Best Cooking Blogs for Beginners: Top Experts
Winners of the CreditDonkey Best Cooking Blogs for Beginners have been announced. Grab your apron and a spatula - it's time to start cooking.
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Top Cooking Blogs and Resources for Beginners
Many cooking blogs have popped up in recent years for novice cooks, but only the very best cooking bloggers offer the tastiest meals and greatest ideas that are also doable for any newbie.
Fire up your iPad, zero in on the bloggers on the list below, and you can whip up something grand in no time. These bloggers know that cooking can be intimidating and overwhelming. That's why they've created simple recipes plus hand-holding tips to get you through the meal-making process and get good food on the table.
At CreditDonkey, we want to help you save money fast and make savvy financial decisions. You won't be busting your food budget - these blog recipes are simplified for beginners. Fewer ingredients mean fewer things you have to buy. And by following the blogs on this list on a regular basis, you can plan your meals ahead of time - another key way to save money and avoid impulse splurges at the grocery store.
These bloggers help you get into the cooking habit slowly - just a few steps at time - and they give you practical advice so can impress your spouse, family, and friends with your new skills.
Best Cooking Blog © CreditDonkey |
- Love & Olive Oil
Love & Olive Oil, the creation of couple Lindsay and Taylor, brings quick and flavorful recipes that don't hurt your wallet.
Why Love & Olive Oil is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Make sure to browse Love & Olive Oil's recipe index for some unique creations like spicy veggie sushi bowls and sweet potato pancakes.
Read: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Follow @loveandoliveoil - Food Wishes
Food Wishes is run by Chef John, who has taught culinary classes at a collegiate level and wants to share his recipes with new and old chefs around the world.Why Food Wishes is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Chef John's specialty are his YouTube video recipes, which he shares regularly on Food Wishes.
Read: Food Wishes Video Recipes: Zabaglione - Tastes Like Romance
- The Cookie Rookie
Becky Hardin, the Cookie Rookie, started her blog at age 30 when she decided she must learn how to cook.
Why The Cookie Rookie is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you are just learning how to cook, you can definitely find The Cookie Rookie's recipes helpful and easy to follow.
Read: Easy Oven Baked Spicy Chicken Tacos
Follow @cookierookiebec - The Meal Makeover Moms
The Meal Makeover Moms are registered dietitians who are on a mission to help busy families eat better, healthier meals.
Why The Meal Makeover Moms is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out these moms if you want to learn about healthier recipes that your kids will love.
Read: Gluten-Free Walnut, White Bean and Quinoa Salad in a Jar {Podcast #284}
Follow @lizweiss - SheSimmers
SheSimmers was created in 2008 to provide authentic Thai recipes to cooks living in the United States.
Why SheSimmers is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out the Thai Pantry section on SheSimmers if you want to establish a great selection of Thai ingredients for your kitchen. Also, consider Leela's first book, Simple Thai Food (Ten Speed Press, 2014) which has an extensive glossary geared for novice cooks.
Read: Baked Chicken and Leek in Turmeric-Coconut Sauce
Follow @shesimmers - Sassy Radish
Olga Massov created Sassy Radish after ten years on Wall Street and a newfound career as a cookbook publisher.
Why Sassy Radish is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Sassy Radish has amazing tips and recipes for beginner chefs, especially those with smaller kitchens.
Read: common cooking conversions
Follow @sassyradish - Everyday Maven
Everyday Maven is a (mainly) gluten-free and dairy-free recipe blog that is frequently updated with new creations.
Why Everyday Maven is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: There are so many 3-ingredient recipes from Everyday Maven that will save you from running to the store when you are running low on food.
Read: Spiralized Potato Latkes {Grain Free}
Follow @everydaymaven - Cooking and Beer
Cooking and Beer blog combines recipes with types of beer, like a new-age sommelier.
Why Cooking and Beer is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Cooking and Beer? Do we need to say any more?
Read: 17 Recipes for Taco Tuesday
Follow @cookingandbeer - Katie's Cucina
Katie's Cucina is a blog where Katie shares her recipes, baking creations, and foodie insights.
Why Katie's Cucina is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Katie's Cucina is updated multiple times per week, and is a great blog to follow for continuous inspiration.
