Ideas for Creating Unique Recipes

Jennifer Bonvechio
3 min readJan 29, 2022

--

People are often inspired to create new recipes after trying memorable dishes at a restaurant. Recipes can also be created spontaneously due to a lack of ingredients or cooking mistakes. In this case, the cook may recreate the dish several times before settling on a final version.

Novice home chefs can begin by researching existing recipes for inspiration. Learning about the food pairings theory can also help cooks think of unique combinations. The theory suggests that ingredients that share similar aromatic and taste profiles will pair well together. Swapping several ingredients from a standard recipe with other foods with similar flavor profiles is a great initial exercise in recipe-making.

Reviewing existing recipes also helps cooks figure out which ingredients are essential. If several recipes list the same ingredients, it may be a sign that those items are integral to the dish’s taste or texture. If a home cook wants to adapt a recipe according to a dietary preference, they should research suitable alternatives for common recipe staples, such as eggs, flour, or butter. Cooks may also need to substitute expensive or inaccessible ingredients for local options. If a cook is working with a brand new ingredient, they should test different cooking methods to identify which is best. For example, some vegetables are not suitable for baking and must be fried or steamed. Knowing the best way to cook a new ingredient will help a cook decide what types of recipes the ingredient would be suited for.

After identifying ingredients that should not be replaced, the cook can consider ingredients to enhance a dish’s flavor. For example, nuts can be added to a creamy dish to create a contrasting texture. Since food should also be visually appealing, cooks often include ingredients that add color to the dish. The cook can then move on to the experimentation phase.

Following set recipe ratios enable home chefs to try different ingredients but still produce the intended result. For example, most bread recipes have a set ratio between dry and liquid ingredients. Cooks can test different flours, types of fats, and liquids within this ratio to create new bread recipes. Other ratios can only be determined through trial and error. Cooks should constantly test their recipe as they go to identify if any additional ingredients are needed.

Most people will need to go through several iterations of their recipe before it is perfected. They may also ask family members or friends to taste-test and provide feedback. Home cooks should record all of the steps and measurements they used in order to replicate the recipe. This record can also help determine which step may need to be altered to produce a better-tasting result.

If the cook is satisfied with their recipe, they may decide to publish it for others to use. Good recipe writing must be clear and easy to follow, whether the recipe is shared in a family cookbook or online blog. Experienced food bloggers advise listing all of the ingredients and necessary equipment at the beginning of the recipe and including precise measurements.

--

--

Jennifer Bonvechio

A California-based professional, Jennifer Bonvechio has been with Baker Street Advisors, LLC, in San Francisco since 2003.