Spanish-English Kitchen Terms
As some of you may have noticed, I have been throwing some español onto the site. I’m studying Castellano, a language that is used here in Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Paraguay. I don’t want there to be any confusion, so anytime you see a palabra español and don’t know the meaning you can come here and get some clarification. Don’t forget that with español adjectives and nouns change their endings according to gender. FUN
*Signifies a local (Argentine) term
a puto de nieve: til it froths
a fuego lento: on a low heat
a la parrilla: grilled
a punto: medium rare
ablandar: soften
abombar: to hollow
aceite: oil
aceite de oliva: olive oil
aceitunas: olives
acelga: swiss chard
adquirir cuerpo: to thicken
afrutado: fruity
agrio: sour
agua: water
ahumado: smoked
aire: air
aji: chile
ajo: garlic
albahaca: basil
albaricoque: apricot
alcochofa: artichoke
alcauciles: artichoke
alcohol: alcohol
aliño: dressing
almendra: almond
almíbar: syrup
almuerzo: lunch
amargo: bitter
amasar: to knead
anchoa: anchovy
agregar: to add
anana: pineapple*
añadir: to add
apio: celery
arándanos: blueberries
arroz: rice
asado: roast, or a BBQ
asador: the man that grills at asados
asar: to roast
atún: tuna
avellana: hazelnut
aves: poultry
avinagrado: vinegary
azafrán: saffron
azucar: sugar
azucar impalpable: powdered sugar
azucar moreno: brown sugar
balanza: scale
bandeja: tray
bandeja de quesos: cheese baord
baño maría: bain marie
barrio: neighborhood
bastante: quite, enough
batido: milkshake, shaken
batidora: mixer
batir: to blend, to cream
bebida: drink
berenjena: eggplant
beso: kiss
bien hecho: well done
blando: soft boiled (eggs)
bola: ball
botella: bottle
brasas: lit pieces of wood or charcoal
broqueta: skewer
bueno: good
cacao: cocoa
cacito: small saucepan
café: coffee
calabaza: pumpkin
alamar/es: calamari, squid
calcular: to calculate
calor: hot
camarón: shrimp
cangrejo: crab
cantidad: quantity, amount
capa: layer
carne: meat
carne de vaca: beef
carne picada: ground beef
carniceria: butcher
cascar: egg shells
castaña: chesnut
cazo: saucepan
cazuela: saucepan
cebada: barley
cebolla: onion
cebolla morada: red onion
cena: dinner
cerdo: pork
cereales: cereal
cereza: cherry
cerveza: beer
cesta: basket
champán: champagne
champiñon: mushroom
charque: cured meat
chifa: Chinese food
chino: Chinese
choripan: white bread + chorizo
chorizo: pork sausage
chuleta: chop
cidra: cider
ciruela: plum
ciruela pasa: prune
clara: egg white
cocer: to cook
cocer a fuego lento: to simmer
cocer al vapor: to steam
cocina: kitchen
coco: coconut
coctél: cocktail
colador: strainer
colar: to strain
coliflor: cauliflower
colocar: to place
comida: food
con: with
con cuidado: gently
con… encima: topped with
condimento: seasoning
conejo: rabbit
congelado: frozen
congelar: to freeze
conservar: to conserve
copa: cup
corazon: heart
cordero: lamb
cortado: sliced
cortar: to cut, chop
cortar en cuartos: to quarter
cortar en dos: to halve
crema: cream
crudo: raw
cuajarse: curdle
cuarto: quarter
cuchara: spoon
cucharada: tablespoon
cucharadita: teaspoon
cucharón: ladle
cuchillo: knife
cuerpo: body
dale!: an expression used A LOT here with many meanings- let’s do it, ok, cool, I agree
datíl: date
de: of, from
de una en una: one by one
decorar: to decorate
dejar: to leave
dejar enfriar: leave to cool
delantal: apron
demasiado hecho: overdone
derritida: melted
derritir: to melt
desayuno: breakfast
descongelar: to defrost
desleír: to thin, dissolve
desmenuzar: to shred
desmoldar: to remove from mold
desperdiciar: to waste
destapar: uncover
diente de ajo: garlic clove
dulce: sweet
durazno: peach
empanada: turnover, classic Argie street food
en pedacitos: flaked
eneldo: dill
enfriar: to cool, chill
engrasar: to grease
endivia: endive
ensalada: salad
escurrir: to drain
esparragos: asparagus
espátula: spatula
especias: spices
espesar: to thicken
espeso: thick
espinaca: spinach
espolvorear: to sprinkle
espumoso: frothy, bubbly
estofado: stew
estropear: to ruin
evaporado: evaporated
exprimido: squeezed
extender: to spread
fiambres: cold cuts (ham, bologna, etc.)
