Want to make a dish this weekend using the potatoes, carrots, and beef in your fridge? Open our Recipe Finder tool, enter these three ingredients, and instantly see matching recipes—like Beef and Potato Stew. The tool will also tell you how much time it takes, what to do in each step, and the exact ingredient measurements.
Typical Use Cases
- Beginner Cooks: You bought chicken breast and broccoli but don't know what to make. Enter these two ingredients in the search box, and the tool will list recipes like Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry or Chicken Broccoli Salad, each with detailed steps and prep times.
- Home Cooks Meal Prepping: Want to mix things up this weekend? Enter "pork ribs, potatoes, green beans," and the tool recommends Braised Pork Ribs with Potatoes and Green Beans, showing a cooking time of about 40 minutes—perfect for a family of three.
- Fitness & Weight Loss: Looking to control calories? Enter "chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes," and the tool recommends a Low-Fat Chicken Breast Salad, complete with calories and protein content per 100 grams.
Complete Example: Searching with Potatoes, Carrots, and Beef
Let's demonstrate with a real search:
- Enter "potatoes carrots beef" in the search box at the top of the tool (separate ingredients with spaces or commas).
- Click the "Search Recipes" button on the right.
- The tool will display a list of the best-matching recipes in the results area below. The first result is usually "Beef and Potato Stew"; click it to enter the details page.
The details page shows:
- Recipe Name: Beef and Potato Stew
- Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Ingredients: 500g beef, 2 potatoes (approx. 300g), 1 carrot (approx. 200g), scallions, ginger, garlic, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, sugar, star anise, bay leaves.
- Steps: ① Cut beef into chunks and blanch; ② Caramelize sugar, add beef, and stir-fry; ③ Add light and dark soy sauce, cooking wine, boiling water, star anise, and bay leaves, then simmer for 30 minutes; ④ Add potato and carrot chunks and simmer for another 10 minutes; ⑤ Reduce the sauce, add salt, and serve.
- Estimated Nutrition: Approx. 650 kcal per serving, 45g protein, 20g fat, 50g carbs.
Now you're ready to start cooking!
More Examples: Comparing Different Inputs
Example 1 (Single Ingredient): Enter just "eggs". The tool will return various egg recipes: Tomato and Egg Stir-fry, Hard-boiled Eggs, Steamed Egg Custard, Egg Fried Rice, etc. Each shows the other required ingredients, making it easy to choose based on what you have in your pantry.
Example 2 (Advanced Combinations): Enter "pork stomach, chicken, goji berries". The tool recommends "Pork Stomach and Chicken Soup", noting that this dish requires more time (blanching, simmering for 2 hours) and more seasonings, making it ideal for weekend entertaining. If you enter "cuttlefish, pork ribs, white radish", it recommends "Cuttlefish and Pork Rib Soup", emphasizing a 1.5-hour simmering time.
How to Read the Results
The recipe search results don't just tell you "what to make," they also help you plan:
- Time Tags: A time badge appears next to the results, such as "<30 mins", "30-60 mins", or ">60 mins". Choose shorter times for busy weekdays and longer times for weekends.
- Difficulty Indicators: ★☆☆ (Easy, beginner-friendly), ★★☆ (Medium, requires some skill), ★★★ (Hard, cooking experience recommended).
- Match Rate: If there's a typo or too few ingredients, the tool will prompt "No exact match found, here are similar recommendations." For example, if you type "po tato be ef", it will fuzzy-match to Beef and Potato Stew but remind you to check your spelling.
Common Mistakes / Pitfalls to Avoid
- Non-standard Ingredient Names: For example, entering regional slang instead of standard names might not be recognized. We recommend using common names or trying alternatives.
- Including Quantities or States: Entering "three eggs" works less effectively than just "eggs". The tool only parses ingredient nouns; quantities can be adjusted within the recipe itself.
- Mixing Languages: Entering "chicken potatoes" in mixed languages might lose some results. We recommend using standard English ingredient names.
- Over-relying on a Single Ingredient: Entering only "salt" or "soy sauce" will yield countless, imprecise recipes. We recommend entering at least 2-3 main ingredients.
- Ignoring Recipe Applicability: The tool recommends general, popular methods and might not include regional specialty seasonings (like adding Sichuan peppercorns for Sichuan dishes). Pay attention to the flavor profiles when viewing recipes.
Important Notes
- Recipes are for Reference Only: Actual cooking results may vary due to heat control, cookware, and ingredient freshness. We recommend adjusting times and seasonings based on your experience.
- Nutritional Data is Estimated: Calories, protein, and other data provided by the tool come from public databases (like the China Food Composition Table). They are not precise to every serving. Those tracking macros should weigh their actual portions.
- Some Recipes May Be Missing: The tool includes common home-cooked meals and some regional dishes, but not all specialty or innovative recipes. If you can't find what you need, try a different set of ingredients.
- Network Connection: The tool requires an internet connection to search and cannot be used offline. We recommend loading recipe images over Wi-Fi.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What if I enter ingredients but can't find a recipe?
A: The ingredient combination might be too niche. Try adding one or two common ingredients (like meat + vegetables + seasonings), or swap for a similar ingredient (e.g., beef instead of pork). You can also enter a dish name directly, like "Cola Chicken Wings", and the tool will display it.
Q2: Can the tool find Western recipes?
A: It currently focuses on Chinese home cooking but includes some simple Western dishes (like salads, pasta, and steak). Entering "pasta, tomatoes, onions" will find Tomato Pasta. Complex Western dishes like "Beef Wellington" might not be in the database.
Q3: Why does the same ingredient sometimes recommend different recipes?
A: The tool sorts by the relevance of the ingredient combination. For example, entering "chicken, potatoes" will prioritize Big Plate Chicken or Braised Chicken with Potatoes. If you only enter "chicken", it will display the most popular chicken recipes by trending volume, and the order may update daily.
Q4: Can I save or print recipes?
A: There is a "Favorite" button in the top right corner of the recipe details page. Favorited recipes are saved in your browser's local storage (they will be lost if you clear your cache). There is currently no print function, but you can take a screenshot or copy the text.
Q5: How many servings are the recipe measurements for?
A: The default is for 2-3 servings. You can scale the ingredients proportionally. The tool also provides an "Adjust Servings" slider (at the bottom of the details page) that automatically recalculates ingredient amounts when dragged.
Q6: Can the tool recognize different names for the same ingredient?
A: We have a built-in database of common aliases, so "cilantro" equals "coriander" and "aubergine" equals "eggplant". However, some regional dialects might not be fully included. If you can't find a match, try using the standard name.
Now you can try entering your fridge inventory in the search box above and see what delicious meals you can make!
