Cooking Timer
Pick a recipe and cook perfectly with step-by-step alerts
Pasta
Steak
Kimchi Stew
Ramen
Salad
Why use a cooking timer?
Precise timing is the difference between a perfect meal and a burned disaster. Our free online cooking timer gives you step-by-step alerts so every stage—boiling, simmering, resting—happens on schedule. No more guesswork, no more overcooked pasta or underdone steak.
Recipe presets
- Pasta (20 min): boil water 8 min → cook pasta 8 min → rest 2 min → plate 2 min
- Steak (15 min): warm skillet 3 min → sear 2 min each side → rest 5 min → plate 3 min
- Kimchi Stew (30 min): prep 5 min → boil 10 min → simmer 10 min → season 5 min
- Ramen (5 min): boil water 2 min → cook noodles 3 min → serve
- Salad (10 min): wash veggies 3 min → chop 5 min → dress 2 min
How it works
- Pick a recipe from the presets (or create a custom one).
- Review each step's duration and customize if needed.
- Press start—the timer plays an alert at each step transition.
- Cook along without watching the clock.
Tips for perfect timing
- Read the full recipe before starting so you know what each step involves.
- Prep ingredients (mise en place) before hitting start.
- Keep notifications enabled to hear alerts even when browsing other tabs.
- Use the ramen preset for instant noodles—most packages recommend exactly 3 minutes.
How Long to Cook Common Foods
Standard cooking times for everyday dishes. Match these to the timer above and you'll hit the same result every time—no burnt pasta, no undercooked eggs.
❓ Cooking Timer — Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I boil pasta?
Most dried pasta cooks in 8-11 minutes. For al dente, boil spaghetti and penne for about 8-9 minutes, then taste and add a minute if you prefer it softer. If you plan to finish the pasta in a hot sauce, drain it 1 minute early so it does not overcook. Fresh pasta needs only 2-3 minutes.
How long does it take to boil an egg?
Start timing once the water is at a rolling boil. For a soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk, cook 6-7 minutes. For a jammy medium yolk, 8-9 minutes. For a fully hard-boiled egg, 10-12 minutes. Cool the eggs in cold water immediately to stop the cooking and make peeling easier.
How do I use this online cooking timer?
Pick a recipe card (pasta, steak, kimchi stew, ramen, or salad) and the multi-stage times are set automatically. Press start and the timer counts down the first step, plays an alert when it finishes, then moves to the next step. You can also enter your own steps for any dish you cook.
Do I need to install anything or sign up?
No. This cooking timer runs entirely in your browser and is completely free with no download and no sign-up required. Keep the tab open, or allow browser notifications, and it will alert you at each step even while you use other apps.
Can I run more than one cooking timer at the same time?
Yes. Each recipe here uses multi-stage timing, so a single timer handles every step of a dish in sequence. If you need several dishes at once, open the multi timer or basic timer in separate tabs and each one keeps counting independently so nothing gets overcooked.