it.
    Example: Pour out the excess water after boiling.
36. Roll out – To flatten dough with a rolling pin into a thin layer.
    Example: Roll out the pastry for the pie crust.
37. Scoop out – To remove the inside of something using a spoon or tool.
    Example: Scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin.
38. Scrape off – To remove something (like burnt bits) from a surface with a tool.
    Example: Scrape off the stuck-on food from the pan.
39. Serve up – To present or distribute food for eating.
    Example: Serve up the pasta with sauce.
40. Shake up – To mix ingredients by shaking, often in a container.
    Example: Shake up the dressing before pouring.
41. Simmer down – To reduce the heat so a liquid cooks gently, or to reduce in volume.
    Example: Let the soup simmer down for an hour.
42. Slice up – To cut food into thin, flat pieces.
    Example: Slice up the bread for sandwiches.
43. Soak up – To absorb liquid, often intentionally with food like bread or rice.
    Example: Use bread to soak up the gravy.
44. Spice up – To add spices or flavor to make food more exciting.
    Example: Spice up the dish with some chili flakes.
45. Stir in – To mix an ingredient into a dish with a spoon or utensil.
    Example: Stir in the cream at the last minute.
46. Toss in – To casually add an ingredient to a mixture.
    Example: Toss in some herbs for extra taste.
47. Turn down – To lower the heat on a stove or oven.
    Example: Turn down the flame to avoid burning the sauce.
48. Turn up – To increase the heat on a stove or oven.
    Example: Turn up the heat to boil the water faster.
49. Warm up – To gently heat food to a comfortable eating temperature.
    Example: Warm up the soup before serving.
50. Whip up – To quickly prepare a dish or to beat something (like cream) into a froth.
    Example: I’ll whip up a quick omelet.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting to cook up something new, these phrasal verbs offer a tasty way to describe every step of the culinary process. From the gentle act of folding in whipped cream to the bold move of boiling down a sauce, they capture the creativity and care that cooking demands. So, next time you’re in the kitchen, don’t hesitate to toss in these phrases and serve up your dishes with confidence—your meals and conversations will be all the richer for it!