Cook Like a Pro: 5 Beginner-Friendly Recipes That Taste Gourmet

Do you want to astound your family or dinner guests without hours of cooking or going to cooking school? You have come to the right place! These 5 beginner eat with simple ingredients that taste like they came from a 5-star restaurant.

If you are a beginner or want something quick to make but provides tons of flavor and nutrients, then try these dishes to help you feel like a culinary genius without complicated techniques.

So, let's jump right into the gourmet style recipes anyone can make, with the first being the internet viral: Marry Me Chicken.

1. Marry Me Chicken (Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken)

If you are a home cook, this highly-viral recipe is needed in your kitchen. Marry Me Chicken is creamy, savory, flavorful, and takes only 30 minutes to create from start to finish in just one pan.

The Ingredients:

Chicken breasts
Garlic
Heavy cream
Sun-dried tomatoes
Parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning

Sear the chicken, make an ultra-quick sauce with cream and sundried tomatoes, and let this dish simmer to perfection. It will be rich, indulgent, and easy enough for a beginner to make, successfully, on her first try!

2. Steak bites with garlic butter and herbs

Who said you have to be a master griller to cook a steak to perfection? These garlic butter steak bites are tender, tasty, and prepared in 15 minutes. 

The method: cut the steak into cubes, quickly sear it in a hot pan, and combine it with garlic herb butter.

Serve with: Mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or rice, and you have a fancy but no-fuss meal.

3. Lemon Garlic Pasta with Parmesan

This lemon garlic pasta is light, fresh, and most importantly, so tasty! It's made with spaghetti, garlic, lemon juice, and parmesan, and it's one of those meals that is ready in minutes, but tastes like you made a fancy meal. Grilled shrimp or chicken is a great addition for protein, but the vegetarian version is just as delicious.

Ready in: 20 minutes

Why it works: The bright lemon flavor, silky sauce, and simple ingredients come together for a gourmet dish.

4. Creamy Mushroom Risotto (No Fail Method)

Risotto has the reputation of being difficult to make, but with my no fail beginner method, you'll end up with a creamy, rich risotto nearly every time. All you'll need is arborio rice, mushrooms, broth, butter, garlic, and cheese.

Professional tip: Stir lots and gradually add the broth to the rice, and that is how you achieve perfect risotto.

Tastes gourmet because: The creamy texture and the umami flavor from the mushrooms, will make you feel like you just dined at a fine dining restaurant.

5. Chocolate Lava Cake (Molten-Center Dessert)

Finish your gourmet meal with a chocolate lava cake that takes center stage — you don't even need decadent devices or pastry skills. Made in ramekins or muffin tins, these cakes have an ooey, gooey CENTER that oozes out when you hit the fork.

Ingredients: Chocolate, Butter, Eggs, Sugar, Flour
Cooking Time: 10–12 minutes

Serve with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries to elevate the experience.

In summation: No Stress Meal HEROS

You do not need a culinary degree to prepare amazing meals. When you follow the right recipes — like Marry Me Chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, and chocolate lava cake, you will be preparing meal equivalent to a restaurant without any effort — as a beginner at home.

Each recipe also represents that gourmet does not mean complicated. Each of these recipes are easy, fast, and flavorful, especially for anyone who would like to cook like a chef, but avoid the residual stress.

What makes this dish taste gourmet: The sauce is creamy, cheesy, and flavor-packed sun-dried tomatoes with Italian seasoning to finish for a restaurant-like visible quality.