filete: fillet
fino: thin, fine
formar: to form
forrar el molde: to line a pan/mould
frambuesa: raspberry
freir: to fry
fresa: strawberry
fresco: fresh
frito: fried
fruta: fruit
frutilla: strawberry*
fuego: fire, flame
galleta: cookie
gaucho: cowboy
gringo/a: an American
hielo: ice
hierba: herb
hola: hello
horno: oven
Flor de Caña: Nicaraguan rum
frio: cold
fruta: fruit
fruteria: fruit stand
fuego: fire
galleta: biscuit, cookie, cracker
gamba: prawn
ganso: goose
garbanzos: chick peas
garrafa: carafe
generoso: full-bodied
girasol: sunflower
granadina: grenadine
granos: grains
grasa: grease
grueso: thick
guardar: to store, keep
guarnición: trimmings
guiso: stew
gustar: to taste
hacer: to make
hamburguesa: hamburger
harina: flour
harina con levadura: self rising flower
hasta conseguir: until you get/achieve
helado: ice cream
hervido: boiled
hervir: to boil
hielo: ice
hierbas: herbs
higado: liver
higo: fig
hoja: leaf
hoja de laurel: bay leaf
hornear: to bake
horno: oven
huesos: bones
huevo: egg
huevo al plato: fried egg
huevo duro: hard-boiled egg
humedecer: to moisten
ingredientes: ingredients
infundir: to infuse
jamón: jam
jarra: jug
jugo: juice
jugoso: juicy, rare (steak)
juliana: julienne
kilo: kilo
kiwi: kiwi
langosta: lobster
lardo: lard
leche: milk
leche condensada: condensed milk
lechuga: lettuce
lentejas: lentils
licor: liquer
ligeramente: lightly
ligero: light
lima: lime
limón: lemon
limpiar: to clean
liso: smooth
loncha: slice
maceina: corn flower
malo: bad
mandarina: mandarine
manteca: butter
manzana: apple
manzanilla: camomile tea
mariscos: shellfish
mas: more
masa: dough
medida: to measure
medio bajo: medium low
medir: to measure
mejillones: mussels
melocoton: peach
melón: melon
menos: less
menú: menu
mercado: market
merengue: meringue
merluza: type of fish, hake
mermalada: jam, marmalade
mesa: table
mezcla: mix
mezclar: to mix
mitad: half
mojado: wet
mojar: to wet
molde: mould
moler: to grind
molido: ground
morcilla: blood sausage
mostaza: mustard
mover: to stir
musio: drumstick
muy rico: very good
nabo: turnip
narnja: orange
nuez: nut (walnut)
nuez moscada: nutmeg
nevar: to froth (egg whites)
novio/a: boyfriend, girlfriend
: or
olla: deep cooking pot
otro: other
onza: ounce
ostra: oyster
palabra: word
palta: avocado
pan: bread
pan rallado: bread crumbs
pancetta: bacon
papas: potatoes
papel aluminio: foil
papitas: fries or potato chips
para mi: for me
para vos: for you
parilla: BBQ pit, grill
pasa: raisin
pasado: stale, bad
pasar por agua: to poach
pastel: cake, pie
pastel de queso: cheesecake
pata: leg
paté: pate
pato: duck
pavo: turkey
pechuga: breast
pedacitos: small pieces
pegar: to stick
pelar: to peel
pepino: cucumber
pera: pear
perejil: parsley
pescado: fish
pesos: currency in Argentina. 4 pesos to 1 US dollar
pez espada: swordfish
picada: small bite, something to snack on OR ground (ex. ground beef, carne picada)
picado: chopped
picante: spicy
picar: to shop finely
pimienta: pepper
pinchar el fondo: make holes in the bottom
pinta: pint
piña: pineapple
pistacho: pistachio
plancha: grilled
plastico: plastico
platano: banana, plantain
plato: plate, dish, course
plegar: to fold
poco hecho: underdone
pollo: chicken
pomelo: grapefruit
poner: to place, to put
por: per
por favor: please
postre: dessert, pastry
precalentar: preheat
preferir: to prefer
preparado: prepared
primer plato: starter, first dish, appetizer
prueba: a taste
puchero: stockpot
puerro: leek
pulpo: octopus
puré: puré
queso: cheese
rabanito: radish
rallado: grated
rallar: to grate
rebanada: slice
receta: recipe
recipiente: container
refresco: soft drink
rellenar: to stuff, fill
relleno: stuffed
remojar: to soak
repollo: cabbage
reposar: to stand
reservar: to put aside, reserve
retirar del fuego: take off the heat
riñon: kidney
rodillo: rolling pin
romero: rosemary
ron: rum
rosado: rose
sabor: flavor
sabroso: tasty
sacar: to take out
sacudir: to shake
sal: salt
salchicha: sausage
salmón: salmon
salpicar: to sprinkle
salpimentar: to season
salsa: sauce
saltear: to saute
salvia: sage
sancochar: to parboil
sandía: watermelon
sardina: sardine
sarten: frying pan
seco: dry
semillas: seeds
servilleta: napkin
servir: to serve
setas: fungi
sidra: cider
silla: chair
sin: without
soda: soda
sofreir: to lightly fry
sopa: soup
sucs: french word for the little particles that form and stick to your pan while cooking. not the burnt ones!
surtido: assorted
tambien: also
tampoco: neither
tapar: to cover
tartera: baking tray
tazón: bowl
té: tea
temperatura: temperature
templado: warm
tenedor: fork
tengo hambre: i’m hungry
tierno: tender
tirar: to throw away
tiras: strips
toalla: towel
tomate: tomato
tomillo: thyme
tónica: tonic water
torta: cake
tostada: toast
tostado: toasted
tostar: to toast
trabajar la harina: to work the flour
trigo: wheat
trozo: piece
trucha: trout
un poco: a little
uno: one
uva: grape
vainilla: vanilla
variedad: variety
vaso: glass
vegetariano: vegetarian
verde: green
verdeo: green onion
verduras: vegetables
verter: to pour
vieira: scallop
vinagre: vinegar
verduleria: vegetable stand
verduras: vegetables
viaja: travel, journey
vino: wine
vodka: vodka
vos: you
: and
yema: egg yolk
yogur: yogurt
zanzhoria: carrot
yo: I
