Ina Garten’s 10 Best Recipes From ‘Cook Like a Pro’

Ina Garten’s 2018 cookbook Cook Like A Pro is filled with irresistible recipes and her very best “pro tips.” Ina is self-taught in the kitchen and doesn’t consider herself a professional cook. But, she still makes delicious recipes — and so can you. As the Food Network star explains in the New York Times best-seller, “You don’t have to be a pro to cook like one!”

Here are our picks for the 10 best recipes from Ina Garten’s Cook Like A Pro.

10. Ina Garten’s Autumn Sangria recipe was inspired by Bobby Flay

Sangria has a reputation of being a summertime drink. But Ina put her own spin on it with her recipe for Autumn Sangria. She changes up the fruit and pairs it with cinnamon-spiced syrup, making it the perfect fall cocktail. 

According to Ina, her recipe is based on one that she enjoyed with her husband Jeffrey at Bobby Flay’s first restaurant, Mesa Grill.

“Bobby made this sangria for me with spicy red wine, lots of autumn fruit, and cinnamon syrup, and I’ve been making it ever since,” Garten says. “This is my kind of recipe—the sweet fruit makes the spiced wine taste better and the wine makes the fruit taste better.”

9. Grilling is the secret to Smoky Eggplant Dip with Yogurt and Mint

Ina’s recipe for Smoky Eggplant Dip with Yogurt and Mint is easy and amazingly delicious — as long as you cook the eggplant on a charcoal grill. It’s that process that gives the eggplant its smoky flavor, and that’s what makes this recipe so great.

The ingredients you’ll need are eggplant, plain whole milk Greek yogurt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh mint leaves, minced garlic, good olive oil, Sriracha, salt and pepper, and pita triangles.

“So flavorful, absolutely delicious. Great to serve at parties,” one reviewer shared. Another added, “Amazing! Very flavorful! Could not stop trying it.”

8. Ina Garten’s Cauliflower Toast recipe is all over the internet right now

Ina’s Cauliflower Toast is all over the internet right now, and for good reason. She constructed a magical recipe that is everything you could want from a weekday lunch. 

It features cauliflower that is loaded with spices and mixed with three kinds of cheese and salty prosciutto, on top of toasted bread. It’s truly a delicious work of art. 

The ingredients you’ll need are: a small head of cauliflower, good olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, Italian mascarpone cheese, Gruyère cheese, prosciutto, nutmeg, country-style bread, paprika, Parmesan cheese, fresh chives, and flaked sea salt.

7. Cioppino is an easy five-star seafood recipe

Cioppino is an Italian-American fisherman’s stew that originated in San Francisco. It’s traditionally made from the catch of the day. And in Ina’s version, she includes muscles, sea scallops, shrimp, and cod.

The seafood is combined with tomatoes in a wine sauce and seafood stock and loaded with spices. The dish can be served with toasted bread, acting as a starch when dipped into the sauce. Ina recommends garlic toast made with a baguette, and she also suggests using her homemade seafood stock.

6. Red Wine Braised Short Ribs is a perfect recipe for an elegant holiday feast

Ina’s Red Wine Braised Short Ribs are a make-ahead dish that she recommends serving at an elegant holiday dinner. It’s an intermediate recipe that takes some time, but the results will wow your guests.

Ingredients needed include “very meaty bone-in beef short ribs,” salt and pepper, chopped leeks, celery, yellow onions, and carrots. You’ll also need minced garlic, a bottle of dry red wine (Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, Chianti), beef stock, crushed tomatoes, a bottle of Guinness draught stout, and sprigs of fresh thyme tied with kitchen string.

5. Ina Garten’s recipe for Warm Lobster Rolls are easy and ‘sooo good’

Cooked lobster meat, butter, celery, salt and pepper, dill, parsley, lemon juice, and hot dog buns are all you need to make Ina’s Warm Lobster Rolls. It’s an easy 20-minute recipe that produces fabulous results. If you live in an area with access to good lobster, this dish is a must-try.

“These are so good. I added creole seasoning and old bay. Another great recipe!!! Ina never fails,” one reviewer shared. Another wrote, “Ina’s warm lobster roll is my ‘go to’ because of its simplicity, BUTTER and the toasted top sliced bun is a must. Cape cod potato chips and a good dill pickle completes the dish. Yum!”

4. The ‘Barefoot Contessa’ star’s Orange-Roasted Rainbow Carrots has minimal ingredients

If you are looking for a yummy veggie side dish, look no further than The Barefoot Contessa’s Orange-Roasted Rainbow Carrots. It’s an easy side to make, but you’ll be Cooking Like A Pro with this recipe. 

All you need are orange carrots, rainbow carrots, salt and pepper, grated orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, and fleur de sel. 

Cut the carrots in long diagonal slices, and place them on a sheet pan, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Toss well with your hands and spread the carrots out into a single layer. Then, roast the carrots for 15 to 20 minutes until browned and tender. Sprinkle with the orange zest, orange juice, and fleur de sel, and toss well. 

3. Baked Spinach and Zucchini is ‘unbelievably delicious’

Ina’s Baked Spinach and Zucchini is super tasty, and a great dish to add to your weekly meal prep routine. It does have a long list of ingredients. But chances are, you already have most of them in your pantry and refrigerator.

“Made this last night with Ina’s Roasted Lemon chicken in a skillet! My husband and I both were moaning so much throughout the meal, it was beginning to sound obscene! Can’t say enough about both recipes. Unbelievably delicious,” one reviewer shared.

2. Raspberry Baked Alaska can be made ahead of time

Ina’s Raspberry Baked Alaska should probably be the dessert you serve at your next dinner party. It can be completely prepared ahead of time, so all you need to do is finish it for your guests before serving. 

This isn’t a dish for beginner cooks. However, Ina will show you how to do it every step of the way, and talk you through every detail.

1. Ina Garten’s Chocolate Chevron Cake is a showstopper

Speaking of amazing Ina desserts, it’s hard to top her recipe for Chocolate Chevron Cake. As the Cook Like A Pro description reveals, “Ina will even show you how to make an easy yet showstopping pattern for her Chocolate Chevron Cake–your friends won’t believe you decorated it yourself!”

For the cake, you’ll need butter, sugar, eggs, Hershey’s chocolate syrup, pure vanilla extract, flour, and confectioners’ sugar. For the ganache, all you need is heavy cream, semisweet chocolate chips, and instant coffee granules.

The Barefoot Contessa airs on the Food Network.