There are many benefits to cooking your own meals. For one thing, you can be sure what type of ingredients go into your food and control the amount of seasoning you put into it. This makes for healthier meals. It’s also better for your budget, as cooking your own meals is infinitely cheaper than going out every day to eat. Moreover, cooking is an important skill, and practicing it will allow you to grow. But how would you embark on your cooking quest when you don’t know where to start? This is where recipe apps come in.
These apps are absolutely great because you can find different types of recipes in one neat place. Before the advancement of technology and the introduction of mobile apps, cookbooks were the norm. But today, you won’t even have to flip through pages and pages of your cookbook just to find the recipes you want. Most recipe apps come with a search feature, allowing you to find recipes easily.
Now, the real question is, which recipe app should you download? In no particular order, take a look at the 15 best recipe apps you can download today!
15 Best Recipe Apps To Download Today
1. Allrecipes Dinner Spinner
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
Millions of people enjoy cooking either as a hobby or just as is, and that’s apparent with Allrecipes Dinner Spinner. This app compiles recipes from a community consisting of over 50 million people, which means all the recipes have a personal feel to them. These people contribute photos, ratings, and reviews, along with recipes.
With Allrecipes, you can write down a shopping list, save any recipes that you like, or search for specific recipes you have in mind. You can also filter your search results by cooking time and diet, which is great if you’re in a pinch or follow a strict regimen. Don’t like a particular food? Not to worry — Allrecipes also lets you filter out any foods you dislike.
A standout feature of this recipe app, though, is that it allows you to check which ingredients are on sale nearby. It also gives you information on the cheapest recipes you can make on a specific day. Additionally, it has partnerships with certain stores so that, when you enter one, the app will give you recipe recommendations.
2. BBC Good Food
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
If you’re familiar with the BBC, then you know this British television channel offers a lot of food programs. The network has since extended its reach and made one of the best recipes apps around the block. With the BBC Good Food app, you can access over 10,000 recipes — a combination of recipes from users, celebrity chefs, and the BBC Good Food team.
It has all the usual features you’d expect in a recipe app such as the ability to save favorite recipes, sort your favorites into personal collections, and even rate recipes. The recipes are very easy to understand since they’re laid out in a step-by-step format. Of course, you do need to create an account, but that doesn’t come at any charge.
3. BigOven
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
Have you ever opened your fridge or cupboard and found only a few ingredients to work with? If you’re too busy to go out and buy more ingredients, then BigOven is the perfect recipe app for you. With this app, you can search for recipes through the ingredients available to you. Just type in three ingredients you want to use and the app will suggest different dishes you can cook using those very ingredients.
At times when you have ingredients to spare, simply browse through BigOven’s huge collection of recipes, which is about 350,000 strong. You can search for recipes, create a grocery list, and even add photos of your recipes to the app. BigOven is also one of the recipe apps that combines cooking with social networking. Using the app, you can look at what other people are cooking!
4. Cookpad
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
When you join Cookpad, you are given a profile that you can use to browse recipes uploaded by other users. Browsing is made easy since the recipes are organized into different categories. Cookpad also allows you to look at your Cookplan without the need for an internet connection.
Previously known as All the Cooks, Cookpad is one of the recipe apps that seamlessly incorporates a social aspect to cooking. When you log into Cookpad, you can view recipes other people have uploaded and liked. You can also upload a recipe yourself, complete with photos that you want to include. Other people also have the ability to like and comment on your recipes, and you can do the same to others.
Cookpad is very much a community-driven recipe app, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, connecting and communicating with other enthusiasts who share the same passion as you do is a great way to improve your skill.
5. Epicurious
Available on: iOS
Cost: Free
If this isn’t your first time in the food world, then you’ve probably heard of the Epicurious brand before. In fact, Epicurious is one of the OG recipe apps that has managed to stand the test of time.
The app itself consists of over 35,000 recipes that have all been tested and rated. You can access recipes from the Epicurious team, as well as recipes from other culinary giants such as Bon Appetit, Gourmet magazine, and Harper Collins.