Read: Grilled Honey Bourbon Glazed Ham Steaks
Follow @katiescucina - Eat. Live. Travel. Write.
Eat. Live. Travel. Write. is a culinary adventures blog that features recipes, classes, books and giveaways.
Why Eat. Live. Travel. Write. is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Mardi, the owner of Eat. Live. Travel. Write., has lived in several countries and brings her international experience to every recipe.
Read: Steak with Mustard Butter and Fries
Follow @eatlivtravwrite - What's For Lunch, Honey?
What's For Lunch, Honey? is a recipe and food photography blog run by Meeta, who was born in Bombay, India and now resides in Weimar, Germany.
Why What's For Lunch, Honey? is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out the "Bollywood Cooking" section if you love Indian food - you will not be disappointed.
Read: Experience Your Senses: Cauliflower Couscous with Baharat Spice Fennel Seeds, Pumpkin, Almonds and Cranberries
Follow @MeetaWFLH - Marla Meridith
Marla Meridith is a lifestyle writer and food blogger who moved from Long Island, NY, to the mountains of Telluride, Colorado.
Why Marla Meridith is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Marla Meridith features cooking tips, new recipes, travel, fashion, reviews, and much more.
Read: Blueberry Mint Agua Fresca Recipe | Healthy Fruit Punch on MarlaMeridith.com
Follow @marlameridith - What Jew Wanna Eat
What Jew Wanna Eat is a food blog that focuses on Jewish cuisine - latkes, brisket, challah and more.
Why What Jew Wanna Eat is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you are looking for any Jewish food recipes, What Jew Wanna Eat is the best place to start.
Read: Pumpkin Spice Matzah Ball Soup
Follow @WhatJewWannaEat - Peanut Butter & Peppers
Peanut Butter & Peppers blog was created by Jennifer, a part-time blogger and fitness enthusiast, who wants to bring healthy recipes to people looking to lose weight.
Why Peanut Butter & Peppers is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Peanut Butter & Peppers offers kitchen tips as well as lifestyle, diet, gardening, and homemaking tutorials and inspiration.
Read: Salted Chocolate Caramel Bars #OXO
Follow @JenatPBandP - Chez Us
Chez Us, created by a couple living in San Francisco and cooking in a 20 sq. ft. apartment, is meant to be an inspiration so that anyone could learn to cook with minimal tools and space, showing that the real star is the ingredients.
Why Chez Us is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Chez Us has recently started to document their "fit at fifty" weekly series, and gives inspiration to 50-something cooks who want to get healthy and stay healthy.
Read: Blackberry Sage Bourbon Smash
Follow @chezus - Back Road Journal
Back Road Journal is a blog whose creator, Karen, shares her passion for food, travel, and life adventures.Why Back Road Journal is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: When you grab a recipe from Back Road Journal, you also get a short review so you know what to expect, which is very useful for amateur cooks.
Read: Pollo Con Wasakaka
- Honey & Birch
Honey & Birch blog focuses on easy recipes and fun cocktails for the novice cook.
Why Honey & Birch is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Jenny B of Honey & Birch describes her first cooking experience as a disaster, and now creates new dishes and cocktails - you can learn too.
Read: Vanilla Cranberry Mimosa
Follow @honeyandbirch - The Bitten Word
The Bitten Word blog is run by couple Zach and Clay, who started it in 2008 when they noticed that they had too many unread cooking magazines around the house.
Why The Bitten Word is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Zach and Clay have branched out since starting in 2008, and now feature their own original recipes and other foodie content.
Read: Cast-Iron Hacks: Classic Roast Chicken with Lemon-Thyme Pan Sauce
Follow @bittenword - My Man's Belly
My Man's Belly blog exploits the best way to a man's heart - through delicious food, of course.
Why My Man's Belly is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Don't let the name deceive you - Pamela of My Man's Belly blog also creates healthy dishes that will fit into any diet regimen.
Read: Holiday Cranberry Orange Smoothie
Follow @mymansbelly - The Naptime Chef
Kelsey is The Naptime Chef, a mom, and a foodie who shares her family-friendly recipes, travel articles, and favorite lifestyle tips.
Why The Naptime Chef is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you have ever known a mom/foodie hybrid, you know that you should check out The Naptime Chef for tips and tricks in the kitchen.
