Chaos cooking: 7 tips to get started yourself

Chaos cooking has been incredibly popular for a while now. The trend is also going viral on social media: on TikTok alone, #chaoscooking has racked up more than 1.5 million views. Fancy cooking chaotically yourself? Go for it. You might not only discover your new favorite dish, but also use up the leftovers in your fridge. We explain how to apply chaos cooking in your own kitchen using 7 handy tips.

In case you’ve briefly forgotten what chaos cooking actually is: it’s a trend in which you combine ingredients that don’t typically go together. It originally emerged as a counter-movement among chefs from diverse ethnic backgrounds. They are expected to cook dishes from their own or their ancestors’ cultures, but instead they create bold flavor combinations using ingredients from different cuisines.

A bit like fusion cooking, then, only next level. With chaos cooking, you mainly cook with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Leftovers from the cupboard or fridge, perhaps supplemented with a few things from the store. A perfect example of chaos cooking is this Big Mac pizza.

Chaos cooking: this is how you do it

Chaos cooking is fun. Because, as I mentioned, it can lead to some very surprising combinations. And you don’t even need to do a big grocery shop! Want to become a pro at chaos cooking? With the following 7 tips, you’ll be an organized chaotic kitchen whiz at the stove.

1. Put one familiar ingredient at the center

The fun thing about chaos cooking is that you may start using ingredients in ways you’ve never tried before. But to make your chaotic dish a success, it’s smart to put at least one ingredient you’re familiar with at the center. That way, the foundation is sound. Think of pasta or rice, for example: you’ve probably cooked those countless times. You can then add surprising ingredients that make the dish deliciously funky.

2. Work with a theme

After choosing a central ingredient, choose a theme or flavor profile for your dish. This gives you direction and makes combining ingredients easier later on. Consider whether you’re in the mood for Italian, Mexican or Thai, for example. Note: this doesn’t mean you necessarily have to choose Italian flavorings if you selected pasta as your central ingredient in step 1. You can just as easily make pasta with a Thai theme. But with a specific theme, you’ll at least know that all your sauces and flavorings will be inspired by it.

3. Add a ‘wild card’ ingredient

A ‘wild card’ ingredient is an ingredient that makes your dish deliciously crazy. It’s a product you may never have imagined cooking with. You could use bourbon instead of vinegar, for example, Hell’s Kitchen contestant Dafne Mejia suggests to HuffPost. It gives your dish a surprisingly smoky flavor. So think outside the box!

4. Prepare your ingredients separately

Chaos cooking may sound like throwing all your ingredients into the pan together and turning them into a dish. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it’s not recommended at all. Your pan will probably become far too full, causing the temperature to drop and turning everything into one big, textureless mush. So cook your ingredients separately. That way, everything will cook exactly as it should.

5. Keep the flavors balanced

Balance is important. Flavors and textures need to be in harmony if you want your dish to be a winner. This means your dish should have a good balance of sweet, sour, salty and bitter elements. A perfect balance—equal amounts of each element—isn’t always necessary, but all four should be present in your dish. Choose your ingredients and flavorings accordingly.

6. Less is (sometimes) more

What chaos cooking isn’t about: adding too many ingredients. More really isn’t always better. Not sure whether you want to add yet another ingredient? Literally consider what it adds. Why does this ingredient belong in the dish? How will it make the dish better? If it’s intended to bring more balance to your dish, then add it. But if you simply want to try something out, be careful. You should also be careful with herbs and flavorings. Add them gradually. You can always add a little more, but you can’t take anything out. And that would be a shame.

7. Pay attention to texture

Textures are hugely important in your dish. Here, too, you can find a lovely balance. If your dish contains a lot of baked or fried elements, you can add a sauce to make it less dry. Something soft and mushy, on the other hand, could use something crunchy.

And now: get cooking. Who knows, your nasi bolognese or spaghetti stamppot might soon go completely viral.

Also read:

• Fusion cooking at its best: the frikandel spring roll (from the Airfryer!)
• Trend watchers on the 17 most important food trends of 2023
• 5x bizarre but incredibly delicious cheese-and-candy combinations

Also read: HuffPost