Top 10 Free Online Cooking Classes to Sharpen Your Culinary Skills

Whether you're a seasoned home chef or a kitchen newbie, there's always room to level up your culinary game. The best part? You don’t need to spend a dime. Thanks to the digital age, you can access countless free online cooking classes from the comfort of your kitchen. From mastering basic techniques to diving into international cuisines, here’s a list of the top 10 free cooking classes available online.

1. BBC Good Food

If you’re looking for easy-to-follow, family-friendly recipes, BBC Good Food is an excellent choice. Their free video tutorials cover everything from essential cooking techniques to holiday meals. You can learn how to bake a perfect sponge cake, prepare a roast chicken, or even whip up some delicious vegan dishes.

2. Delia Online Cookery School

Run by Delia Smith, a legendary British chef, Delia Online offers a comprehensive free cooking course. Beginners will appreciate her straightforward approach to mastering the basics, from boiling eggs to baking bread.

3. The Kitchn’s Cooking School

The Kitchn offers a completely free cooking school with 20 lessons designed to teach you essential cooking skills, from knife handling to making stocks and sauces. Each lesson includes detailed step-by-step instructions, videos, and downloadable guides.

4. Skillshare Free Classes

While Skillshare typically operates on a subscription model, they offer a variety of free cooking classes for beginners. Instructors range from professional chefs to food enthusiasts, covering a wide range of cuisines and techniques, from pasta-making to cake decorating.

5. Milk Street Cooking School

The Milk Street Cooking School provides several free online cooking lessons aimed at teaching international dishes with minimal effort. They specialize in simplifying recipes so that home cooks of all levels can succeed.

6. America’s Test Kitchen Free Trial

America’s Test Kitchen offers a free 14-day trial that gives you access to their robust collection of cooking classes. Their classes are known for being thorough and scientifically driven, making them ideal for anyone interested in understanding the "why" behind cooking techniques.

7. AllRecipes Video Classes

With over 25 years of content, AllRecipes provides video tutorials on almost every type of dish. From quick and easy weeknight dinners to intricate holiday desserts, their free classes are a great way to get inspired and improve your cooking.

8. Tasty Free Recipes

Tasty, known for its viral food videos, offers a plethora of free recipes and cooking tutorials for those who prefer a more lighthearted, fun approach to learning. Their quick, engaging videos make cooking approachable, even if you’re just starting out.

9. Coursera: Stanford Introduction to Food and Health

Although Coursera is known for its academic courses, they also offer free cooking-related classes, such as Stanford’s Introduction to Food and Health. This class is a great way to learn about the relationship between food, health, and sustainability, all while improving your kitchen skills.

10. ChefSteps

ChefSteps is a culinary school and resource center for those who want to delve deeper into cooking science. Though they have a premium subscription model, many of their recipes and tutorials are offered for free, especially for dishes that require precision and technique.

Whether you're an aspiring chef or someone who just wants to spice up weeknight dinners, these free online cooking classes are perfect for expanding your culinary knowledge without breaking the bank. So, grab your apron, fire up your tablet, and start cooking your way to culinary mastery!