19 Time-Saving Cooking Hacks That Can Make You a Kitchen Hero

It’s really cool when you can cook tasty dishes. But if you cook them fast using your own tricks, it’s even more awesome.

Bright Side has collected some cooking hacks that will definitely impress you. Enjoy!

The easiest way to bake potatoes:

Cut your potatoes in half, sprinkle a good amount of salt, and pour some olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet (cut side down) and bake at 400°F for about 30-40 minutes. Use a fork to check if it’s done. For more details, click here.

Frozen pies can really help you.

Many people who want to cook a pie face the problem of soggy bottom crusts. But freezing a pie before baking eliminates the problem because the bottom crust begins baking before the filling has thawed and it doesn’t have a chance to soak up the excess juices that would normally make it soggy. Don’t forget to wrap the pie in plastic wrap or foil before freezing. Detailed instructions can be found here.

It’s easier to cook pasta in a frying pan than in a casserole.

Since the surface of a frying pan is wider, it heats up faster and can really save your time. It’s rather convenient, isn’t it? The method is described here.

Cook vegetables in the oven.

To cook steamy vegetables in the oven, rinse them and cut them. Then lay them out on a long sheet of parchment and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes. Click here for more details.

Don’t be afraid to freeze onions for further use.

This hack is going to help you when you have to cook soup, meat, or a garnish in a short time. Peel and cut your onions. Then put the pieces in a baking pan and place them in a freezer. Don’t forget to cover the mold with aluminum foil and freeze it for several hours. Then put your onions in a zip-top bag. This is what this website recommends.

Use leftover pasta to make muffins.

Here’s a great method to use leftover pasta. It’s also a good way to add hidden vegetables that kids don’t usually like. These freeze and reheat well too. Click here for details.

Freeze chicken marinade for your convenience.

As a rule, when we come home after a long day at work, we start cooking. To make this process more pleasant, try to freeze a piece of chicken in marinade. Choose a recipe that you like.

A good way to mix candy and ice cream

To make this dessert, you’ll need any ice cream you like, your favorite chocolate or candy, and a flat beater. Chop your candy bar and add it to the ice cream. It’s a thick mix so use a heavy duty mixer and a flat beater. Not to miss any details, read the instruction here.

Homemade baked chips

Cut corn tortilla in triangles, spray oil, and sprinkle some salt. Then put them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450°F. The recipe is really simple, click here for details.

Before cooking, put some Greek yogurt on your salmon.

Slathering on a bit of Greek yogurt makes the fish ultra tender and helps the breadcrumbs stick to the fish. The recipe was taken from this website.

Now it’s really easy to cook perfect poached eggs.

To make the perfect dish, the eggs should be fresh. Add some vinegar, crack the eggs, and put them in the water one by one. For each added egg, you have to increase the cooking time by 20-30 seconds. For more details, click here.

Homemade lollipops

Put candy on parchment paper that covers a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 390°F. Watch your candy and take them out as soon as they barely melt. Then remove them and add the sticks. Your lollipops are ready. For more information, click here.

Easy baked breakfast sandwiches

Are you tired of usual sandwiches for breakfast? We recommend you to try to cook tasty muffins: in the evening, put some bacon or chicken in muffin tins, add eggs (one for each mold), and sprinkle them with salt. Bake your muffins in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

When you don’t have enough time, use this recipe. Whisk the eggs with milk, pour them in a casserole dish, and bake for about 30 minutes. Use ramekins or a muffin tin to serve your breakfast in an unusual way. For more details, click here.

Try to cook eggs in the oven.

Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray or oil and crack your eggs into the tin. Add some salt and pepper. Bake for about 17 minutes at 350°F. The recipe is described here.

How to make caramelized onions in the oven:

Many people avoid adding onions to dishes and some just can’t cook them well. Try this recipe — it won’t take much time. Believe us, it’s worth your time and effort.

It’s easier to cut frozen bacon.

Coil the slices up like snails and freeze them on a baking sheet until they’re solid. Then you may put them into zip-top bags and place the bags into the freezer. For more information, click here.

How to make a perfect sandwich:

To make a perfect sandwich, you have to take 4 pieces of ham and put them the way it’s shown in the picture so that the whole piece of bread is covered with ham. Click here to watch a video with detailed instructions.

How to make a perfect soft-boiled egg:

The perfect soft-boiled egg should have firm whites and a warm, runny yolk. Bring the water up to a boil, add the eggs, and then begin timing. If you’re just cooking 1 or 2 eggs, 5 minutes is perfect for a runny yolk. 3 or 4 eggs will need an extra few seconds. Detailed instructions are written here.

Bonus: Anti-theft lunch bag

Are you tired of having your food stolen by your coworkers? Here’s a solution for you: these anti-theft lunch bags are sandwich bags that have green and black stains printed on both sides to make your fresh and tasty lunch look spoiled and disgusting.

Have you tried any of these tips?