10 Easy and Healthy Cooking Tips for Beginners

When I was hit with chronic illness, it became apparent that cooking at home is the healthiest way to eat. Less salt, fat, and clean ingredients that would heal me became a priority. But if you’ve ever done a deep dive into what “healthy” looks like in the restaurant world, you know how hard it is to find.

But I had a big problem…I hated to cook. I was a single mom working multiple jobs and having a love affair with to-go delivery. I didn’t have time, energy, or desire to cook at home.

That had to change. It was time to take what little I knew about cooking and do what was best for my family’s health.

I made A LOT of mistakes. My poor kids got to taste a lot of those mistakes. But through it all, I’ve learned that cooking can be enjoyable and, dare I say it, FUN.

I want to share with you the 10 most essential cooking tips and tricks for beginners I’ve learned to make it easier for you. You can start cooking NOW by reading these best cooking tips for beginners.

So, throw caution to the wind, put on your apron (or an old ratty shirt like me), and let’s start cooking!

Key Takeaways

• Understand recipes thoroughly before cooking.
• Master knife skills and techniques such as boiling, sautéing, and baking.
• Enhance dishes with seasonings & flavor combinations while following kitchen safety guidelines.

10 Simple and Healthy Cooking Tips for Beginners

I quickly found that things went much easier when I followed a simple set of guidelines! Learn from me, my mistakes and successes, and remember: have fun along the way.

Now, let’s get to it…

#1: Understand and Read the Recipe

Before you start the cooking process, reading through the entire recipe is an absolute must.

I am going to repeat it: you must read the recipe.

I put this one first because it was the hardest to get, but it helps you like nothing else.

First off, reading the recipe helps to make sure that all the wet and dry ingredients, as well as tools, are available. For instance, if it calls for specific techniques or ingredients like fresh herbs, not having them will cause issues. It’s best to read the recipe a few times to understand the required time, measurements, and next steps.

Begin the recipe after everything has been prepped and gathered – from mincing garlic to preparing vegetables.

You will be more confident having things ready, and things will run smoothly and taste better.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: organize your recipes with tips from Real Simple.

#2: Knife Skills and Maintenance

Watch this quick video for basic knife skills.

A sharp knife is essential for efficient – and safe – cutting in the kitchen.

A cutting board is necessary; sticking with a simple wood cutting board makes things easy.

Be sure you cut on a steady and flat surface and that your cutting board provides ample space.

Also, remember, do not start with a dull blade. A dull knife requires more force and increases the risk of slipping during the cut.

Most of all, remember to take your time; this takes practice!

Watch the video above on how to dice, chop, and mince garlic, and do not rush yourself.

You should sharpen your blade about every two weeks. Storage options include specialized blocks, drawer inserts, magnetic strips, or go super pro with a knife bag once you have a knife collection. Always clean your knife thoroughly, especially after cutting raw meat.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: never wash your cooking knives in the dishwasher; this will rust the blade.

#3: Master Basic Cooking Techniques

As a cook, it’s essential to master the fundamentals such as boiling, sautéing (pan frying), and baking. Here are some valuable cooking tips that will help boost these basic culinary skills.

Boiling Cooking Tips for Beginners

One of the things you’ll hear most often when it comes to boiling is to add salt to your water. If you’re making pasta dishes, salting your water gives a better taste and helps the sauce stick to the noodles.

How much salt? About a teaspoon of kosher sea salt per pound of pasta will do the trick.

Don’t use oil in your water; that will keep pasta sauce from adhering correctly and add unwanted fat and calories.

Be aware of time with boiling; you need to give the water enough time to boil, so consider that when preparing.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: Save some of that pasta water (or potato water)! It is a secret ingredient in many pasta sauces and mashed potatoes, as it helps thicken sauces and make mashed potatoes creamy without using dairy.

Sauteing Cooking Tips for Beginners

Yes, sauteing is a fancy word for pan frying. This is where you get the sizzle and sear on your dishes.

For an optimal sear and to avoid sticking, the key is preheating your stainless steel or cast iron skillet before adding oil. (This does not apply to ceramic or other non-stick pans, as preheating an empty non-stick pan releases toxic fumes!)

Do not preheat your pan on high heat; do it at medium heat. Don’t overheat the oil, as that can be incredibly dangerous and cause burns to the food and you.

You can even cook WITHOUT OIL! Yes, I said it. For the healthiest cooking, use water or broth instead of oil. See my Love Cooking Without Oil post for more! You must watch your pan more closely to avoid burning your dish. But believe it or not, oil can mask the authentic flavor of foods!

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: when using oil, quality matters; always avoid Canola or other highly processed oils. High-quality olive, avocado, and coconut oils are the only oils I will use.

Baking Cooking Tips for Beginners

Baking can feel intimidating, for sure. But once you can master a dish meant for the oven, you have gone to the next level.

Precise measurements for a baked dish are more critical, as baking can be considered the exact science of the cooking world. A set of measuring cups and a kitchen scale can give consistent results and evenly balanced flavors.

Pay attention to the sequence of ingredients and add them carefully.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: Place an oven thermometer in your oven to confirm the temperature. The temperature on the oven display often differs from the cooking temperature inside.

#4: Seasoning and Flavor Enhancements

This tip is one of my favorite cooking tips, as experimenting with salt, herbs, and flavors can take an ordinary meal to extraordinary heights.

When a recipe calls for “season for taste,” start small and taste as you go to see if more is needed as the dish cooks.

