Welcome to Cooking with Curls!
Hi, I’m Lisa Johnson! I’m so glad you’re here. At Cooking with Curls, I share simple, healthy recipes inspired by family favorites, restaurant classics, and global cuisines. Whether you’re planning a themed dinner, mixing up a creative cocktail, or just need a quick and easy meal, you’ll find all the inspiration you need right here.
Who is this website for?
Cooking with Curls is perfect for:
- Home cooks looking for delicious, whole-food recipes.
- Foodies who enjoy global flavors and fun twists on classics.
- Anyone planning a themed dinner or movie night experience.
- Couples cooking for two or small families looking for variety.
If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place!
Reader Favorites
Here are some of my most-loved recipes to get you started:
How do I find my way around?
- Use the search bar to find specific recipes, browse by categories like ‘Appetizers‘, ‘Cocktails‘, ‘Main Course‘, and check out the Recipe Index for a full list of recipes.
- When you see a word that is underlined, that means you can click on it. If you see a little arrow pointing out after an underlined word, that means that you will be taken to a different website owned by a fellow blogger or an Amazon link.
- The recipe card for every recipe post is located at the end of the post. The recipe card has everything you need to know to make the recipe, including exact measurements, detailed instructions, notes, and nutritional information.
- You can adjust the serving size by “1/2”, or you can 2x and 3x the recipe as well. You can “Print” the recipe from the recipe card.
- Please note that the nutritional information included for each recipe is an estimate created by an outside company. If you are on a restricted diet the nutrition label may not be 100% accurate, so be sure to double check.
- Want to skip the details and step-by-step instructions for each recipe? Click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of each post to be taken directly to the recipe card.
- You can also save recipes from my site. The best way is to create a Grow.me account which is found on most food bloggers sites. This means that you only have to create the account once and you can use it across most professional food blogs across the internet. To create the account, simply go to the Grow.me app or click on the Grow.me widget in the bottom right side of the blog post as seen below:
Don’t miss out on the top categories:
Special Features
Don’t miss my ‘Food of the World‘ series featuring delicious recipes from around the world, our ‘Dinner for Two‘ for dinner and dessert recipes scaled down to two servings, and ‘Copycat Recipes‘ of my favorite restaurant meals.
Looking for healthy recipes? Check out all of my ‘Whole30′ recipes, there are over 190 and counting. Love your ‘Instant Pot‘? I have over 95 recipes using everyone’s favorite pressure cooker too!
I love creating holiday inspired recipes, so keep an eye out for creepy Halloween and green Grinchmas creations – with red hearts of course!
Meet the Cook Behind the Curls
I’m Lisa, a recipe developer and curly-haired foodie who believes cooking should be fun, approachable, and delicious. I started Cooking with Curls to help people like you create meals that bring joy, whether it’s a cozy dinner for two or a festive holiday feast. I love experimenting with flavors, trying new cuisines, and finding creative ways to elevate everyday meals.
How I got Started
I started cooking in college and quickly fell in love with creating recipes that I found in magazines for my friends and family. I would purchase Bon Appétit magazines in the checkout line based on the cover photo. I was convinced that I could recreate that meal without any formal training just by pure determination – and it worked!
I invited friends and boyfriends over as my guinea pigs, I mean special guests, to try out these exotic meals and everyone was impressed – including me, I pulled it off! Check out my “About Me” page to learn more.
This website is my way of sharing what I have learned along the way with all of you. From Christmas cookies and homemade pizzas as a child to recipes that have served at hundreds of dinner parties over the years.
Note: All recipes on Cooking with Curls are developed, tested, photographed, and written by me! I do not purchase recipes, food images, or blog posts created by others.
Want a Freebie?
Dinner for Two Cookbook
The eBook includes 9 small portion recipes in a beautiful, easy to download format. Enter your email and we’ll send it right over!
Just signed up?
Please check your inbox to confirm your email. After you receive your free ebook, you will receive 3 additional emails designed to show you around and highlight some of the most popular recipes that you might enjoy too.
From then on you will receive 3 emails per week, including a special collection of recipes on Saturday morning based on the season, what to make this week, or upcoming holiday.
Let’s Get Cooking!
Ready to dive in? Start exploring:
Let’s make something amazing together!