The One Recipe That Got Savannah Guthrie To Start Cooking

If you know Savannah Guthrie, ​​you know the "Today" coanchor is all but lost in the kitchen. Or at least she was, until recently. Now, after hosting eight episodes of "Starting From Scratch"—a digital series featuring professional chefs who teach Savannah how to cook—she’s going back to the basics, gaining serious confidence in the kitchen, and cranking out new-to-her recipes for family and friends. Most notably, one recipe she makes more than any other.

Guthrie is the first-ever Allrecipes magazine cover star (appearing on the front of the Fall 2023 issue on newstands August 23; see the sneak preview on the "Today" show here), so we sat down with her to discuss her mission to learn how to cook, starting from scratch. She told us how she went from cooking zero to kitchen hero (or at least a 2 out of 10, in her own words) and shared the go-to recipe that got her there.

Q&A with Savannah Guthrie

Allrecipes: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Savannah Guthrie: I grew up in Tucson and now live in New York City with my husband, Michael; my daughter, Vale (9); and my son, Charley (6).

AR: How did "Starting From Scratch" get, well, started?

SG: The Today show has been trying to teach me to cook for years. When you cook on TV, everything is prepped, and you kind of just dump ingredients together and stir them on-air. Of course, that’s
not actually cooking—and the things that intimidate me are the basic techniques. So in "Starting From Scratch," I focus on the basics. (It actually might be the most boring show for real cooks, but beginners will learn a lot.) Stick with me and together we’ll learn how to try something new in the kitchen.

AR: What would you rate your cooking skill level now?

SG: On a scale of zero to 10, I give myself a 1 to 1 1/2. Possibly a 2. But I started at zero, so I’m counting my progress!

AR: Who is your favorite person to cook for?

SG: My husband—because he’s so appreciative. It makes him unreasonably happy to see me try to cook. He’s a very good cook, and he loves to cook, so he really marvels when I’m in there trying. (Meanwhile, my kids are my toughest critics.)

AR: What’s always in your fridge?

SG: The staples: eggs, bacon, milk, orange juice, cucumbers. (My kids do not like to eat vegetables, but they tolerate cucumbers.)

AR: What inspired you to learn how to cook?

SG: My kids! I wanted to be able to make a few meals they would actually eat that are both healthy and delicious. 

AR: Which recipe do you make that you kids like the most?

SG: Pancakes, but mostly because we put chocolate chips in them. I make them so often, I practically know the recipe by heart. (Get the full recipe here.) There are a few other things I’ve made that my extended family likes, but kids are much harder to please. My kids are at the ages where it’s all about the trifecta of chicken fingers, burgers, and pizza. (Ironically, that’s my idea of good living, too. I don’t need fancy food.)

AR: What would you choose for your last meal on Earth?

SG: A big cheeseburger, French fries, and a chocolate milkshake. I love a milkshake more than is reasonable.

AR: What are your favorite cuisines?

SG: I love Mediterranean food: chicken shawarma with some good hummus and tzatziki sauce, or a gyro. And I love Mexican food, which makes sense because I grew up in the Southwest. 

AR: Who inspires you in the kitchen?

SG: Al Roker. He loves to cook, he’s so inventive, and he’s always trying something new. He’s unafraid.

AR: What is your go-to snack?

SG: I make chocolate energy balls to snack on when I need a bite of something sweet. They have oats, nut butter, flax or chia seeds, and chocolate, of course. My husband will eat them all if he finds them, though, so I have to hide them.

AR: What's one great dish you’ve learned on "Starting From Scratch"?

SG: Marcus Samuelsson (of Red Rooster Harlem) taught me how to make a sweet potato gratin. It’s amazing and was my contribution to my family Christmas dinner last year.

AR: What's the best tip you learned on "Starting From Scratch"?

SG: Ayesha Nurdjaja (of NYC’s Shuka and Shukette) taught me how to make hummus, then use the back of a spoon to add a swoosh and a little olive oil and some spices. It makes me look legit.

AR: Sweet or Savory? 

SG: Definitely sweet! I love ice cream, cookies, brownies, milkshakes—I really only eat dinner to get to dessert.