Cooking Vocabulary and Ingredients in Spanish

Unit 3 – Los Cocineros

General Concepts in Cooking

  • Phrases Used in Cooking

    • ¿Cómo se hace…?

    • Translation: How do you make…?

    • ¿Cúales son los ingredientes de…?

    • Translation: What are the ingredients of…?

    • ¿Cómo es…?

    • Translation: What is … like?

    • ¡Buen provecho!

    • Translation: Enjoy your meal!

Instructions for Cooking

  • Basic Commands for Cooking:

    • hasta + infinitive

    • Translation: until + [infinitive verb]

    • hay que + infinitive

    • Translation: one must + [infinitive verb]

    • tener + que + infinitive

    • Translation: to have to + [infinitive verb]

    • ir + a + infinitive

    • Translation: to be going to + [infinitive verb]

Cooking Techniques and Verbs

  • Heating and Cooking:

    • calentar (e-ie)

    • Meaning: to heat

    • derretir (e-i)

    • Meaning: to melt

    • encender (e-ie)

    • Meaning: to light, turn on

    • freír (e-í)

    • Meaning: to fry

    • añadir

    • Meaning: to add

    • hervir (e-ie)

    • Meaning: to boil

    • apagar

    • Meaning: to turn off

    • hornear

    • Meaning: to bake

    • asar

    • Meaning: to grill, roast

    • mezclar

    • Meaning: to mix

    • batir

    • Meaning: to beat, to blend

    • pelar

    • Meaning: to peel

    • echar

    • Meaning: to pour

    • rebanar

    • Meaning: to slice

    • picar

    • Meaning: to chop

    • probar (o-ue)

    • Meaning: To taste, try

    • revolver (o-ue)

    • Meaning: to stir

    • rallar

    • Meaning: to grate

Cooking Tools and Kitchen Vocabulary

  • Kitchen Items:

    • la mezcla

    • Translation: mixture

    • la receta

    • Translation: recipe

    • el ingrediente

    • Translation: ingredient

    • el agua tibia

    • Translation: warm water

    • una pizca

    • Translation: a pinch

    • la cucharada

    • Translation: tablespoon

    • la cucharadita

    • Translation: teaspoon

    • la taza

    • Translation: measuring cup

    • untar

    • Meaning: To spread

  • Appliances and Utensils:

    • la nevera

    • Translation: refrigerator

    • la estufa

    • Translation: stove

    • el fregadero

    • Translation: sink

    • el microondas

    • Translation: microwave

    • el horno

    • Translation: oven

    • el molde/la bandeja

    • Translation: baking pan

    • la olla

    • Translation: pot

    • la sartén

    • Translation: frying pan

    • el vaso

    • Translation: cup (to drink)

    • la cacerola

    • Translation: sauce pan

    • el tenedor

    • Translation: fork

    • la cuchara

    • Translation: spoon

    • el cuchillo

    • Translation: knife

    • el plato

    • Translation: plate

    • el fuego

    • Translation: flame, fire

    • el plato hondo

    • Translation: bowl

Describing Food

  • Adjectives for Describing Food:

    • asado/a

    • Translation: grilled

    • caliente

    • Translation: hot

    • dulce

    • Translation: sweet

    • fresco/a

    • Translation: fresh

    • frito/a

    • Translation: fried

    • picante

    • Translation: spicy

    • rallado/a

    • Translation: grated

    • al horno

    • Translation: baked

    • congelado/a

    • Translation: frozen

    • derretido/a

    • Translation: melted

    • enlatado/a

    • Translation: canned

    • grasoso/a

    • Translation: fatty

    • saludable

    • Translation: healthy

    • agridulce

    • Translation: sweet and sour

Vocabulary Related to Food and Ingredients

  • Common Ingredients and Foods:

    • la sal

    • Translation: salt

    • la pimienta

    • Translation: pepper

    • el aceite de oliva

    • Translation: olive oil

    • el aguacate

    • Translation: avocado

    • la lima

    • Translation: lime

    • el ajo

    • Translation: garlic

    • el limón

    • Translation: lemon

    • el maíz

    • Translation: corn

    • el melón

    • Translation: melon

    • la fruta

    • Translation: fruit

    • las bebidas

    • Translation: drinks

    • la carne

    • Translation: meat

    • los mariscos

    • Translation: seafood, shellfish

    • los camarones

    • Translation: shrimp

    • la carne de res

    • Translation: beef

    • el pavo

    • Translation: turkey

    • el cerdo

    • Translation: pork

    • el pepino

    • Translation: cucumber

    • la cereza

    • Translation: cherry

    • el pimiento

    • Translation: bell pepper

    • el coco

    • Translation: coconut

    • la piña

    • Translation: pineapple

    • el durazno

    • Translation: peach

    • la salsa

    • Translation: salsa, sauce (in general)

    • las especias

    • Translation: spices

    • la sandía

    • Translation: watermelon

    • los frijoles

    • Translation: beans

    • el vinagre

    • Translation: vinegar

    • la harina

    • Translation: flour

    • los postres

    • Translation: desserts

    • las galletas

    • Translation: cookies, crackers

    • el pastel

    • Translation: cake

    • la mantequilla

    • Translation: butter

    • la rebanada/ el pedazo/ el trozo

    • Translation: piece, slice

    • la cebolla

    • Translation: onion

    • la canela

    • Translation: cinnamon

Self-Selected Vocabulary

  • A section for additional terms learned independently related to cooking, food, and cuisine.