Best Free Cooking Courses Online: Learn to Cook Without Spending a Dime in 2025

You don’t need to spend money to learn to cook well. We’ve tested 100+ free cooking resources to find the absolute best free cooking courses, channels, and websites that rival paid options.

Last updated: November 2025 | Reading time: 10 minutes

Quick Comparison: Top Free Resources

Resource	Type	Best For	Quality Level
Basics with Babish	YouTube	Fundamentals	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Adam Ragusea	YouTube	Theory + technique	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Food Wishes	YouTube	Recipes & technique	⭐⭐⭐⭐½
America’s Test Kitchen	Website/YouTube	Tested recipes	⭐⭐⭐⭐
BBC Good Food	Website	British/European	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Serious Eats	Website	Food science	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Coursera (Audit Mode)	Platform	Structured courses	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Free YouTube Cooking Channels

1. Basics with Babish

Best for: Learning cooking fundamentals systematically

Andrew Rea’s “Basics with Babish” series is specifically designed to teach cooking from scratch. Unlike his main channel (recreating movie foods), Basics focuses on foundational skills.

What You’ll Learn:

Knife skills and safety
Basic cooking techniques (sauté, roast, braise)
Essential sauces and stocks
Cooking equipment fundamentals
Recipe building blocks

Why It’s Great:

Professional production quality
Clear, step-by-step instruction
Organized in progressive order
Entertaining while educational
Short videos (10-15 min) easy to digest

Start Here: “Stocks” episode, then work through playlist chronologically

Channel: Babish Culinary Universe [Watch Basics with Babish]

2. Adam Ragusea

Best for: Understanding WHY cooking works (food science)

Adam explains the science and reasoning behind cooking techniques. Perfect for analytical learners who want to understand, not just follow recipes.

What You’ll Learn:

Food science explanations
Why recipes work (or don’t)
Practical home cooking adaptations
Ingredient substitutions
Debunking cooking myths

Why It’s Great:

Makes you a better cook by understanding principles
Focuses on accessible home cooking
Explains when “rules” can be broken
Addresses common cooking myths
Weekly uploads

Start Here: “How to (actually) make restaurant-quality food at home”

Channel: Adam Ragusea [Watch Adam Ragusea]

3. Food Wishes (Chef John)

Best for: Huge recipe library with reliable results

Chef John has uploaded 1,900+ recipes over 15 years. His signature calm voice and foolproof recipes make cooking approachable.

What You’ll Learn:

Enormous variety of recipes
Reliable cooking techniques
Tips and tricks from decades of teaching
Ingredient variations and substitutions

Why It’s Great:

Massive free recipe library
Consistent quality
Videos show exactly what it should look like
Chef John’s calming teaching style
New recipes weekly

Start Here: Search for whatever dish interests you—he probably has it

Channel: Food Wishes [Watch Food Wishes]

4. J. Kenji López-Alt

Best for: First-person cooking perspective and food science

Former Serious Eats Food Lab director films himself cooking from his POV. Combines deep food science knowledge with practical home cooking.

What You’ll Learn:

Real-time cooking decisions
Troubleshooting problems live
Food science applied practically
Restaurant technique adaptations for home

Why It’s Great:

First-person camera shows exactly what you’d see
Unedited real-time cooking (mistakes included)
Explains reasoning for every decision
Science-backed cooking methods

Start Here: “The Food Lab” techniques videos

Channel: J. Kenji López-Alt [Watch Kenji’s Channel]

5. Chinese Cooking Demystified

Best for: Authentic Chinese cooking techniques

Couple living in China teaches authentic Chinese cooking with Western-friendly explanations. Covers regional Chinese cuisines thoroughly.

What You’ll Learn:

Authentic Chinese cooking techniques
Wok skills and heat control
Chinese ingredients and substitutions
Regional Chinese dishes

Why It’s Great:

Filmed in China with authentic ingredients
Explains techniques clearly for Western kitchens
Addresses ingredient substitutions
Teaches proper Chinese cooking methods

Start Here: “Kung Pao Chicken” or “Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Stir Frying”

Channel: Chinese Cooking Demystified [Watch Chinese Cooking Demystified]

Best Free Cooking Websites

6. Serious Eats – The Food Lab

Best for: Food science and deeply tested recipes

Serious Eats tests recipes exhaustively and explains the science behind cooking. Their Food Lab section is essentially a free culinary education.

What You’ll Learn:

Why recipes work scientifically
Thoroughly tested techniques
Equipment reviews and recommendations
Ingredient deep-dives

Why It’s Great:

Recipes tested 20-50 times before publishing
Scientific explanations make you better cook
No subscription needed
In-depth technique articles

Start Here: “The Food Lab” section, read fundamentals articles

Website: seriouseats.com [Visit Serious Eats]

7. America’s Test Kitchen (Free Content)

Best for: Foolproof recipes and equipment reviews

ATK offers substantial free content—recipes, technique videos, and equipment reviews. Not everything is free, but enough to learn significantly.

What You’ll Learn:

Foolproof cooking methods
Equipment buying guides
Technique troubleshooting
Recipe variations

Why It’s Great:

Recipes genuinely foolproof
Equipment reviews save money on purchases
Free content substantial
Can try before subscribing

Start Here: Browse free recipes and technique articles

Website: americastestkitchen.com [Browse Free ATK Content]

8. BBC Good Food

Best for: British and European recipes with technique guidance

BBC Good Food offers thousands of free recipes with technique guides, cooking tips, and meal planning ideas.

