63 Common Cooking Mistakes and How to Fix Them

There are many things that can go wrong in the kitchen, you can’t save some things, but many can be easily prevented. This article will explore some of the most common cooking mistakes and how to fix them.

Whether you are a beginner cook or a seasoned chef, we all make mistakes in the kitchen from time to time. But don’t worry. These mistakes are usually easy to fix. With a bit of know-how, you can avoid these pitfalls and make perfect meals every time.

How to Fix the Most Common Cooking Mistakes

If you’re like most people, you probably make a few cooking mistakes here and there. We all do. Some mistakes are minor, like extra salt in the soup, or a burned piece of toast. But others can be a little more serious, like using paprika instead of cayenne pepper in your chili recipe.

But whatever the mistake, don’t fret! I’m going to share with you the most common cooking mistakes people make, and how to to turn them around.

Adding too Much Salt

With soups or sauces, the best method is to remove a part of the liquid and replace it with water or unseasoned stock to even out the saltiness. As a last resort, you can add some corn flour, but be careful, as this will change the flavor if you’re too heavy-handed.

For other dishes, balancing the saltiness with vinegar, lemon and sugar can mask the overpowering salt flavor. Additionally, you can bulk things out by adding more rice/pasta to spread the flavor out a little more. Tossing a cubed raw potato into whatever you’re cooking can help draw out some of the salty, but remove it before it gets soft.

Putting in too Much Spice

The best thing to combat spiciness with is sugar, such as pineapple juice or the best neutralizer for spice is dairy products, such as cream. Chilies contain capsaicin, which causes your mouth to burn, and dairy products contain casein. This compound bonds with capsaicin and dissipates it, reducing the burning sensation.

The Food is too Sweet

Acid will cut through sweetness, so depending on the type of dish, try using lemon, lime or vinegar to balance overly sweet dishes. If this doesn’t work, you can try bulking out the other ingredients to spread the sweetness and reduce its intensity. Do not add salt, as this will enhance the sweetness!

The Dish is too Acidic or Sour

Sugar or sweetness is generally the cure. For a tomato base, add sweet carrot, or try adding sugar or agave to overly sour dressings. If suitable for the dish, soy sauce can balance sourness very well.

Burnt Soup or Sauce

It is notoriously hard to save, but sometimes plunging the pan base into iced water and slowly and carefully pouring out the top half of the soup without disturbing the bottom half can salvage some of it. Keep tasting as you pour, stop as soon as you can detect any burnt taste, and be especially careful not to scrape the bottom once you discover it has burned.

Split Hollandaise

Simply whisk an egg yolk over a bain-marie until it has thickened, then slowly whisk the split hollandaise into this yolk to bring everything back together. Be sure not to allow the sauce to become too hot if you are holding it for service.

Split Mayonaise 

Whisk an egg yolk and a little water together, then bit by bit, whisk the split mayo into this to bring it back together, and add a little more oil in stages to re-thicken the mayo.

Curdled Sauce

Reduce 1/2 cup of cream by 2/3, so it becomes very thick, and then slowly whisk in the curdled sauce. Alternatively, place the sauce over an ice bath and whisk in a few ice cubes. If it’s far gone, try pouring the curdled sauce into a bowl of your dairy base and slowly whisking to bring it back. Adding a little corn flour to the sauce can prevent it from splitting in the first place but be careful not to affect the flavor.

Lumpy Sauce

Either whisk in some ice cubes, or pass the sauce through a chinois or fine mesh, but do not press the lumps. Instead, gently stir or allow the sauce to drain naturally.

Grainy Melted Chocolate

If your chocolate becomes grainy, gently stir in a tsp of oil per ounce of chocolate. Try not to get any water into it, as this causes graininess.

Soggy Mashes Potato

Adding potato flakes or dried milk powder can rescue wet mash. And in the future, do not cut the potatoes into small chunks; drain them well once they are cooked.