With this app, you can look for recipes you want to make and create shopping lists based on those recipes. There’s even a voice command feature, which is a neat addition since cooking rarely gives you any free hands for tapping on your phone. The app also has a built-in smart kitchen timer you can use so that you won’t overcook or undercook any dishes. Moreover, you won’t have a hard time navigating through the app because of its smooth and seamless interface.
6. Food Network Kitchen
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
How many times have you watched the Food Network and wished you could compile all their fabulous recipes? Well, with Food Network Kitchen, you can access all those recipes in a single, easy-to-use app!
Food Network Kitchen boasts more than 70,000 recipes from the celebrity chefs you’ve come to know and love. There are recipes for all types of meals — from breakfast all the way to dinner. If you have a hard time following text guides, recipes in this app also offer videos to make the process much simpler for amateur cooks.
Searching for recipes isn’t difficult either. You can look for a recipe by ingredient or by the chef who made it. The app also allows you to add notes, such as any tips or substitutions, much like a regular cookbook. Just like other recipe apps, the Food Network Kitchen also lets you make a shopping list right from the recipe page.
Additionally, this app works great for meal planning since it shows you all the nutritional information of every recipe. You also don’t have to worry about missing any special kitchen tools or equipment because the app clearly lists down anything you need. For instance, if you don’t have a blender, then look for any recipes that don’t require it.
7. Forks Plant-Based Recipes
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: $5
If the documentary film “Forks Over Knives” left a lasting impression on you, then you’ll want to check out Forks Plant-Based Recipes. This recipe app comes straight from the documentary’s makers and helps people convert to a vegan diet.
Forks Plant-Based Recipes consists of 400 meals you can make — each and every one of them is entirely vegan and doesn’t include processed or refined ingredients. The app constantly adds new recipes as well, so you don’t have to worry about running out. Due to their composition, the recipes in this app can help prevent and even reverse chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
On top of that, you don’t have to worry about overly complicated recipes. Apart from the recipes being healthy and beneficial, they’re fairly easy to make as well. There’s also a grocery list feature that you can create and manage. Whether you’re already a vegan or planning to transition, this recipe app is indeed a must-try.
8. Kitchen Stories
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
Humans consume first with their eyes, so it’s only natural for us to be drawn to images and videos. That’s why Kitchen Stories relies heavily on visuals rather than text, though it also offers the latter. The text instructions are easy to follow, and the gorgeous photos of food are certainly enough to stir your appetite.
You can search for dishes in the app and there are themes you can browse if you’re not looking for anything specific. For instance, if you only have less than 30 minutes to spend on cooking, browsing through the “20-minute dishes” category should help.
9. Oh She Glows
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: $2
If you’re on a mission on getting healthier, Oh She Glows is one of the best recipe apps for you. It offers over 140 plant-based dishes, with about 120 of those absolutely gluten-free. It adds a healthy spin to classic dishes such as replacing cheese with butternut squash in a mac ‘n cheese recipe.
If that’s not enough to convince you, the mouthwatering photos sure will. Each recipe comes with exquisite snapshots of the finished dish that will surely ignite the foodie in you. On top of that, searching for recipes is fairly easy since the interface is very user-friendly.
You can also filter your search results by allergies, dietary information, dish types, season, and the like. Every recipe shows you a description of the dish, step-by-step instructions, cooking tips, and even nutritional information. As with other recipe apps, you can save recipes as favorites or for later.
10. Paprika
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: $5
Long-time foodies are probably already familiar with the Paprika app. This app is unlike any other recipe apps on this list. It’s more of a recipe manager app rather than an app with a database full of recipes. With the help of the Paprika app, you can save recipes you come across online. If you have existing recipes, you can add them to Paprika’s catalog as well.
Additionally, the app allows for crafting grocery lists, meal planning, and creating menus consisting of your favorite meal plans. You can also use this app to scale ingredients up or down, depending on the serving size you wish to prepare. After you’ve used an ingredient, cross it off in an organized manner. You can also use the built-in kitchen timer to ensure you won’t overcook your food.
11. SideChef
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
New to the world of cooking? Fret not— SideChef has got your back. With this recipe app, you can browse through more than 11,000 recipes, which you can search for by ingredient or category. Each recipe comes with easy-to-follow steps, videos, and photos. You can even use timers and voice commands to make preparations easier.
