There’s something undeniably fascinating about watching the sort of cooking shows that are the stuff of dreams for most of us. There are glimpses into the kitchens of the ultra-elegant, Michelin-starred restaurants, beautiful cuisines of countries so far away you’re not even sure exactly where they are, and of course, the incredibly complicated dishes made only with the help of specialized kitchen equipment.

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That’s great, but what we really love are the creative tips from the pros that we can use in our own kitchens. When it comes to that kind of practicality, Giada De Laurentiis gives some seriously incredible advice. De Laurentiis shares the best of both worlds with her followers on social media. Although she posts videos like the one where she and her family gathered on a yacht to make pasta with sea water scooped from beautifully clear waters, there’s a lot of brilliant practical advice in her TikTok videos, too.

Let’s do a deep dive in her TikTok and talk about some of the best tips you can use in your own kitchen. We guarantee that several of these will be at the heart of your favorite meals.

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You should always keep capers in your pantry, because these tiny yet flavorful little buds have a myriad of uses — including a starring role in Giada De Laurentiis’ chicken piccata meatballs. Capers are the secret ingredient here, and in the TikTok video spotlighting this particular recipe, De Laurentiis gave viewers a pro tip that involved checking the capers’ origin before putting them in your shopping cart.

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De Laurentiis explained there’s a major difference between American and Italian capers, saying that those sourced from Italy tend to be much saltier and more flavorful. That’s because American producers use a vinegar-based brine while Italian sources use salt as a preservative, allowing the capers to hold their flavor better than vinegar, which can dilute it. She also noted Italian capers tend to be larger, so if you are using them, you’ll need to be mindful of how much salt you add to your final dish. You may also need to rinse Italian capers first or risk it turning out too salty.

Pasta is amazing, but there’s something next-level about those little crispy bits of super well-done cheese in a baked variation. (If you grew up never knowing this was a thing, that’s because whoever was cooking made use of their chef’s privileges and ate them before they made it to the table.) We are, however, living in the future, and Giada De Laurentiis has a pro tip to make dinner delicious.

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She took to TikTok to share a video of how she uses a cupcake pan to make muffin-sized and -shaped servings of pasta with no plates needed. She said that after cooking pasta and portioning it into the cupcake tin, she added cheddar, parmesan, breadcrumbs, and a drizzle of olive oil before baking. What came out of the oven were pasta cupcakes held together by the crispy, deliciously baked cheeses, which is easily the best part of any baked pasta dish. De Laurentiis said this had been a family favorite for a long time, so the next time you need to whip up some impressive appetizers, give this a shot and it might become one of your favorites, too.

It seems like every celebrity chef has some advice on how to make incredible lasagna, but it’s possible that Giada De Laurentiis shared the absolute best tip in a TikTok video. While you might expect De Laurentiis to stay true to the classic vision of such an iconic Italian dish, she came up with a way to make lasagna that will give you only the best bits. In the video, she suggested skipping all the time-consuming steps of layering and instead, making your meat sauce, cooking your lasagna noodles, then putting it all together on a sheet pan — not a typical deep baking dish.

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Cover it with the cheese of your choice, then bake. Not only is this a much faster way to make this notoriously elaborate meal, but the entire dish feaatures the best part of a lasagna. That is, of course, the crispy top layer that — let’s be honest — is what you’re dreaming of when you decide to make the commitment of putting a lasagna together. With a sheet pan there’s no long cook time, no questionable texture, and we’re betting there are no leftovers, either.

Chicken parmesan is another delicious classic that can be a bit of a challenge to get right. There’s a chance the breading can turn out soggy or flavorless, or that it’ll just fall off. Even restaurants tend to take shortcuts with this one, as we found that if you order it at a restaurant, there’s a good chance this Italian classic is cooked from frozen. Fortunately, Giada De Laurentiis shared a tip on her TikTok that makes chicken parm easier.

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She suggested skipping the breading altogether and instead, marinating the chicken in a mix that includes olive oil, salt, and oregano. After it’s marinated, she instructed viewers to throw the chicken in a pan, cook it through, then add your sauce and cheese on the top. The result is an easy version of chicken parm that avoids the pitfalls that can come with breading, but still has all the flavor from the sauce and the marinade. Finishing it off in the broiler adds texture to the cheese, giving you a flavorful version of a classic without the challenges.

Giada De Laurentiis may be a fan of making a lighter version of chicken parmesan with a marinade instead of a heavy breading, but that’s not to say she doesn’t love a truly incredible breaded dish. In one TikTok video, she shared her secret for making a breaded crust that’s extra light and crunchy, and it’s so simple and versatile that you’ll be able to use it in a variety of dishes.

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In the clip, De Laurentiis put her breadcrumbs in a food processor, then added parmesan cheese before blending them together. She explained that it adds flavor and texture, and what doesn’t work with parmesan? She used the mixture to coat and fry pork, but this would also be a brilliant way to seriously upgrade other proteins, too. Try it the next time you’re making a breaded chicken dish, and you won’t go wrong. 