Gluey Mashed Potato

There’s no saving it, but you can use it to make cheesy potato cakes, add a little flour or breadcrumbs and stir in cheese, then fry or bake and cut into squares.

Mash turns gluey when overworked, so avoid using a hand masher, use a mouli or a potato ricer, and ensure your potatoes are not too wet before you begin.

Stale Bread

If fresh bread has been accidentally left open to the air, it can be softened by sprinkling it with water, wrapping it in foil and baking in the oven for a few minutes at 300°F (150°C).

Burnt Pots and Pans

To save a pan that’s really taken a hammering, cover it in bicarbonate soda and enough water to moisten it, then leave overnight before scrubbing. For cast iron pans, scrub with coarse salt.

Cake Stuck in Tin

If you forget to line the baking tin with parchment and the cake sticks, you can use a hot, damp cloth to steam and loosen the cake, or if you have time, freeze the cake and then run a knife around the edges before trying to lever the cake out. If all else fails, you will have to cut the cake and lift out sections or sacrifice one side to make a space to insert a spatula to lever it out.

Overbeaten Egg Whites

If your whites have separated and look dry, just add in a fresh egg white, one for every two you have overbeaten, and beat everything back together, be sure to use them quickly afterward, though.

Hard-Boiled Egg Won’t Peel

Crack the egg, and leave it in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. The water will seep in through the cracks and loosen the egg. If you are batch cooking hard-boiled eggs, add tsp baking soda to water for an easier peel.

Greasy Soup or Sauce

If there is a thin film of grease over the surface add ice cubes and then remove them before they melt, the fat will stick to the ice cubes and is easily removed with them. Alternately you can chill the whole soup/sauce; the fat will rise and you can skim and discard it.

Overcooked Vegetables

You can’t save overcooked veg, but you can cream them, turn them into purees, or even blitz them and pour them into ice-cube trays to use as stock later.

Cracked Baked Cheesecake

You can’t uncrack it, but you can cover it in a fruit or chocolate sauce to hide the cracks.

Over Sticky Rice

It can sometimes be saved by rinsing in a colander in cold water to remove the excess starch. However, if it’s still sticky, you’ll need to start again and turn the ruined rice into something else, like rice pudding.

When making rice, use the correct amount of water to avoid sticky rice forming; too little and the starch makes the rice gummy. Too much and the rice will absorb a lot and also become gummy.

Buttercream Frosting Separation

If the buttercream has turned too wet, whisk the mixture over a bowl of ice cubes by hand, this will bring it back together. It may also be a case of the buttercream moving too far below room temperature and curdling, so test this before using the ice bowl method. If this is the case, use a hot cloth around the bowl while mixing the buttercream.

Runny Frosting

Halve the mixture and add more confectioner’s sugar to only one half until it thickens, then use that. Just adding more sugar to the whole thing probably won’t work if it’s very runny.

Crumbling Cake Frosting

Put the cake into the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up, then add another layer of frosting to the hardened surface to cover up the crumbling areas.

Over-Cooked Meat

Soak the meat in a sauce or broth and let it sit for a while. Or, if you’re in a hurry, make gravy and seep the meat in the oven for 10 minutes 300°F (150°C). This will add some juice back into the meat and stop some of the dryness.

Candy Won’t Set

The reason for this is typically because it still contains too much water, so return it to the boil with a few spoons of cream to stabilize it and then try again.

Overcooked or Curdled Custard

Add the whole mixture into a blender while it’s still hot and blend on a high speed, then remove and pass through a chinois or fine sieve.

Whipped Cream Collapses

As you whip, add one tbs of milk powder for every 1 cup of cream, this will give the cream much more solidity and can even last 24 hours.

Getting Egg Yolk Into the White When Separating

Either scoop it out with a shell half or touch it with a damp cloth to which the yolk will cling. You can also use a turkey baster to suck up larger amounts.

Wilted Salad

Soak it in cold water with a slice of lemon for 15-20 minutes, this will refresh the leaves and they will become crunchier with better color.

