Tools / Cook with what you have
Recipe finder
by ingredients.
Type the ingredients already in your kitchen. We will rank practical recipes by what matches, show what is missing and keep the results useful even when your pantry is unusual.
Recipes using what you have
Find recipes by ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
How to find recipes by ingredients you already have at home.
A recipe finder by ingredients starts with the pantry rather than a dish name. It answers searches such as “what can I make with these ingredients?” and “recipes using ingredients I already have.” Enter several ingredients separated by commas. The browser normalises common singular and plural forms, compares them with the core ingredient tags in a collection of more than fifty recipes, applies the time and dietary filters, then ranks the six strongest matches.
Results never disappear merely because one ingredient is unusual. When no close recipe exists, the page shows the quickest filtered ideas and a clear shopping list. Each card separates the core ingredients already matched from those still needed, then reveals the full compact ingredient list and method.
For the strongest match, enter ingredients that define the meal rather than every spice in the cupboard. A protein or bean, a starch and one or two vegetables give the ranking more useful information than salt, oil and water. Add an ingredient that needs using soon so the first results help reduce waste instead of merely repeating familiar meals.
The collection is editorial and finite. It is designed to return stable, readable starting points without inventing cooking times or unsafe methods. Treat the listed method as a compact plan: confirm quantities, portion size, allergens and doneness, then adapt seasoning and optional garnish to the people who will eat it.
Common plural forms and a small set of regional names are normalised before matching, but the tool does not perform a general language search. If an expected ingredient does not match, simplify it to the main food word: use tomato rather than two ripe tomatoes, rice rather than leftover jasmine rice, or pepper rather than red capsicum strips.
How to use this tool
- Enter several real ingredientsStart with the items you need to use: chicken, rice, spinach, lemon. Commas, semicolons and new lines all separate entries.
- Set a realistic timeThe filter uses the stored total time. It does not pretend a forty-minute recipe can be completed in twenty.
- Choose a dietary preferenceVegetarian includes vegan recipes; vegan removes recipes tagged vegetarian or any.
- Read match and missing listsThe first number shows matched core ingredients. Open the card for exact quantities and a short method before cooking.
How recipe ranking works
The rule is deterministic and runs in the browser; no AI service invents a recipe from the prompt.
| Signal | Rule | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient input | Comma, semicolon or line-separated | Normalised pantry terms |
| Match score | Matched core tags ÷ all core tags | Higher proportion ranks first |
| Time | Recipe time must be at or below limit | Longer recipes are removed |
| Diet | Exact vegan; vegetarian also accepts vegan | Incompatible recipes are removed |
| No close match | Keep filtered recipes and show missing items | A useful, honest fallback instead of a blank panel |
Worked example
Find recipes for chickpeas, tomatoes and garlic
Enter “chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic,” choose 30 minutes and Anything. Tomato chickpea skillet matches all three normalised core ingredients and ranks above recipes that use only tomato or garlic.
The card shows 3/3 core ingredients, then the compact full list adds pantry basics and optional herbs. Change the preference to vegan and the same recipe remains; reduce the time below its stored time and it is removed rather than rewritten.
Formula or selection rule
Match score = matched core ingredient tags ÷ total core ingredient tags. Results sort by score, matched count and then shortest time.
Common mistakes and browser limits
- Entering a finished dish name instead of ingredients.
- Assuming pantry basics include allergens or specialist seasonings.
- Treating the core match count as a complete pantry inventory.
- Ignoring safe cooking temperatures for meat, fish or eggs.
- Expecting a fixed editorial collection to contain every regional ingredient.
FAQ
Questions people ask about this tool
What can I cook with ingredients I have?
Enter several ingredients and the finder ranks recipes by how many core items match. It also shows what is missing, so a partial match remains useful.
Why does the finder always show results?
A blank panel does not help. When no close match exists, the tool shows the quickest recipes that meet the time and diet filters and labels the missing ingredients honestly.
Does it generate recipes with AI?
No. It ranks a curated collection with a visible matching rule, so the ingredients, time and method remain stable.
Are oil, salt and water included?
They are treated as ordinary pantry basics in the interface, but every card should still be checked before cooking.
Can I use it for vegan recipes?
Yes. Choose Vegan to keep only recipes tagged vegan. Always confirm that packaged ingredients and substitutions meet your requirements.