Read: 5 Tips for Packing Fruit in Lunchboxes
Follow @TheNaptimeChef - justJENN recipes
The justJENN recipes blog features incredibly creative creations from Jenn Fujikawa, who has been featured on sites like Nerdist, StarWars.com, and recently the cover of Food Network Magazine.
Why justJENN recipes is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you want to make some supernatural, anti-possession cookies, or maybe some dragon wing cupcakes, make sure to hit up justJENN recipes.
Read: Diet Coke It's Mine bottle DIY
Follow @justjenn - DominicanCooking.com
DominicanCooking.com and twin blog CocinaDominicana.com are a collaborative effort from a pair of friends who share their love for the culinary life in general, and Dominican food in particular.
Why DominicanCooking.com is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: DominicanCooking.com recipes incorporate homestyle cooking, frugality, and all of the delicious Dominican recipes like empanaditas and dumplings.
Read: La Bandera Dominicana: Our Traditional Lunch Meal Recipe
Follow @SimpleByClara - Yummy Books
Yummy Books was created by Cara Nicoletti, a former pasty chef and current butcher, who has evolved her book club blog into a full-blown supper club.
Why Yummy Books is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Cara won Chopped's Battle of the Butchers challenge and shares all of her recipes, cooking tips, and sausage making tutorials.
Follow @caranicoletti
- Viet World Kitchen
Viet World Kitchen blog is run by cookbook author Andrea Nguyen, whose "aim is to (1) capture the human connections to food and (2) demystify Asian food without dumbing it down."
Why Viet World Kitchen is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you have ever wanted to make dumplings but don't know where to start, Viet World Kitchen is the place to go, with an entire section dedicated to dumplings.
Follow @aqnguyen
- Tiny Urban Kitchen
The Tiny Urban Kitchen was created by Jennifer Che when she lived in an apartment with a tiny kitchen. She now cooks out of a slightly bigger kitchen, but still loves to explore and create recipes that you can make in any kitchen.
Why Tiny Urban Kitchen is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you like Asian food, make sure to check out Tiny Urban Kitchen's 'Chinese Recipes Gallery' for a quick and photo-filled way to learn new dishes.
Read: Grilled Bok Choy
Follow @tinyurbankitchn - A Communal Table
A Communal Table is a recipe and food blog created by Nancy Buchanan, where she serves up her globally inspired food, photography and fun.
Why A Communal Table is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: A Communal Table has recipes that range from cocktails to Middle Eastern cuisine and everywhere in between.
Read: Orange and Date Oatmeal
Follow @acommunaltable - The Redhead Baker
The Redhead Baker is Coleen, a Philadelphia-based graphic designer, who shares her love for cooking and baking in her spare time.
Why The Redhead Baker is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Start with The Redhead Baker's archive so you don't miss some amazing posts such as white chocolate macadamia nut blondies and salted caramel apple pie.
Read: Strawberries and Cream Sweet Rolls
Follow @theredheadbaker - The Merry Gourmet
The Merry Gourmet was started by Merry-Jennifer as a food and recipe blog to share her creations with the world.
Why The Merry Gourmet is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The recipe index on The Merry Gourmet is filled with a variety of recipes that will help you to cook like a professional chef.
Read: Cooking Again: Tortellini with Italian Sausage, Fennel, Mushrooms
Follow @merrygourmet - The Ravenous Couple
Hong and Kim are The Ravenous Couple, and live by the motto Cooking Life Together.
Why The Ravenous Couple is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The Ravenous Couple believe that food brings us together, so make sure to hit up their date night section for some ideas that will surely impress.
Read: Hanoi Style Salmon with Turmeric and Dill
Follow @ravenouscouple - The Almond Eater
The Almond Eater blog offers healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and plenty more, and they all take 30 minutes or less to make.
Why The Almond Eater is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The most common excuse for not cooking is not enough time, which makes The Almond Eater an invaluable resource.
Read: Buffalo Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs
Follow @TheAlmondEater - Coconut & Lime
The Coconut & Lime cooking blog was created by Rachel Rappaport to showcase her recipes and creations.
Why Coconut & Lime is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Rachel of Coconut & Lime has written two cookbooks, and shares all of her recipes, with plenty of easy slow cooker and vegetarian options.