Before kale became super-trendy, Pizza Hut used to be one of the biggest kale buyers in the U.S, using it to decorate the salad bars instead of as an ingredient … and there are some people who firmly believe this is, in fact, the only acceptable use for kale. 

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@giadadelaurentiis

This chopped kale salad has become a favorite in my house! Recipe link in my bio #giadadelaurentiis #salad #recipe #saladrecipe #fyp

♬ original sound – Giada De Laurentiis

That’s where a brilliant kale hack shared by Giada De Laurentiis comes in. In a TikTok video, she explained that a kale chopped salad was one of her favorites, and there was a trick to making the raw leaves much more palatable. After removing the stems, she added just a bit of salt and olive oil to the chopped kale, then made sure to cover everything completely before taking a few moments to massage the greens. Odd? Perhaps, but De Laurentiis explained that this simple step eliminated some of the harsh chewiness of the kale and made it much more pleasant to eat. It isn’t necessary to massage it for very long or you’ll end up with mushy kale. Just a few moments extra, and you may find you actually start looking forward to kale salads.

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If you use your parmesan cheese then throw away the rind, you’re missing out on some serious flavor. Parmesan rinds can be added to soups for extra creaminess, texture, and flavor, and it turns out that Giada De Laurentiis is also a fan of using parmesan rinds in other dishes, including pastas.

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@giadadelaurentiis

I call this fregotto, and it’s essentially fregola cooked in the style of risotto. The result is a rich and creamy dish with a great texture from fregola 😍 Recipe link in my bio. #italy #italianfood #recipe #cooking #fyp

♬ original sound – Giada De Laurentiis

She shared this tip in a TikTok video where she made a risotto-style fregola pasta with white wine, chicken broth, lemon zest, and mascarpone. As well as adding parm at the end, she simmered the dish with the rind to infuse more of that cheesy flavor we all know and love. The technique works in so many dishes — including bolognese or marinara sauces — that you might just find yourself asking your cheesemonger for a bag of rinds. They are edible (although you’ll want to remove them from your sauce for a uniform consistency), and they’ll keep in the freezer for about a year until you’re ready to use them.

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Would you have pasta every night if you could? We would, too, but we’re also realistic enough to realize that there’s a problem. Pasta sauce can be incredibly acidic, and if you’re loading up a plate as well as dipping your breadsticks and your garlic bread, that can be a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, Giada De Laurentiis has a brilliant hack for reducing the acidity of pasta sauce, and she shared it in a TikTok video where she gave viewers a peek at her favorite pomodoro recipe.

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@giadadelaurentiis

My basic pomodoro sauce. The secret is the parmesan rinds! Recipe on @Giadzy #pomodoro #tomato #tomatosauce #saucetomato #italianfood #marinarasauce #marinara #bestmarinara #giada #giadadelaurentiis #giadzy

♬ Cupid — Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) — Sped Up Version – sped up 8282

In addition to all the standard ingredients, she added parmesan rinds and a few carrots before simmering the sauce for around half an hour. Why? De Laurentiis said that just a few carrots in a big pot of sauce will help get rid of the acidity that comes with using canned tomatoes. Carrots, after all, are naturally sweet and can help take the potentially unpleasant edge off a tomato sauce.

There are plenty of ways to seriously upgrade your grilled cheese sandwiches, and if you’ve never elevated the umami flavor of a grilled cheese with a dash of Worcestershire sauce, trust us when we say that you’ve never really experienced the awesomeness that is grilled cheese. It’s not an exaggeration to say everyone loves these sandwiches, including Giada De Laurentiis and her daughter, Jade. Jade often appears in her mother’s TikTok videos, and in one clip commemorating National Grilled Cheese Day, they shared the secret to what might be the very best grilled cheese ever — and it’s incredibly easy.

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@giadadelaurentiis

Making grilled cheese with my Jadey 🥰 #nationalgrilledcheeseday #recipes #lunch #lunchideas #fyp

♬ original sound – Giada De Laurentiis

In addition to using olive oil in the pan, they shared that in order to get an extra-crispy, extra-delicious crust on the sandwich, they spread butter on the outside of the bread slices then add grated parmesan cheese on top. Melty mozzarella on the inside is great, but the parm on the outside creates an incredible crust that goes well beyond grilling and toasting to something that is seriously next-level.

In a perfect world, we’d have fresh fruit and vegetables available all of the time, but this is far from a perfect world. That said, there are plenty of times when it’s fine to use canned whole tomatoes instead of fresh. While you might not want to put them on a salad, they’re great in soups, stews, and sauces.

