About

Welcome to Natasha’s Kitchen! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, and together with my husband, Vadim, we’ve been passionately developing and sharing tried-and-true recipes since 2009. Over the years, we have created a trusted recipe resource beloved by millions.

In 2023, I published my debut cookbook – Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook, which quickly became a New York Times Best-Seller for three consecutive weeks. The book is an extension of our blog with top-quality recipes you can trust.

I come from a family of fantastic cooks, and I’m here to share generations of recipes that are homey, fresh, healthy, family-friendly, authentic, and adventurous. Most importantly, our recipes are meticulously tested and guaranteed to be delicious and reliable.

Natasha holding a lasagna casserole

My Family and Heritage

My culinary journey is deeply rooted in my family’s story. My family came to the U.S. as refugees from Ukraine when I was 4 years old. They brought 5 tiny girls and had nothing but a stack of suitcases. They didn’t know the language, but they worked hard and achieved the American dream. Watch the TV News Segment about our incredible story. My parents’ resilience and passion for food inspire every recipe I create.

Natasha with family posing on steps next to a house
Natasha with her parents and 4 sisters (Natasha is the middle child)

Growing up, I was so shy that I thought no one would marry me until my husband came along and swept me off my feet (true story). Over 20 years ago, I married my wonderful husband, Vadim (who is also Ukrainian). We are blessed with two children. Every recipe that I develop is thoroughly tested and approved by each of us and is often critiqued by relatives and friends. We only post the recipes we love and make over and over.

We live in Idaho (famous for its potatoes), and we love the quieter pace of our beautiful state. We strive to walk in love and live our lives by the word of God and the life of Jesus.

Natasha and Vadim slicing vegetables in the kitchen

Professional Background

We’re so thankful to be full-time foodies and recipe developers. We’re living our dream because of you and I can’t thank you enough! My heritage and diverse professional background, including years in business and nursing, have uniquely equipped me to be the recipe developer, video creator, photographer, writer, and business owner that I am today. We set the bar high so you can expect great recipes and videos here.

The Resume

  • 2003-2007: I worked for 7 years as a business intern, which I consider my most valuable education. My boss and mentor taught me the importance of excellence in business and meticulous attention to detail, which has served me well.
  • 2007 Earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Business with a double major in human resource management
  • 2007-2012 – Worked as a Realtor for 4 years. Fun fact: it was during my realtor days that I learned about blogging (although blogging about real estate was undeniably more boring than food)
  • 2012 Earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and worked as a Registered Nurse in Telemetry. The courses I took in nutrition, as well as being in a caring profession, made for a natural transition into serving my audience with recipes and connections that nurture body and soul.
  • Blogging since 2009 – What started as a way to share my family’s recipes and culinary journey, has turned into a vibrant community of millions of home cooks.

To summarize all of the many hats I wear – I am a wife, mom, food blogger, cookbook author, recipe developer, video creator, photographer, writer, influencer, social media boss, and entrepreneur, and I love to sing in my church choir. If I were a sandwich, I’d be a Chicken Bacon Avocado on Focaccia.

Natasha with family serving food

How I Got Started Cooking

To be completely honest, I wasn’t always excited about cooking. When I got married in 2003, it became a necessity – “must eat to live” and Mom wasn’t doing the cooking anymore. We had a lot of frozen meals and ate-out too much in the first year of our marriage. I had a free summer (and decided I would improve my cooking skills so we could live and eat healthier.

I dove into cookbook after cookbook and plundered my mom’s recipe books. I was at the library all the time bringing home piles of cookbooks; I was hooked! I even read my mother’s cooking textbook from her college days (Mom completed her culinary program when we moved to the US). I had discovered the joy of cooking. Within a few months, my husband and I each lost weight just from cooking more at home. Now I can’t stop cooking and thinking about cooking and dreaming about cooking… I was born for this!

My recipe collection continues to grow. I love to try new recipes and will share my favorites with you (like our internet-famous Meatloaf and beloved Banana Bread Recipe). I hope you enjoy this blog and find recipes that will become your family favorites as well.

Natasha with mom and daughter making pierogi

Natasha’s Kitchen Today

I started this food and family blog in 2009 as a way to share favorite recipes and events with family and friends. It has grown much larger than I could have imagined with about 1,300 recipes and about 19 million hungry visitors per month. In 2024, we passed 3,500,000 subscribers on YouTube and our channel is growing fast. We’ve been featured on:

  • Forbes
  • Good Morning America
  • ABC News
  • New York Times
  • Associated Press
  • USA Today
  • And hundreds more (see Press page for more)

My goal with Natasha’s Kitchen is for you to really discover and fall in love with cooking and find many new favorite recipes your family will love. The ingredients we use are simple and easily accessible, not overly hoity-toity. My motto: if you can read (a well-written, tested, and trusted recipe), you can cook.

