Cooking isn't just an art; it's a science. We'll help you understand the physical and chemical processes that make food look, smell, and taste the way it does.
A hand holding a clear squareshaped ice cube over a reflective surface
There's a Reason Bar Ice Looks Better Than Yours (And You Can Fix It)
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Cooking Fats Demystified: A Guide to Understanding Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
Half an orange paired with a matching sugar-coated candy slice
Here's Why Natural and Artificial Flavors Aren't What They Seem
a pile of cake flour
The Flour You Must Have for Perfect Cakes, According to a Pastry Chef
Leeks and Green Beans cooked with different PH balances, labeled Low, Control, and High on parchment paper
Revolutionize Your Vegetable Cooking With This Simple Tweak
A cheese spread laid out across a long table.
Stop Serving Your Food Hot! The Scientific Argument for Room Temperature Food
Cacio E Pepe on a serving plate
Perfect Cacio e Pepe
Diping graphic
The Surprising Reason You Shouldn't Double Dip (It's Not Just Germs)
Graphic of food on heat map
Is It Better to Eat Hot Food in the Summer? Here's What the Science Says
Graphic for Sotolon
Meet the Molecule That Smells Like Pancakes and Set Off Emergency Investigations in NYC
Alka-Seltzer cheese sauce atop nachos.
The Genius Ingredient for Perfect Gooey Cheese Sauce
Collage of olive oil and coffe
Why On Earth Are People Putting Olive Oil in Their Coffee?
Graphic for measuring knuckle rice
Is This the Most Foolproof Method for Making Rice? We Tested to Find Out
Strawberry Freezer Jam
How to Make Perfect Strawberry Preserves: Our Tests on the Science of Making Jam
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The Best Way to Prevent Cut Apples From Browning
Overhead view of paneer
The Best Way to Soften Store-Bought Paneer
A white bowl filled with rigatoni alla vodka topped with parmesan.
Does Vodka Sauce Really Need Vodka?
Overhead view of chickpeas
The Quick Trick for Softening Canned Chickpeas for Silky-Smooth Hummus, Stews, and More
A bowl of ramen noodle soup; you can transform regular pasta into ramen noodles with baking soda.
Turn Your Pasta Into Ramen With Baking Soda
Side view of brining vegetables
The Science of Brining Vegetables
Overhead photo of peeled garlic.
Why Does My Garlic Turn Green? | Ask The Food Lab
What Happens to Your Coffee As It Sits, and the Science Behind It
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For Smoother Ice Cream and Sorbet, Use Corn Syrup
Side view of layers of cincinnati chili
Can Food Set Off Metal Detectors? According to Jason Kelce's Vat of Skyline Chili, Yes
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Calculating the Ghostbusters Twinkie Size In Real Life
Cottage cheese in a spoon.
What's Going On With Cottage Cheese?
A single jar of vanilla extract
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract
Table salt being added to a porcelain teacup covered with flowers.
The British Are Uproarious About This Chemist's Suggestion of Adding Salt to Tea
Ovehead view of steak test
The Science of Marinades
Illustration of an imaginary desk in a lab at Harvard working on a bean study
Can You Stop Beans From Making You Fart? We Put 17 Methods to the Test
Close up view of Masa batter
From Birth to Bake: How Bubbles Form in Batters and Doughs
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Cookie Science: Why Cream Butter and Sugar?
A container of baking powder next to a spoon full of baking powder.
How Does Baking Powder Affect My Cookies?
A pile of cubed butter
The Best Way to Soften Butter
Overhead view of two ramekins filled with white and brown sugar, respectively.
Cookie Science: The Real Differences Between Brown and White Sugars
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Brining Beans With Baking Soda: An Investigation
Meringue on pink background
The Science Behind Vegan Meringues
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Cookie Science: How Do Eggs Affect My Cookies?
Mint-yogurt marinade being poured over boneless skinless chicken thighs
The Science of Yogurt Marinades
A small spoon holding baking soda with a container of baking soda next to it.
How Baking Soda Works
A seared rare steak cut in half on a wooden board
An Introduction to the Maillard Reaction: The Science of Browning, Aroma, and Flavor
close up of ap flour sourdough starter on day 11
The Science of Sourdough Starters
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Flavor Science: How We Taste Sweet, Sour, Salty, and More
Mustard oil being poured into a measuring spoon. A cutting board, knife, pestle, and half a lime are out of focus in the background.
The Truth About Mustard Oil: Behind the "For External Use Only" Label
Close-up of a hamburger with cheese on it
What Is American Cheese, Anyway?
Flip Frequently
What's a Smoke Point and Why Does it Matter?
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What a Pressure Cooker Does Best
Close up of the face of an analog kitchen scale that reads 13 pounds, 10 ounces.
Cocktail Science: Do Alcohol Calories Count?
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How to Make Tadka
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The Science Behind Salt and Vinegar Chips
Closeup of banana-shaped candies arranged on a turquoise background.
Meet Isoamyl Acetate, the Banana-Flavored Molecule You Love to Hate
Lifting off a lid of a pressure cooker.
How Pressure Cookers Actually Work
Overhead view of boiling water
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know (Plus More!) About Boiling Water
Pure MSG crystals against a black backdrop.
Is MSG Actually Bad for You?
emulsions
The Food Lab Video Series: Emulsions
boiling-water
The Food Lab Video Series: Boiling Water
Cooked, curled pepperoni with tiny pools of fat on the surface of a pizza.
Why Does Pepperoni Curl?
Asparagus sautéing in a pan.
Why Asparagus Makes Pee Smell