bring to a boil

Meaning

This phrase is a standard cooking instruction that means to heat a liquid (like water, milk, or soup) until it reaches its boiling point and bubbles rapidly. It is commonly found in recipes, followed by instructions to reduce the heat to a simmer.

Examples

• First, bring the salted water to a boil before adding the pasta.

  First, bring the salted water to a boil before adding the pasta.

• Bring the soup to a boil, then cover the pot and let it simmer for twenty minutes.

  Bring the soup to a boil, then cover the pot and let it simmer for twenty minutes.

• You need to bring the milk to a boil slowly so that it doesn't burn at the bottom.

  You need to bring the milk to a boil slowly so that it doesn't burn at the bottom.

• Once you bring the sauce to a boil, stir in the fresh herbs and turn off the heat.

  Once you bring the sauce to a boil, stir in the fresh herbs and turn off the heat.

• He forgot to bring the water to a boil before throwing in the potatoes, so they became soggy.

  He forgot to bring the water to a boil before throwing in the potatoes, so they became soggy.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Bring the water to boil.

  ✓ Bring the water to a boil.

  The standard noun phrase is 'to a boil' (with the article 'a') when used with the verb 'bring'.

• ✗ Make the soup boil.

  ✓ Bring the soup to a boil.

  'Make the soup boil' sounds unnatural; 'bring to a boil' is the standard culinary collocation.

Related Expressions

Practice

• You need to ___ the sauce before adding the cheese.

  💡 Heat the liquid until it bubbles.

  Show answer

  bring to a boil

• The recipe says to ___ the salted water before dropping in the pasta.

  💡 Heat to boiling point.

  Show answer

  bring to a boil