Most of the recipes I share come from my mom and mother-in-law, family, friends, and my own experience in the kitchen. I am so thankful to have such amazing people in my life who generously share their rich knowledge of cooking.

It Takes a Village! I’m so blessed to partner with an incredible group of specialists who share their talents to support Natasha’s Kitchen. Whether it’s social media, email marketing, content editing, or video editing, their expertise helps everything run smoothly so I can focus on creating delicious recipes and fun videos for you. I’m so grateful for their contributions and for YOU, our amazing readers, who make it all possible.

Natasha's family prepping food in the kitchen

Natasha’s Kitchen Recipes

It’s very important to me to share trusted recipes that are reliable and work well in every kitchen and for every cooking skill level. This is why I develop and perfect all of my recipes through careful research and several rounds of testing in my own Kitchen in Idaho (elevation about 2,600 feet).

Every recipe is tested and approved by my family, and often friends, relatives, and even neighbors. All of the photography is done by myself, and I’m the one showing up in our videos. My husband edits the photos and videos (and he’s the videographer, single-handedly running 3 cameras at once).

Get Featured: If you would like your recipe featured on this site, email it to me by clicking here.

Community Guidelines: I love how this food blog has grown into a supportive cooking community – your comments, questions, tips, and success stories make every recipe better. Review my Comment Policy, then join the conversation.

Disclaimer: Per my Nutrition Disclaimer, this blog includes only my own opinions and is not professional advice. It is not intended to be dietary advice or a diet plan. Please talk to your Doctor or nutritionist for medical or dietary advice. I am not liable if you eat too many Hamburgers.

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Comments

  • Kim
    March 26, 2016

    Hello! I just made your delicious vanilla cupcakes for our Easter party tomorrow, but I’m wondering about how to store them overnight. Should I wait to frost them until the morning? I’m concerned that I cannot leave the cream cheese and whipped cream frosting out on the counter overnight. Thanks for the great recipe and for your help!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 26, 2016

      Since there is dairy in the frosting, I would recommend refrigerating overnight. Let them sit at room temp for 20-30 minutes before serving and they will be amazing! 🙂

      Reply

  • farhat
    March 23, 2016

    i really love your recopies and yours family style and yours faith on God so i have all the best wishes for you and your family

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 23, 2016

      Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! It really means alot to us 🙂

      Reply

  • Devon
    March 15, 2016

    Love your blog! Thanks for all your delicious recipes. However I can not print any of them😯. Any suggestions on what to do? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 15, 2016

      What device are you clicking print from? Are you able to find the print buttons (one at the top of each recipe and one in the print friendly recipe at the bottom of the post)? When you Click on the print buttons, what do you see?

      Reply

  • Esmeralda
    March 12, 2016

    Hi just wanted to tell you I made the vanilla cupcakes and they were delicious I also made the chocolate cupcakes but I didn’t have Olive Oil so I used vegetable oil and they came out delicious ! but I’m wondering what does the Olive Oil do to them ? Thank you so much this two recipes are a keeper for me cause I have tried many recipes but yours are the best .God Bless you.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 12, 2016

      I think it’s totally fine to substitute the oils. Oil keeps them moist and soft. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes and God bless you also! 🙂

      Reply

  • Agnis Saffron
    March 2, 2016

    Hello Natasha . I love your recipes , your videos , your photos on Instagram and your accent too . You are doing a great job . I am Coder and I get hungry in every two hours , then I take a look at em crafts of yours and I feel good .

    Say Hello to Vadim and your kids .

    One of my closest friend is also Ukrainian

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 2, 2016

      That’s so sweet of you to say. Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

  • Kim Ramey
    March 1, 2016

    Thank you for sharing your recipes! Your baklava recipe (my first time making it) was a huge hit at our house and with all the friends we shared it with. I sit here waiting to take the second batch out of the oven 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 1, 2016

      I’m all smiles reading your comment. Thank you! I needed a good smile today 🙂

      Reply

  • SANTIARA MATTHIJSSEN
    February 29, 2016

    THANX FOR THIS WEBSITE MUCH TO HELP ME

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 29, 2016

      I’m so glad to hear that 🙂

      Reply

  • Ksenia
    February 28, 2016

    Natasha, I just wanted to say how thankful I am that I found your website. I am from Russia but moved here when I was 14 and I never had a chance to learn how to cook my favorite Russian dishes. I am SO happy I found ways to cook my favorite food and most importantly with American cup sizes and ingredient adaptations. I just LOVE all the recipes. My mom is also not a cook and I have made many of your cakes and soups (she loooooves Napoleon and Medovik) and she says they taste so nice, it’s as if we go back to Russia. Thank you so so much! Please keep the recipes coming!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 28, 2016

      Ksenia, I’m so happy to hear that my blog is a blessing to your family. Thank you so much for sharing that wit me :).

