Recipe Structured Data Guide

Recipe schema markup unlocks rich recipe cards in Google Search — complete with images, star ratings, cook time, and calorie information. Recipe structured data is one of the most visually distinctive rich results in Google Search, making it highly valuable for food blogs and cooking websites. Valid Recipe schema requires a name, at least one image, and structured recipe instructions.

Required Properties

Property	Type	Description
`name`rich result	string	The name of the recipe.
`image`rich result	URL or ImageObject	An image of the finished dish. Required for rich results.
`recipeInstructions`rich result	HowToStep array or string	Step-by-step cooking instructions. Use HowToStep objects for best results.

Recommended Properties

Missing recommended properties generate warnings. They won't block validation, but rich result-tagged properties are needed for full Google rich result eligibility.

Property	Type	Description
`author`	Person or Organization	The author or creator of the recipe.
`datePublished`	ISO 8601 date	The date the recipe was published.
`description`	string	A short description of the dish.
`prepTime`	ISO 8601 duration	Preparation time (e.g. PT15M for 15 minutes).
`cookTime`	ISO 8601 duration	Cook time (e.g. PT30M for 30 minutes).
`totalTime`	ISO 8601 duration	Total time including prep and cook.
`recipeYield`	string	The quantity produced (e.g. '4 servings').
`recipeIngredient`	string array	List of ingredients with quantities.
`aggregateRating`rich result	AggregateRating	Overall recipe rating. Required for star ratings in rich results.

Rich Result Eligibility

Rich result type: Recipe rich card with image, ratings, and cook time

Requirements: Required: name, image (URL or ImageObject array), and recipeInstructions. Google also recommends author, aggregateRating, and nutrition for full rich result display.

Example valid Recipe JSON-LD

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Classic Spaghetti Carbonara",
  "image": "https://example.com/images/carbonara.jpg",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Maria Rossi"
  },
  "datePublished": "2026-03-18",
  "description": "A traditional Roman pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, and guanciale.",
  "prepTime": "PT10M",
  "cookTime": "PT20M",
  "totalTime": "PT30M",
  "recipeYield": "4 servings",
  "recipeIngredient": [
    "400g spaghetti",
    "200g guanciale",
    "4 egg yolks",
    "100g Pecorino Romano",
    "Black pepper to taste"
  ],
  "recipeInstructions": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Fry guanciale until crispy. Remove from heat."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Mix egg yolks and grated Pecorino Romano in a bowl."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Drain pasta, toss with guanciale, then stir in egg mixture off heat."
    }
  ],
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.9",
    "reviewCount": "547"
  }
}

Validate via API

Validate this schema against Google's requirements in one API call:

curl "https://schemacheck.dev/api/v1/validate" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Recipe","name":"Classic Spaghetti Carbonara","image":"https://example.com/images/carbonara.jpg","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Maria Rossi"},"datePublished":"2026-03-18","description":"A traditional Roman pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, and guanciale.","prepTime":"PT10M","cookTime":"PT20M","totalTime":"PT30M","recipeYield":"4 servings","recipeIngredient":["400g spaghetti","200g guanciale","4 egg yolks","100g Pecorino Romano","Black pepper to taste"],"recipeInstructions":[{"@type":"HowToStep","text":"Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente."},{"@type":"HowToStep","text":"Fry guanciale until crispy. Remove from heat."},{"@type":"HowToStep","text":"Mix egg yolks and grated Pecorino Romano in a bowl."},{"@type":"HowToStep","text":"Drain pasta, toss with guanciale, then stir in egg mixture off heat."}],"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":"4.9","reviewCount":"547"}}}'

Official Documentation

Google Structured Data: Recipe →

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