Read: Coconut & Lime // recipes by Rachel Rappaport: Winter Greens, Leek and Feta Pie
Follow @coconutlime - Chow and Chatter
Rebecca Subbiah, creator of Chow and Chatter, is a registered dietitian in both the UK and the U.S. who focuses on healthy eating.
Why Chow and Chatter is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Chow and Chatter has a ton of resources for anyone who wants to start their own food blog and/or social media presence.
Read: HELP - Chennai #chennaifloods
Follow @chowandchatter - Simply Fresh Dinners
Simply Fresh Dinners is a unique, healthy dinner recipe blog, with the requirement that all dishes must be made of fresh ingredients, under 500 calories per serving, under 45 minutes to make, and easy.
Why Simply Fresh Dinners is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out Simply Fresh Dinners weekly meal plan to make sure that you are eating healthy all week long.
Read: No-Mayo Summer Coleslaw
Follow @fresh_dinners - A Side of Sweet
A Side of Sweet is a San Francisco life and style blog founded by Kelly Egan who shares recipes, DIYs, style, travel, fitness and design tips that fit into your busy lifestyle.
Why A Side of Sweet is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: A Side of Sweet features easy-to-follow recipes for entertaining, date night, dinner and more.
Read: Easy Mini S'mores No-Bake Cheesecake
Follow @asideofsweet / @asideofsweet - Bright-Eyed Baker
Bright Eyed Baker blog is dedicated to recipes for breads, muffins, pastries, rolls, cakes and other delicious baked goods. You can also find savory recipes and drink recipes on the site.
Why Bright-Eyed Baker is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The recipe index features tons of new ideas for baking, including dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan options.
Read: Chocolate-Topped Chewy Caramel Blondies
Follow @brighteyedbaker - Living Sweet Moments
Living Sweet Moments is a blog that features delicious recipes that are easy to make and perfect for a busy household.
Why Living Sweet Moments is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Living Sweet Moments is a food blog that showcases all kinds of delicious recipes and travel tips.
Read: Butterfinger Cake Recipe
Follow @livingsmoments - Baked by an intriovert
Baked by an Introvert features recipes for baked goods and desserts, all with savory options and easy-to-follow recipes.
Why Baked by an intriovert is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: If you are new in the kitchen, check out the Baking Basics on Baked by an Introvert blog.
Read: Pineapple Curd
Follow @IntrovertBaker - Mummy, I Can Cook
Mummy, I Can Cook is a food and recipe blog that showcases the creations of Shu Han, proving to her mum that she really can cook. Her recipes tend to be more Southeast Asian while making use of British ingredients.
Why Mummy, I Can Cook is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: There are sections titled "How to Cook" and "How to Eat," which are great places to start for any cook.
Read: Mummy, I can cook!: Chopsticks brunch club
Follow @mummyicancook - Asian in America
Asian in America was started by Betty Ann Besa-Quirino to share her Filipino and Asian recipes and how to cook them in an American kitchen.
Why Asian in America is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The recipe index on the Asian in America blog features dinners, snacks, and desserts that range from authentic Filipino to Asian-inspired spins on classics.
Read: How to make Lomo Saltado - Peruvian Beef Stir Fry with Soy Sauce and French Fries
Follow @BettyAnnQuirino - Nourished Kitchen
Nourished Kitchen provides recipes, blog posts, and resources for anyone who is struggling with healthy eating or organizing their meal planning for the week.
Why Nourished Kitchen is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: It is really discouraging to get into another unhealthy rut, so make sure to visit Nourished Kitchen next time you need some healthy motivation and tips.
Read: Naturally Fermented Probiotic Lemonade Soda
Follow @jennymcgruther - Souffle Bombay
Souffle Bombay is a food and recipe blog designed to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone in the kitchen and whip up some memorable dishes, with just a little effort.
Why Souffle Bombay is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Souffle Bombay features a ton of unique vegetarian options, along with traditional, for kids, cocktails, food gifts, and gluten-free recipes. The recipes look delicious and are made with nutritious ingredients.
Read: Asian Pork Meatballs With Ginger Honey Sauce
Follow @SouffleBombay - Zen & Spice
Emily Hein, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, is the creator of Zen & Spice, a recipe blog designed to bring healthy recipes to her audience to build a positive relationship with food.