      Reply

  • Etta mae Turley
    February 24, 2016

    Natasha I saw you put together a Strawberry Pretzel salad or desert on Facebook, but I am not able to find the recipe on your web site. It also has jello in it, cool whip, strawberrys. Can you please tell me where I can get the recipe.

    Reply

  • Jen W.
    February 22, 2016

    Natasha – made the Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon – and it just might be the absolutely best salmon recipe I’ve EVER made. I made it for the first time for a dinner party based on the rave reviews – and it did not disappoint. EVERY single one of my friends asked for the recipe – the serious ask where they aren’t just being nice. Well done. I can’t wait to try more recipes. THANK YOU!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 22, 2016

      Jen, I’m so happy that you and your friends loved it 😁. Thank you for adding your own rave review!

      Reply

  • Rania
    February 17, 2016

    Hi! Looking for a dairy-egg free piroshki dough… any ideas to help? Thanks!

    Reply

  • Natasha
    February 9, 2016

    thank u for your blog.I used many of your ukrainien/russian recipe because ive a ukrainien husband and im from eastern europe also or maybe i was attracted to your blog because we have the same name regarless thanks u very much

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 9, 2016

      Hi Natasha! 🙂 Welcome to our blog. I’m so happy you’re here. I hope you find many new favorite recipes 🙂

      Reply

  • Shirley
    February 7, 2016

    We had a Ukrainian gal with her 4 children living with us for quite awhile and she did most the cooking. We enjoyed it very much. Glad to find your site. Will try some of the recipes. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 7, 2016

      Welcome to my blog! I hope you find many new favorite recipes! 🙂

      Reply

  • Marta
    February 7, 2016

    Hi Natasha! I’m hoping you can help me. Not sure where to post this question. I want to make dessert for V-Day to give out to family and friends. I would like for it to be ‘moldable’ into a heart shape, with writing on top (like: ‘Happy V-Day) with a frosting of your suggestion, and not too big so it can be wrapped individually. Do you have any suggestions from recipes on your site?

    Reply

  • Sondra
    February 6, 2016

    Natasha,
    Thank you for the great candied walnuts recipe. So easy and sooo good!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 6, 2016

      Thank you Sondra for the nice review and you are welcome 😃.

      Reply

  • Anna
    February 4, 2016

    hi natasha! can you recommend some metal shishkabob skewers? (i dont know the real name for them) ive looked on amazon and its hard to tell which ones arent flimsy and good quality

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 4, 2016

      Anna, I would just buy one that has the best reviews on Amazon or best seller. That’s usually how I shop. The ones I own, don’t have any company logo on them.

      Reply

  • Kerry
    February 2, 2016

    I came across your blog during a google search for a tomato and cucumber salad. My Polish mother in law passed away without leaving her recipe behind. My husband misses it so I will be trying yours tonight!

    My mother’s side is Carpatho~Rusyn and I look forward to trying more of your recipes that we always had at Easter and other holidays.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 2, 2016

      Thank you for sharing your story with us! I hope our recipes bring back sweet memories for you 🙂

      Reply

  • Paula Cook
    February 1, 2016

    I was so excited to find your blog. My family, too, immigrated from Ukraine in 1950, though I was the only one born in the US. My parents are both gone now and my brother and I are embarking on writing our family history for our children and grandchildren. He and I both remember eating “sour soup” while camping in Colorado. As most mothers during that time, Mom did everything by feel and never had a real recipe to follow. I found your shchavel soup via google search and it looked exactly like Mom’s! Though she did things a bit differently like boiled and diced the eggs. Thank you posting a recipe similar to my moms
    ‘s!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 1, 2016

      Welcome to my blog! I’m so happy you’re here and thank you for sharing your story with us! I think it’s wonderful that you’re documenting your family history for future generations. Food is so much a part of that history! 🙂

      Reply

  • John
    February 1, 2016

    My Grandmother escaped and came to America. I grow up with Perogies and Kabasi (sp)
    we make them for our children but always look for other recipes of my youth

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 1, 2016

      I love how food holds so many memories :).

      Reply

  • Shirlene
    January 31, 2016

    Hi Natasha, today I was inspired by you to make your Peach jam & have just boiled it gently for the 3rd time today. I am looking forward to coming home from work tomorrow & reapeating the process for the 4th & 5th time to finally bottle my creation. We have a beautiful peach tree & I have never made jam up until now do I am excited to try it & to share it with friends.
    Also, Today I made your beautiful creamy chicken & rice recipe for dinner- it was delicious & now dinner is cooked for tomorrow night as it serves around 4 meals. I look forward to discovering more of your tantalising recipes. Kind regards Shirlene 🍑

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 31, 2016

      Hi Shirlene, thank you so much for sharing your awesome reviews with us. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes. Fresh homemade peach jam sounds wonderful. My parents have a beautiful peach tree and I just love fresh peaches. I hope you love the jam!

      Reply

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