Phrasal Verbs for Cooking: A Comprehensive Guide for English Learners
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, especially in everyday conversations like cooking. Below is a detailed list of common phrasal verbs used in cooking, along with their meanings, examples, and exercises to test your understanding.
1. Boil Over
Meaning: When a liquid in a pot becomes too hot and spills over the sides.
- The soup boiled over because I forgot to lower the heat.
- Be careful with the milk; it might boil over if left unattended.
- She screamed when the pasta water boiled over onto the stove.
2. Fry Up
Meaning: To cook something quickly in hot oil or fat.
- He fried up some eggs for breakfast.
- Let’s fry up some onions to add to the dish.
- She fried up the fish until it was golden brown.
3. Cut Up
Meaning: To chop or slice food into smaller pieces.
- Can you cut up the vegetables for the salad?
- He cut up the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- She cut up the fruit and arranged it on a plate.
4. Mix In
Meaning: To combine ingredients by stirring.
- After adding the flour, mix in the eggs slowly.
- She mixed in the spices to enhance the flavor.
- You should mix in the chocolate chips before baking.
5. Heat Up
Meaning: To make something warm or hot.
- I’ll heat up the leftovers for dinner.
- She heated up some milk for the baby.
- Can you heat up the soup while I set the table?
6. Whip Up
Meaning: To prepare food quickly and easily.
- She can whip up a delicious meal in just 20 minutes.
- He whipped up a smoothie for breakfast.
- Let’s whip up some pancakes for the kids.
7. Simmer Down
Meaning: To reduce the heat so that a liquid cooks gently.
- After boiling, let the sauce simmer down for 10 minutes.
- The soup tastes better if you let it simmer down slowly.
- Once the stew starts bubbling, simmer it down to low heat.
8. Peel Off
Meaning: To remove the outer layer of fruits or vegetables.
- She peeled off the potatoes before boiling them.
- Can you peel off the orange for me?
- He peeled off the label from the jar.
9. Stir In
Meaning: To mix an ingredient into a mixture by stirring.
- After melting the butter, stir in the sugar.
- She stirred in the herbs to give the soup more flavor.
- You should stir in the cheese until it melts completely.
10. Bake Off
Meaning: To finish baking something until it’s ready.
- The cookies need another 5 minutes to bake off.
- She baked off the bread until it was golden brown.
- Let the cake bake off completely before frosting it.
Exercises
Test your understanding of these phrasal verbs with the following exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete each sentence.
- Don’t leave the pot unattended; the soup might __________. (boil over / mix in)
- She quickly __________ a delicious omelet for breakfast. (whipped up / peeled off)
- After adding the flour, __________ the eggs slowly. (stir in / bake off)
- Can you __________ the onions before frying them? (cut up / heat up)
- Let the sauce __________ for 10 minutes before serving. (simmer down / fry up)
Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb to Its Meaning
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Boil over | a. To prepare food quickly |
| 2. Whip up | b. To spill over while boiling |
| 3. Peel off | c. To remove the outer layer |
| 4. Simmer down | d. To cook gently at low heat |
| 5. Cut up | e. To chop into smaller pieces |
Answer Key
Exercise 1 Answers:
- boil over
- whipped up
- stir in
- cut up
- simmer down
Exercise 2 Answers:
| Phrasal Verb | Correct Match |
|---|---|
| 1. Boil over | b |
| 2. Whip up | a |
| 3. Peel off | c |
| 4. Simmer down | d |
| 5. Cut up | e |