Introduction
Whether you're following a recipe in Spanish, cooking with a host family, or watching a cooking show, you need kitchen vocabulary. This lesson covers everything from utensils to cooking techniques.
Kitchen Items (En la cocina)
Appliances (Electrodomésticos)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la estufa / la cocina | stove |
| el horno | oven |
| el microondas | microwave |
| la nevera / el refrigerador | fridge |
| el congelador | freezer |
| el lavaplatos / lavavajillas | dishwasher |
| la licuadora / batidora | blender |
| la tostadora | toaster |
| la cafetera | coffee maker |
Regional: Estufa (Latin America) vs. cocina (Spain) for stove. Nevera (general) vs. refrigerador/frigorífico varies by country.
Utensils & Cookware
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la sartén | frying pan |
| la olla | pot |
| la cacerola | saucepan |
| el cuchillo | knife |
| la tabla de cortar | cutting board |
| la cuchara | spoon |
| el tenedor | fork |
| la espátula | spatula |
| el cucharón | ladle |
| el colador | strainer / colander |
| el molde | baking pan / mold |
| el delantal | apron |
| el trapo / paño de cocina | dish towel |
Tableware
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el plato | plate |
| el vaso | glass (for water) |
| la copa | glass (for wine) |
| la taza | cup / mug |
| el bol / tazón | bowl |
| la servilleta | napkin |
Cooking Verbs (Verbos de cocina)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| cocinar | to cook |
| cortar | to cut |
| picar | to chop / dice |
| pelar | to peel |
| mezclar | to mix |
| batir | to beat / whisk |
| freír | to fry |
| hervir | to boil |
| hornear | to bake |
| asar | to roast / grill |
| tostar | to toast |
| calentar | to heat up |
| enfriar | to cool down |
| añadir / agregar | to add |
| echar | to pour in / toss in |
| revolver / remover | to stir |
| sazonar / condimentar | to season |
| probar | to taste |
| servir | to serve |
| derretir | to melt |
| rallar | to grate |
| escurrir | to drain |
Cooking Levels
- crudo — raw
- poco hecho / poco cocido — rare
- al punto / término medio — medium
- bien hecho / bien cocido — well-done
- quemado — burnt
Following a Recipe
Common recipe instructions:
- Precaliente el horno a 180°C. — Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Corte la cebolla en trozos pequeños. — Cut the onion into small pieces.
- Añada sal al gusto. — Add salt to taste.
- Mezcle todos los ingredientes. — Mix all the ingredients.
- Cocine a fuego lento durante 20 minutos. — Cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Deje reposar 10 minutos. — Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Sirva caliente. — Serve hot.
Useful Measurements
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| una cucharada | a tablespoon |
| una cucharadita | a teaspoon |
| una taza | a cup |
| una pizca | a pinch |
| un puñado | a handful |
| al gusto | to taste |
| a fuego lento / medio / alto | on low / medium / high heat |
Practice
'La sartén' is…
How do you say 'Chop the onion'?
'Cocine a fuego lento' means…
'Una pizca de sal' is…