Burnt Pie Crust

Use a fine grater to remove the blackened parts if the burn is not too extreme.

Ripped Pie Crust

Patch up with extra pasty and use beaten egg whites as glue.

Uneven Baking

Make sure you roll anything out really flat and learn the hotspots of the oven you are using so that you can move the pie around if one part is cooking faster.

(A good way to test for hotspots is to lay a tray of toast in the oven and watch which areas burn first).

Pie Top Burning too Quickly

Simply cover the top in tin foil to protect it from the heat while the rest of the pie cooks.

Meat Not Searing or is Soggy

If your pan is not hot enough or is overcrowded, you may also be turning the meat too often, allow for a good crust to form before turning. If you are cooking duck, drain the pan every so often while rendering to get rid of the excessive fat.

Cookies Spread too Much or Cake too Dense

Your butter is likely too warm. Soften it for use by cutting it into cubes and leaving it out at room temperature, don’t ever use the microwave. Butter starts to melt at around 70°F (20°C), so be careful not to overly cream and inadvertently warm the butter.

Egg Whites Won’t Whip

They whip best at room temperature, so leave them to sit out for a while. Use a copper/ stainless steel or glass bowl. Avoid plastic as it can hold grease. Don’t get any yolk in there. It acts like grease and stops whites from forming the best peaks.

Soggy Salad

Spin and dry the leaves properly, toss lightly after dressing so that the oil doesn’t soak in as quickly, and always dress at the last minute before serving.

Food From the Fryer is Soggy

Turn up the heat, and don’t overcrowd the basket, or the oil will lower in temperature, be sure to fry large amounts in batches. Hot oil repels water in the food, making the outside of it crispy.

Rubbery Boiled Eggs

Don’t drop cold eggs into boiling water because the white will cook faster than the yolk. Instead, warm up the egg first and then add it to gently simmering water. If you have the time bring eggs to a boil, switch off the heat, and leave for 10 minutes, then shock them in cold water to halt the cooking for the best results.

Fish Sticks to Grill

Make sure you clean the grill before use, and using a paintbrush, put a coating of oil onto the grill each time you’re about to put a fish on. You can also oil the fish skin, and don’t try to move it before it’s loose because the flesh will tear, wait for the grill to do its job!

Frozen Berries Become Mushy When Thawed

Freeze them on a tray before bagging them. This avoids the ice crystals forming that destroy cell walls and make the fruit mushy once it defrosts.

Alcohol Taste Remains

Remove any chunks of meat or vegetable and separately reduce the sauce more to burn off the alcohol. You can also add a little tomato paste to cut through the taste.

Hummus too Thick

Warm to room temperature, which should loosen it. If the hummus remains thick, whisk in some olive oil to loosen it.

Broken Chocolate Ganache

Although it may be tempting, don’t just add more cream; this will change the fat ratio to chocolate and affect what you’re trying to make. Instead, whisk in water 1tsp at a time until the ganache comes back together.

Food Sticking to Pan

Make sure the pan is hot enough to use. Test this by flicking water from your fingers at the pan. If it hisses angrily and disappears, the pan is hot. If the pan is old or often catches food, use greaseproof paper oiled on both sides as a protective layer.

Chewy Meat

Cut across the grain, not with it. This breaks up the fibers and gives for a more tender slice. Also, allow the meat to rest appropriately after it has been cooked. This will also prevent the juices from the meat escaping and running over the board when sliced.

Burnt Caramel

It can’t be saved but can be quickly remade. Just remember that the sugar generates its own heat, so it will continue cooking quickly. Remove it from the heat before it is finished cooking, or plunge the saucepan base into cold water to stop the cooking process and achieve the color you want.

Caramel, Butter and Sugar Separates

When making caramel or toffee, sometimes you can end up with an oily layer on top of the mixture. This often happens due to abrupt temperature changes. Separation can also occur in the beginning if the butter and sugar do not melt evenly. Removal from the heat and constant stirring can sometimes bring the caramel back, or by slowly adding hot water while whisking (don’t add more than ¼ of the mixture volume in water).