If you find a recipe you want to make but it’s way too much for a single person, you can adjust the serving size and the app will automatically change the ingredients to accommodate your adjustment. You can also scale up the serving size if you wish. In addition, you can save recipes and even compile them in a list that you can then email to yourself. Perhaps the most appealing feature, though, is that you can buy ingredients right from the app. After purchase, the ingredients will be delivered straight to you.
As with a few other recipe apps, SideChef also integrates cooking with socialization. You can follow famous chefs, food bloggers, or other people you know. You can also share photos of the dishes you’ve prepared for the SideChef community to check out.
12. Supercook: Recipes by Ingredient
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
Have you ever opened your fridge and wondered, “What can I make with these ingredients?” The creators of Supercook sure have, and they’ve come up with a solution in the form of a recipe app. This is one of the few recipe apps that lets you input any available ingredients and offers recipes for dishes based on those specific ingredients.
While it doesn’t have its own collection of recipes, Supercook does scour the web to find matching recipes with the ingredients you’ve listed. That means it has an almost limitless amount of recipes to offer. Aside from that, you can also look up specific recipes you already have in mind. It also separates recipes according to categories such as dairy, vegetables, baking, spices, meats, beverages, and more!
13. Tasty
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
It’s hard to browse the web or social media feeds without coming across at least one Tasty video. Tasty, a brand owned by BuzzFeed, started out making recipe videos and has since expanded with an app.
The app makes it easy for you to look up recipes, especially ones you’ve passed on your timeline and forgot to save for later. It allows you to filter the recipes depending on your diet too. It also recommends meals you can make on certain days, including major holidays.
Tasty recipes are fairly simple to follow and with clear directions. It also makes sure your phone stays awake the entire time so you don’t need to keep unlocking it every few minutes when you’ve got your hands full.
Perhaps the most appealing feature is that the app lets you shop for ingredients online through Walmart. Just add the items to your bag and pick a date for when you want to pick up your purchases or have them delivered.
14. Weber iGrill
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
Very few apps focus solely on grilled food, but Weber iGrill does the job pretty well. With this app, you can access a boatload of grilled recipes — none of them prepared on a stovetop or in an oven. There are recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and even desserts. You’d be surprised what you can grill!
The best part about this app is that it makes it easy for you to determine the cooking time of your food. Not all meats have the same thickness, so the cooking time can vary. With this app, just enter how thick the meat is and the app will adjust the cooking time and temperature you need to use. There’s even a timer within the app that you can connect to your Apple Watch.
15. Yummly
Available on: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
If you’re looking for an excellent recipe finder, it’s hard not to mention Yummly. With this app, you can look for recipes among the hundreds in its database. You can also filter your searches using a variety of parameters such as lifestyle, allergens, diets, and more. Interestingly, this is one of the recipe apps that incorporates AI. As you select recipes, the app learns what you like and starts to recommend similar recipes.
Other than its masterful search engine, Yummly also has all the usual bells and whistles. It allows you to save recipes, create a shopping list, and have ingredients delivered. In addition to ingredients, you can also buy cooking utensils and other kitchen essentials.
Why Use Recipe Apps?
Recipe apps are a good way to learn how to cook new kinds of dishes from different cuisines. While some people find it exciting to try cooking dishes on their own, having a guide saves you time and can help lessen mistakes. Also, having a recipe app on your phone allows you to see proper measurements for different serving sizes. Another reason is that cooking food requires veracity especially when it comes to time. You don’t want your proteins to overcook since it’ll affect the quality of your food.
Lastly, having multiple recipe apps allow you to change it up every day. If you feel like cooking Italian today but don’t want to replicate it tomorrow, using a recipe app can help you find the perfect dish.
Wake Up The Chef In You
There’s no denying that recipe apps are a gift to home cooks everywhere. They allow you to search for recipes, create shopping lists, and save recipes for later. Some recipe apps even let you share photos with other cooking enthusiasts who use the app. Recipe apps are modern-day cookbooks, but they’re infinitely more convenient and easier to use. Find the best one that suits your needs today!