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Cutting them can be a messy pain, but in a TikTok video demonstrating how easily a bolognese can come together, Giada De Laurentiis revealed she doesn’t use a knife to cut whole canned tomatoes. Instead, she uses kitchen scissors to cut the tomatoes into chunks, and according to her, it’s the traditional method. Not only does it make the whole process easier, but the mess is contained in the pot, leaving you with delicious, delectable, flavorful chunks of tomato in your sauce. It’s a total win.

Anyone who has issues with dairy might struggle to find a hearty, creamy soup that can be their wintertime go-to, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are other ingredients that can be used to add creaminess to soups, stews, and sauces. When Giada De Laurentiis spotlighted one of her favorite soups on her TikTok, it just so happened to be a creamy tomato soup that contained no cream.

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Instead, De Laurentiis used cannellini beans, as well as sun-dried tomatoes, carrots, and onions. After simmering everything — along with some broth — the beans and veg were blended into a creamy soup that was given some texture with the addition of kale. Sure, it’s great for anyone who doesn’t like or can’t have dairy in their diet, but you should absolutely be doing this even if you eat dairy. White beans are a great source of fiber and protein, and they’ve been known to improve digestion. When they’re served up in a comforting soup, you can’t go wrong.

Salt seems like it would be straightforward, but there are a lot of different options on grocery store shelves. Do you need them all? Are you using them for the right applications? Giada De Laurentiis dedicated an entire TikTok video to salt, and she shared some basic tips that everyone should keep in mind to make figuring out the salt situation in their kitchen much more manageable.

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@giadadelaurentiis

#answer to @tash.zero – I use 3 types of salt- kosher for most things, flake salt as a finishing salt & the Tuscan herb salt on meat, fish and veggies

♬ original sound – Giada De Laurentiis

The good news is that she recommended using just three different kinds of salts, including what she called her “everyday salt.” That was kosher salt, which she said was the one she uses for most applications. Next was a flake salt, which she recommended for finishing dishes, such as sprinkling it on a salad. Finally, there was an ultra-fine salt that was mixed with herbs, and this was for seasoning meats and veggies that were going to be roasted or baked. That’s almost surprisingly straightforward and incredibly easy to remember, right?

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It’s entirely possible that red pepper flakes are the spicy ingredient that only comes out of your kitchen cabinet when you’re making something savory, but here’s the thing: According to Giada De Laurentiis, if you’re just using these spicy flakes for savory recipes, you’re missing out in a big way.

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One of the many delicious recipes she’s shared on her TikTok is for a peach and cherry salad with burrata. The whole thing starts by marinating the fruit with mint, olive oil, basil, and — surprisingly — red pepper flakes. She said that it adds just a little bit of spicy heat to contrast the sweetness, and when served with chunks of burrata and a sprinkling of salt, it was summertime on a platter. And really, that’s just the start. There are a number of fruits that can benefit from the gentle spice of red pepper flakes, including pineapple, melon, oranges, and plums.

If you use fruit zest often, you might know about the one major prep mistake that will ruin all that zesty citrus flavor: prepping things too far in advance. That’s too bad, because the more we can prep ahead the better, but this one’s worth saving until you need it. Zesting can be tough, and if you’ve ever struggled to judge how much zested fruit or grated cheese you’ve made, how much you need, and how much you just got all over the counter by moving the grater to check, then Giada De Laurentiis has a tip for you.

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She shared it on her TikTok, and admitted that she’d been making the same mistake that you might be making. Instead of holding the grater with the fruit above it, she said the easier way was to flip the grater over, put the fruit beneath it, and grate it so the zest (or cheese, or carrots, or whatever you’re making) comes out on the top. Why? She said that way, you can see exactly how much you have, and it’s kept neatly on your grater until you’re ready to dump it in the bowl. While it might take a little while to get used to holding and maneuvering your food and grater this way, it does make sense that it’s a much more efficient way to do things.

Let’s say you’re making a classic banana cream pie. Delicious, right? If you’re making this pie to eat over the course of a few days, you probably already know that the last piece isn’t going to be quite as good as when you started. Even as it sits, the crust that was baked to perfection is going to start to get wet, and depending on the pie, it might happen even faster than that.

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@thegiadzy

All the flavor and texture of a cannoli, but in the form of a pie. 🥧 This Cannoli Pie delivers on all the same flavor and has an amazing biscotti cookie crust! Tap the link in bio to grab this recipe.

♬ original sound – Giadzy

It turns out there’s one incredibly genius way to protect your pie crust while adding some serious flavor, and Giada De Laurentiis suggested it in a TikTok video in which she made a cannoli pie. She pitched this as an alternative to a standard Thanksgiving pie, and noted that you can definitely make it in advance — especially with her pie crust trick. Instead of putting the filling directly on the crust, De Laurentiis took melted chocolate, painted a thick layer on the top of the crust, and added the filling after the chocolate dried. The chocolate layer protects the crust so you won’t have soggy pie, plus you’ll also get chocolate! It’s a win-win.

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