Crème Brûlée Didn’t Set

Make sure you beat your yolks and sugar to the ribbon stage and add the cream after it has cooled a little. This protects the proteins in the egg. If you are sure you followed the recipe exactly, leave them in the oven longer than is suggested, as the oven’s temperature may be at fault.

Lumpy or Burned Pancakes

Don’t pour oil into the pan to cook with as it will pool and cook the pancake unevenly. Instead, wipe the pan with an oiled tissue/cloth, and don’t peek. Just wait for the surface to bubble and solidify before flipping. Then, you won’t disturb the seal made around the edges.

Brown Guacamole

The best way to avoid this is to add lemon juice to the avocado and toss it to get an even coat before mashing, drain any excess, then mash and mix in more lemon juice to taste. Store in small batches covered in an oiled piece of parchment to protect the top layer.

Forgot to Defrost Something and Need it Fast

Place the food in a bowl and run a steady stream of cold water into the bowl. This will speed up defrosting time. If you’re pushed for time, run lukewarm water, but this generally only works on small objects or thinly sliced meats.

You Didn’t Switch on the Deep Fryer

You can use the hot part of the flat-top stove to heat a pan of oil quickly and use this to fry what you need until the fryer catches up. However, be careful not to allow the oil to get too hot or move close to any flames.

Meat Breaks Down in Marinade

Be careful what liquid/ingredients you use. For example, fresh pineapple, papaya and ginger all contain an enzyme called bromelain which will break down any meat it contacts and you will end up with mush if marinating for a long time.

Tough Baked Goods

This generally occurs through over-mixing, so knead your dough as little as possible, or finish the last bit of mixing by hand, not by machine. Baking is definitely a science, so be sure to understand each recipe and you’ll avoid mistakes like this.

Bread Dough did not Rise

This is a problem with the yeast. It was either too old (if dried), or the dough was too hot and it was destroyed, or the dough was too cold to activate it. Adding too much salt or sugar to the yeast mixture will also stop a good rise.

Sticky Bread Dough

This occurs when not enough flour is used, when old flour is used or when the dough is over-kneaded. Be sure to use strong bread flour for the high gluten content and to knead for the appropriate amount of time.

Bread is Compact and Solid Once Baked

This generally occurs when a weak flour (with a low gluten content) is used or by not allowing the bread enough time to rise. Always make sure the dough has been allowed to double in size.

Muffins are Flat and Cakey

Be sure to use fresh baking powder, and bake on high heat before lowering it to finish the cooking process, this will boost the size of the muffins and they won’t be so dense.

Fresh Pasta is Tough When Cooked

You may be overworking the dough, be gentle with it, and combine everything carefully. You don’t need to knead it very much. Also, make sure you rest the dough in the fridge for at least an hour.

Gnocchi is too Sticky to Work

This is always due to too much water in the dough, it is better to bake potatoes than to boil them for gnocchi, and although many recipes include them, eggs are not always necessary and can sometimes cause the mixture to become too wet. Adding more flour may help, but if half a cup makes no difference, it is best to start again.

Cooking with the Wrong Oven Temperature

If you’ve cooked a dish in your oven only to have it come out undercooked or overcooked, you may have been using the wrong temperature. Ovens are calibrated differently and ovens vary in temperature accuracy, so it’s essential to check the temperature of your oven before you start cooking.

There are a couple of ways you can do this. First, you can use an oven thermometer. You can also check the temperature yourself by placing a dry wooden spoon or small piece of foil on the center rack and checking it every few minutes with a meat thermometer after about 20 minutes. 

Conclusion

People make many common mistakes when cooking, but fortunately, they are all easily avoidable with a little bit of knowledge. So, with this newfound information, go forth and cook confidently, knowing that delicious meals are just around the corner.