What You’ll Learn:

British and European cooking
Seasonal cooking guides
Technique videos
Meal planning strategies

Why It’s Great:

Completely free (no subscription)
High-quality recipes
Technique guides included
User ratings help identify best recipes

Start Here: “Cookery school” section for techniques

Website: bbcgoodfood.com [Visit BBC Good Food]

Free Platform Courses

9. Coursera (Audit Mode)

Best for: Structured, university-level free courses

Coursera allows “auditing” most cooking courses for free—you get all video content and readings but no certificate or assignments.

What You’ll Learn:

University/culinary school curriculum
Structured progressive learning
Food science and nutrition
Professional techniques

Why It’s Great:

Legitimate university content
Structured like real classes
Free audit option (no credit card needed)
High production quality

How to Use:

Search “cooking” or “culinary”
Click course → “Enroll” → Select “Audit” (free)
Access all videos and readings

Start Here: “Science of Gastronomy” from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Website: coursera.org [Browse Free Cooking Courses]

10. Alison – Free Diplomas

Best for: Free certificates in culinary fundamentals

Alison offers completely free diploma-level courses with certificates. Quality isn’t as high as paid platforms, but genuinely free with credentials.

What You’ll Learn:

Culinary fundamentals
Food safety and hygiene
Menu planning
Basic cooking techniques

Why It’s Great:

Completely free including certificates
Structured curriculum
Self-paced learning
No hidden costs or trials

Limitations:

Lower production quality than paid sites
More basic content
Some ads (it’s how they offer free courses)

Website: alison.com [Browse Free Culinary Diplomas]

Free Trial Strategies (Technically Free)

How to Use Free Trials Effectively:

MasterClass (30-day free trial):

Sign up, binge watch 3-5 cooking classes
Take detailed notes and download workbooks
Cancel before 30 days
Cost: $0 if you remember to cancel

Skillshare (1-month free):

Take 5-10 cooking classes
Download for offline viewing
Complete projects
Cancel before billing
Cost: $0 if you cancel on time

America’s Test Kitchen (14-day trial):

Access premium recipes and videos
Download PDF recipes you like
Watch technique videos
Cancel before trial ends
Cost: $0 if you cancel

Pro tip: Set phone reminder 2 days before trial ends!

Building Your Free Cooking Education

Month 1: Fundamentals

Resources: Basics with Babish (YouTube) Focus: Knife skills, basic techniques, essential recipes Time: 5-7 hours of video content Practice: Cook 3-4 times per week

Month 2: Understanding Why

Resources: Adam Ragusea, Serious Eats Food Lab Focus: Food science, cooking theory, problem-solving Time: 10 hours reading/watching Practice: Experiment with techniques learned

Month 3: Recipe Variety

Resources: Food Wishes, BBC Good Food Focus: Building recipe repertoire Time: 15-20 recipes tried Practice: Cook different cuisines

Month 4: Specialization

Resources: Chinese Cooking Demystified (or cuisine of choice) Focus: Deep-dive one cuisine Time: 20+ videos, 10+ recipes Practice: Master 5-10 signature dishes

Month 5-6: Structured Learning

Resources: Coursera audit courses Focus: Systematic, academic approach Time: 20-30 hours Practice: Complete course assignments (even if not graded)

Total Cost: $0 Result: Comprehensive cooking education

Why Free Resources Can Be Better Than Paid

Advantages of Free:

1. No Financial Commitment

Quit anytime without losing money
Try multiple teaching styles
No pressure to “get your money’s worth”

2. Often More Current

YouTube creators upload weekly
Content stays fresh and trendy
Paid courses update slowly

3. Community Engagement

Comments provide additional tips
Questions get answered by community
See common problems others face

4. Variety and Choice

Not locked into one instructor
Sample many teaching styles
Find what works for you

When to Consider Paid Courses:

Pay for courses if you:

Need certificates/credentials
Want structured curriculum with accountability
Value highest production quality
Need dedicated customer support
Can afford and value premium content

But honestly: Most home cooks never need paid courses. Free resources are excellent.

Common Myths About Free Cooking Content

Myth: “Free means low quality”

Reality: Top YouTube channels rival or exceed paid courses in quality. Serious Eats is better than most paid resources.

Myth: “You can’t learn systematically from free content”

Reality: Basics with Babish, Coursera audits, and BBC Good Food’s technique section provide structured learning.

Myth: “Paid courses have exclusive techniques”

Reality: Cooking techniques haven’t changed in decades. The “secrets” are all available free online.

Myth: “Free content lacks depth”

Reality: Serious Eats Food Lab articles are more in-depth than most paid courses. Kenji’s videos show professional-level technique.

Myth: “You need certificates to prove you can cook”

Reality: For home cooking, results matter—not certificates. For professional work, credentials come from culinary school, not online courses.

Our Free Learning Path Recommendation

For Complete Beginners:

Week 1-2: Basics with Babish (knife skills, basic cooking) Week 3-4: Food Wishes (practice simple recipes) Week 5-8: Adam Ragusea (understand why techniques work) Month 3+: Specialize in cuisines that interest you

Total Cost: $0 Total Time: 40-60 hours over 3 months Result: Confident home cook

For Intermediate Cooks:

Month 1: Serious Eats Food Lab (deepen understanding) Month 2: Kenji López-Alt first-person videos (refine technique) Month 3: Coursera audit course (structured learning) Ongoing: Specialty channels for cuisines of interest

Total Cost: $0 Result: Advanced home cook with deep understanding

Final Thoughts

You genuinely don’t need to spend money to become a great cook.

The free resources available today are better than what culinary students had access to 20 years ago. YouTube channels from actual professional chefs, science-backed articles from Serious Eats, and university courses via Coursera—all free.

The only requirement is your time and practice.

Start with Basics with Babish, explore from there, and cook regularly. In 6 months of consistent practice with free resources, you’ll cook better than 90% of people.

[Browse All Free Cooking Resources]