Why Zen & Spice is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: You won't have to feel guilty trying any of the recipes from Zen & Spice, since they are created using whole foods and nutritious ingredients.
Read: Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Smoothie
Follow @zenandspice - The Food Librarian
Mary is a librarian by day and baker by night, and runs The Food Librarian in between to showcase her cooking and baking skills as she tries new recipes.Why The Food Librarian is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out The Food Librarian's "I Like Big Bundts" section for 30 days of bundts, an amazing collection of bundt cake recipes and photographs.
Read: Food Librarian
- Wok Star
Wok Star is not just a blog - it's a way of cooking, with the goal of introducing America to the lost art of wok frying.
Why Wok Star is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Eleanor Hoh, creator of Wok Star, frequently updates her blog with new techniques and recipes that you can make in a wok, which helps to save time and money.
Read: Wok Star Supper Club at Drunken Dragon
Follow @wokstar - California Geek Girl
Mary Papoulias-Platis is the California Greek Girl who shares her love for Greek food, gardening, and coastal living through blog posts and photographs.
Why California Geek Girl is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Mary Papoulias-Platis is also the author of Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil, and shares her many tips and tutorials on her blog.
Read: Greek Baklava Bark with Ouzo or Greek Coffee Bark with Oregano
Follow @CalGreekGirl - The Petite Cook
Andrea Soranidis is The Petite Cook, and her blog shares her food adventures, creations, and foodie news.
Why The Petite Cook is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out The Petite Cook's "Recipe by Course" section to learn how to cook meat and poultry, desserts, and everything else.
Read: Italian Hot Chocolate
Follow @PetiteCook - At Home With Vicki Bensinger
Vicki Bensinger has been teaching culinary classes since 1992, and offers her expert recipes on her blog, in addition to private and public live online culinary classes.
Why At Home With Vicki Bensinger is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out Vicki's recipes for an in-depth and comprehensive list of recipes that include a variety of cuisines.
Read: Chocolate Babka aka Chocolate Krantz Cakes
Follow @VickiBensinger - Cooking with Friends
Alison runs Cooking with Friends website and blog in addition to teaching classes in Quantity Food Applications and management at Montclair State University. She also teaches at Hunter College.
Why Cooking with Friends is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Make sure to follow the Kitchen Chronicles on Cooking with Friends to gain real insight from a cooking pro.
Read: Bittersweet Barberries
Follow @CWFC - Things I Made Today
Vicky Cassidy is the creator of Things I Made Today, a blog that features recipes that are worth repeating.Why Things I Made Today is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The Best Of section of Things I Made Today features indulgent and eccentric recipes for a variety of dishes.
- The Candid Appetite
Jonathan Melendez runs The Candid Appetite, a recipe blog that focuses on baking and cooking anything that tastes great.
Why The Candid Appetite is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out the recipe index on The Candid Appetite for some truly unique options to try for dinner or dessert.
Read: Vanilla Cinnamon Sugar Churro Waffle Doughnuts
Follow @candidappetite - The Allrecipes Blog
Tim Hunt founded The Allrecipes Blog because he wanted to learn his mother's cookie recipe, and has now grown to include all different types of recipes.
Why The Allrecipes Blog is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: The Allrecipes Blog contains thousands of recipes and a "search ingredient" feature that will give you endless possibilities in the kitchen.
Read: Millennial Men in the Kitchen: Pausing to Create Memories Over Food
Follow @allrecipes - My Korean Kitchen
Sue created My Korean Kitchen to share her love and knowledge of Korean food and culture.
Why My Korean Kitchen is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: My Korean Kitchen features hundreds of authentic Korean recipes with detailed instructions and photographs.
Read: Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)
Follow @MyKoreanKitchn - Alexandra's Kitchen
Alexandra Stafford is the author of Alexandra's Kitchen, a food blog with mostly simple, sometimes fussy, always seasonal recipes.
Why Alexandra's Kitchen is a Top Cooking Blog for Beginners: Check out the recipe index on Alexandra's Kitchen for a ton of seasonal recipes and inspiration.
Read: Marcella's Stewy White Beans (Brined not Soaked)
Follow @alexandracooks
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