How to Tell if a Recipe is Good - The Kitchen Chalkboard (2024)

There are millions of recipes out there. You need to make dinner so you narrowed it down to one however you just don’t know how it will turn out. That leads us to the question, how to tell if a recipe is good?

These experiences really got me thinking just how to tell if a recipe is good? After analyzing a bunch of great recipes, learning about recipe development and cooking some pretty good and bad dinners I came upon six things to look for in a good recipe.

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

How to tell if a recipe is good?

When I first started cooking people told me to only cook recipes from big-name chefs so that I knew that the recipe would be good. Let me tell you, I have had made some of my best meals from brand new bloggers and some of my worst ones from big–name chefs. I don’t think that is a true judgement of a recipe.

What is a good way to determine the recipe is by analyzing the recipe and looking for some specific elements. Read on to learn just how to tell if a recipe is good.

Think About The Big Picture

First things first, let’s think about the big picture here. We don’t need to do major pondering but a quick assessment. Why are you cooking? What’s the purpose of this meal? Is it just a quick dinner you are trying to get on the table or is it a holiday meal? Those are two very different purposes and you will need very different recipes for them. Next, think about who you are cooking for. My family dinner is a very different meal than what I would make for an adult dinner party. Lastly, consider what are the diners’ likes and dislikes. Remember these things as we move on.

Analyze the Recipe

Review the list of ingredients. Are these things you like to eat? If there are one or two ingredients you don’t care for, you can always substitute it. But too many swaps and you are now creating a new dish. Next check to see if the ingredients listed in the order in which you will use them. An orderly ingredient list is super helpful as you make a dish and shows that the author was thoughtful in putting together the recipe.

Look at the recipe time. Do you have that much time to allot? Keep this number in mind as youread the instructions as it isn’t always accurate. I recently read a recipe where they said the recipe would be done in 35 minutes. Then the instructions had the baking time as 40 minutes. It’s best to know the time commitment in advance.

Read the instructions. Are they clear? Look out for any techniques you don’t know. Nothing is worse than being halfway through cooking and not knowing what to do. You should be able to read the instructions once and have a general idea of how to make the dish.

How do you know when the dish is done? The author should convey how long to cook a dish for as well as how to tell when it’s done. Look for detailed cooking times as well as how to test for doneness (temperature, color, etc.). The more specific the better!

Above all, you shouldn’t have any questions after reading the recipe. A great recipe will tell you everything you need to know. This includes how to store leftovers, what can be done in advance and any modifications you can easily make.

In Conclusion

One of the biggest takeaways is that what makes a good recipe for you may not make a good recipe for me. It’s highly personalized and really depends on your requirements. But the list above has the fundamentals that, when incorporated, really make a recipe a great one.

What do you think? Have you made some great or terrible dishes lately? Sound off in the comments below and let me know. I would love to hear!

If need some recipes that I have found to be great, check out my Pinterest Board.

Happy cooking!