Learning English verbs used in the kitchen can be confusing, especially when many actions sound similar. This cooking verbs list helps English learners understand the correct usage, structure, and rules of common kitchen actions. You will discover how to identify verbs, avoid common mistakes, and improve your speaking and writing skills in recipes and everyday cooking contexts.
What Are Cooking Verbs and Examples?
Cooking verbs are action words that describe tasks you perform in the kitchen. They help students, chefs, and home cooks understand and follow recipes clearly, such as boil, mix, and slice. In simple terms, these verbs tell you what to do with the ingredients.
30 Common Cooking Verbs List with Pictures
Below is a Cooking Verbs List of common actions you will see in recipes. (Pictures for these verbs should match the action verb meaning and help visual learning for students.)
- Boil
- Bake
- Fry
- Stir
- Chop
- Slice
- Grill
- Roast
- Simmer
- Mix
- Whisk
- Blend
- Knead
- Steam
- Saute
- Toast
- Season
- Peel
- Dice
- Marinate
- Pour
- Beat
- Spread
- Mash
- Carve
- Broil
- Garnish
- Braise
- Fold
- Zest
What are Some Advanced Verbs Used in Cooking
Here is a complete list of more advanced cooking verbs used in professional kitchens and detailed recipes:
- Al dente
- Au gratin
- Blanch
- Brown
- Clarify
- Deglaze
- Fillet
- Flambe
- Glaze
- Infuse
- Julienne
- Macerate
- Parboil
- Poach
- Reduce
- Render
- Sear
- Shred
- Steam‑fry
- Temper
Action Verbs Used in Recipes
In recipes, action verbs guide what you should do with ingredients step by step. These are specific and practical verbs commonly used in cookbooks and recipe cards.
Action Verbs Used in Recipes:
- Add
- Arrange
- Barbeque
- Blend
- Brush
- Combine
- Crack
- Grease
- Heat
- Lower
- Measure
- Mix
- Place
- Roll
- Sift
- Spread
- Sprinkle
- Turn
List of Cooking Verbs A to Z
Below is a complete A to Z table of cooking verbs for English learners. This table helps students remember verbs by alphabetical order and improve vocabulary when reading recipes.
| Empty | Fry | Grill | Heat |
| Add | Boil | Chop | Dice |
| Infuse | Julienne | Knead | Lower |
| Mix | Nibble | Open | Peel |
| Quench | Roast | Stir | Toast |
| Unwrap | Vent | Whisk | eXtract |
| Yield | Zest |
FAQs about Cooking Verbs
Cooking verbs are a specific type of action verbs focused on food preparation tasks, such as mix, bake, and slice.
Yes, “cooked” is a verb in past tense. For example, “Ahmed cooked rice for dinner” shows an action that already happened.
Advanced cooking verbs describe specific cooking techniques, like sauté, blanch, sear, caramelize, or poach, used by chefs for precise cooking methods.
Some common cooking verbs are add, boil, chop, dice, fry, grill, heat, knead, mix, roast, sauté, stir, and whisk, used in recipes.
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