Recipes

11 Recipes That Will Change How You Cook Forever

You might think you make these 11 basic recipes well, but we have some game-changing tips that will make them even better
Image may contain Blade Weapon Knife Weaponry Food Meal Dinner Supper Roast Animal Seafood Sea Life and Lobster

We admit it: There are some things we still don't know how to make. But there are also things that people think they make well that they actually completely ruin. Like scrambled eggs. And grilled chicken. And, yes, even bacon. With basic recipes like that, messing up is a no-no. But we have 11 game-changing recipes that will make your basics sing—small tweaks like salting your chocolate chip cookies, saving your pasta water, and taking one extra step with your pesto. So take notes, people: Your cooking is about to get a lot better.

  • Image may contain Food Pasta and Macaroni
    Ditte Isager
    1/11

    Pasta

    Trick: Save your pasta water for your sauce. Says pasta guru Sara Jenkins: "The starchy, salty liquid left in the pot is the key to a well-seasoned, full-bodied dish. A splash or two will help your sauce emulsify as you finish the pasta in the pan."

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  • Image may contain Food Dessert Creme Cream Ice Cream Wedding Cake Cake and Egg
    Peden + Munk
    2/11

    Scrambled Eggs

    Trick: Cook low and slow to make tiny, fluffy curds instead of big, rubbery ones.

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  • Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Cocktail and Alcohol
    Jamie Chung
    3/11

    Margarita

    Trick: Swap our the Cointreau for agave. A well-balanced margarita doesn't need the sweetness that it lends.

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  • Image may contain Food Pasta Macaroni and Pizza
    4/11

    Mac and Cheese

    Trick: Don't pre-boil your macaroni. It's an unnecessary step, and often leads to over-cooked pasta. Just make your cheese sauce a little thinner to cook all those noodles.

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  • Image may contain Food Cookie and Biscuit
    Photo by Romulo Yanes
    5/11

    Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Trick: Salt loves sweet, so sprinkle a little Maldon sea salt on your next batch of chocolate chip cookies.

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  • Image may contain Burger and Food
    Romulo Yanes
    6/11

    Burger

    Trick: Don't pack meat tightly into a patty—gently form your meat into loosely packed, tender, bite-able burgers.

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  • Image may contain Spaghetti Food Pasta Animal Reptile and Snake
    Marcus Nilsson
    7/11

    Pesto

    Trick: Blanch your basil. It mellows the flavor slightly, and makes its color more vibrant. This recipe benefits from a splash of pasta water, too.

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  • Image may contain Weapon Blade Knife Weaponry Food Meal Dinner Supper Roast Animal Seafood Sea Life and Lobster
    Hirsheimer & Hamilton
    8/11

    Roast Chicken

    Trick: Start your oven really hot—500 degrees hot—to crisp up the skin, then turn your oven down to finish cooking the bird.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Produce Cutlery Spoon Vegetable Lentil and Bean
    9/11

    Quinoa

    Trick: After draining your quinoa, return it to the hot pan and cover. It will steam and become dry and fluffy rather than soggy.

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  • Image may contain Pottery Jar Vase Plant and Food
    Christopher Testani
    10/11

    Guacamole

    Trick: If you're a not a fan of chunky guacamole, mixing a little water into the mash makes it creamy and smooth.

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  • Closeup image of steamed white rice.
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    11/11

    The Perfect Pot of Rice

    Trick: After simmering your rice, put a kitchen towel over the pan before you cover it. This keeps the moisture from dripping onto your rice and making it soggy.

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Danielle Walsh is the assistant web editor at Bon Appétit, and has also written for New York Magazine's Grub Street. She loves Korean food, tacos, and whiskey, and is trying really, really hard to like sardines. ... Read More