Don’t be afraid of adding fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or basil to your completed dish; these ingredients add brightness combined with depth like a professional.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: for the essential herbs and spices you should have, see my article Spice of Life: Fresh Herbs and Spices Your Kitchen Needs.

#5: Time Management in the Kitchen

Pulling off an entire meal where everything is hot and ready simultaneously takes practice and planning.

You can best work your cooking time with what is known as ‘mise en place,’ which means all ingredients are organized and prepared before beginning food preparation. (see cooking tip #1!)

Cleaning up as you go in the kitchen rather than letting dishes pile up ensures an easy cleanup after meals.

Lastly, don’t leave while cooking. Monitoring dishes for overcooking or burning is essential, too, along with using timers when multitasking on multiple things at once.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: Allow time for your cooked meats to rest! Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing or serving will retain the moisture and flavor; for more significant cuts (like a roast or whole bird), allow 15 minutes.

#6: Ingredient Selection and Storage

Selecting high-quality ingredients is necessary. High-quality ingredients will mean more flavor and less waste even if you are on a budget.

Here’s where you don’t want to skimp on the quality of your ingredients:

1. When getting vegetables, try visiting farmer’s markets as they often supply a more extensive variety of higher quality produce than supermarkets.
2. For tender meats that pack flavor into your dish, opt for cuts with visible marbling throughout them, and choose organic and grass-fed options.
3. Quality olive or avocado oil lends robust flavors during preparation or seasoning processes, so be sure to pick one from a reliable source.
4. To infuse complexity in recipes, use fresh herbs and spices of good quality instead of mass-produced ones available at general stores.

Cooking for Beginners Next Level Tip: Herbs can stay fresher when wrapped up inside a damp paper towel, and storing nuts in the refrigerator will extend their shelf life.

#7: Kitchen Safety and Hygiene

Cooking in a safe and sanitary environment is paramount and helps to avoid kitchen accidents.

When cooking on the stovetop, ensure pan handles are always facing away from the edge of the countertops.

Cleanliness in the kitchen is a serious matter,  as what is known as cross-contamination could lead to food-borne illnesses.

• Wash hands often during meal prep.
• Ensure cutting boards and utensils are appropriately disinfected after each use.
• Keep raw meats separated from other ingredients.

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: Know the proper internal temperature recommended for cooking and use an instant-read thermometer.

#8: Experiment with Recipes

Cooking is a form of art!

Once I realized that, I gave myself permission to experiment.

Customize dishes with various spices, herbs, or favorite ingredients for unique flavors.

Not every experiment may be successful, but you’ll always learn more no matter what!

Cooking Tips for Beginners Next Level Tip: sign up for a healthy meal kit service and let them give you new recipe ideas and ingredients.

#9: Essential Kitchen Tools and Equipment

Cooking can become more manageable and enjoyable with the proper kitchen tools.

Here are some basics to have in your kitchen:

• Sharp, high-quality chef’s knife
• Stainless steel measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowls of different sizes
• Various pots and pans, minimally a large pasta pot, small and medium saucepan, and a 10- to 12-inch skillet with lid. Check out my Ceramic Vs Stainless Steel Cookware post for more info on what to choose!
• Baking sheet

Next-level items you may want to invest in are an immersion blender, a high-speed blender, or food processors. You can also visit my Best Minimalist Kitchen Essentials List for recommendations.

#10: Building Confidence in the Kitchen

Gaining confidence in the kitchen is an undertaking that requires practice, patience, and effort. In other words, you need to keep cooking.

Try cooking classes, workshops, or online tutorials to advance your knowledge.

Keep returning to these cooking tips for beginners, try new methods of preparation and food ingredients, and don’t fear making mistakes.

Success will come with time and practice.

Why Should You Cook At Home?

I often had to remind myself why I was doing this, so let’s start there quickly. It comes down to a few simple things:

1. It saves you money. Lots of money.
2. It saves you time. You can cook a meal in less time than it takes to get to the restaurant, order, and get your food.
3. You can connect to those you love. No busy, loud places; you can put the phones down and create a connection by eating at home.
4. It is healthier. This is what had me start and will always keep me cooking. Most restaurants use low-quality ingredients, add a lot of salt and MSG, have questionable health standards, and can make you sick. We are meant to eat fresh food, period. Our bodies, minds, and spirits thrive on it.

Summary

On the road to becoming a master chef, you can expect plenty of learning experiences and personal growth. No matter what successes or failures come your way along your cooking journey, following these essential cooking tips for beginners will set you in the right direction to staying in the kitchen and learning to love to cook!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the Five Golden Rules of Cooking?

Every home cook should be familiar with five critical cooking rules: begin with quality ingredients, prepare before you start your meal, check the taste regularly as you go along, keep your kitchen tidy during and after the preparation of food, and take precise care regarding both temperature settings on appliances used and timing.

2. What are the Basics of Good Cooking?

To become an excellent cook, one must know how to handle a knife properly and be knowledgeable about basic measurements. They should be aware of safety measures in the kitchen. They must understand how to appropriately boil, cut, and salt food throughout preparation.

3. What Should Beginners Learn to Cook?

Pizza, pasta with homemade sauce, apple pie, chili, and roasted chicken are all great starter dishes to learn to cook, along with a side of properly cooked and seasoned vegetables.

4. What are Three Things You Should Do Before Cooking?

Prepare your space, read the recipe, gather all your equipment, prep your ingredients, secure your cutting board, and have a bowl for trash.