If you run a food blog or recipe website, Recipe schema is your ticket to prominent placement in Google search. Those beautiful recipe cards with ratings, cooking times, and calorie counts? That’s Recipe schema at work.

This guide shows you how to implement Recipe schema to get your recipes featured in Google’s rich results.

What is Recipe Schema?

Recipe schema is structured data that tells search engines about your recipe content. It includes:

  • Recipe name and description
  • Cooking and prep times
  • Ingredients list
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Nutritional information
  • Ratings and reviews
  • Serving size

When implemented correctly, Google displays this information in attractive recipe cards within search results.

Where Recipe Rich Results Appear

Your marked-up recipes can appear in:

Search Results

Recipe cards with images, ratings, cooking time, and calories.

Google Images

Recipe information overlaid on image search results.

Google Discover

Featured recipe content in the Discover feed.

Top placement in recipe-specific carousels.

Google Assistant

Voice responses to recipe queries.

Required Properties

Google requires these properties:

  • name - Recipe title
  • image - Recipe photo(s)

For rich results, you also need:

  • Either recipeIngredient or ingredients
  • Either recipeInstructions or steps

For comprehensive recipe markup:

  • author - Who created the recipe
  • datePublished - Publication date
  • description - Recipe summary
  • prepTime - Preparation time (ISO 8601 duration)
  • cookTime - Cooking time
  • totalTime - Total time
  • keywords - Recipe keywords
  • recipeYield - Serving size
  • recipeCategory - Meal type (breakfast, dinner)
  • recipeCuisine - Cuisine type
  • nutrition - Nutritional information
  • aggregateRating - Average rating
  • video - Recipe video

Complete Recipe Schema Example

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/photos/cookies-1x1.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/cookies-4x3.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/cookies-16x9.jpg"
  ],
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Sarah Baker"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-01-15",
  "description": "Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with crispy edges. This classic recipe uses brown butter for extra flavor.",
  "prepTime": "PT20M",
  "cookTime": "PT12M",
  "totalTime": "PT32M",
  "keywords": "chocolate chip cookies, chewy cookies, easy cookies",
  "recipeYield": "24 cookies",
  "recipeCategory": "Dessert",
  "recipeCuisine": "American",
  "recipeIngredient": [
    "2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour",
    "1 teaspoon baking soda",
    "1 teaspoon salt",
    "1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened",
    "3/4 cup granulated sugar",
    "3/4 cup packed brown sugar",
    "2 large eggs",
    "1 teaspoon vanilla extract",
    "2 cups chocolate chips"
  ],
  "recipeInstructions": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Mix dry ingredients",
      "text": "In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Cream butter and sugars",
      "text": "In a large bowl, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Add eggs and vanilla",
      "text": "Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and mix until combined."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Combine wet and dry",
      "text": "Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Add chocolate chips",
      "text": "Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula or wooden spoon."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Bake",
      "text": "Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden."
    }
  ],
  "nutrition": {
    "@type": "NutritionInformation",
    "servingSize": "1 cookie",
    "calories": "180 calories",
    "fatContent": "9 g",
    "saturatedFatContent": "5 g",
    "carbohydrateContent": "24 g",
    "sugarContent": "14 g",
    "proteinContent": "2 g",
    "sodiumContent": "150 mg"
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": 4.8,
    "ratingCount": 412
  },
  "video": {
    "@type": "VideoObject",
    "name": "How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies",
    "description": "Step-by-step video tutorial for the best chocolate chip cookies",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/video-thumb.jpg",
    "contentUrl": "https://example.com/videos/cookies.mp4",
    "uploadDate": "2025-01-15",
    "duration": "PT5M30S"
  }
}

Time Format (ISO 8601)

Recipe times use ISO 8601 duration format:

  • PT15M = 15 minutes
  • PT1H = 1 hour
  • PT1H30M = 1 hour 30 minutes
  • PT2H45M = 2 hours 45 minutes

Always include:

  • prepTime - Time to prepare ingredients
  • cookTime - Active cooking time
  • totalTime - End-to-end time

Ingredients Best Practices

Format ingredients clearly:

Do

"recipeIngredient": [
  "2 cups all-purpose flour",
  "1/2 teaspoon salt",
  "1 cup butter, softened"
]

Don’t

"recipeIngredient": [
  "flour",
  "salt",
  "butter"
]

Each ingredient should include quantity, measurement, and item.

Instructions Best Practices

Use HowToStep objects for detailed instructions:

"recipeInstructions": [
  {
    "@type": "HowToStep",
    "name": "Preheat oven",
    "text": "Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).",
    "image": "https://example.com/step1.jpg"
  }
]

Or use simple text for basic recipes:

"recipeInstructions": [
  "Preheat oven to 350°F.",
  "Mix all ingredients in a bowl.",
  "Bake for 25 minutes."
]

Nutritional Information

Include nutrition when available:

"nutrition": {
  "@type": "NutritionInformation",
  "servingSize": "1 slice",
  "calories": "250 calories",
  "fatContent": "12 g",
  "carbohydrateContent": "30 g",
  "proteinContent": "8 g",
  "fiberContent": "3 g",
  "sugarContent": "5 g",
  "sodiumContent": "400 mg",
  "cholesterolContent": "25 mg"
}

Note: Only include nutritional information if you’ve actually calculated it.

Image Requirements

Recipe images should be:

Size

  • Minimum: 1200 pixels wide
  • Recommended: 1200x1200 (1:1), 1200x900 (4:3), 1200x675 (16:9)

Quality

  • Well-lit, appetizing photos
  • Show the finished dish
  • No text overlays on images used for schema

Multiple Sizes

Provide images in different aspect ratios:

"image": [
  "https://example.com/recipe-1x1.jpg",
  "https://example.com/recipe-4x3.jpg",
  "https://example.com/recipe-16x9.jpg"
]

Adding Video

Recipe videos significantly boost engagement:

"video": {
  "@type": "VideoObject",
  "name": "Recipe Video Title",
  "description": "Video description",
  "thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/thumb.jpg",
  "contentUrl": "https://example.com/video.mp4",
  "embedUrl": "https://youtube.com/embed/xxxxx",
  "uploadDate": "2025-01-15",
  "duration": "PT10M"
}

Common Mistakes

1. Missing Required Fields

Ensure you have name, image, ingredients, and instructions.

2. Generic Images

Use actual photos of your recipe, not stock images.

3. Vague Instructions

Each step should be specific and actionable.

4. Fake Ratings

Only include real ratings from users who made the recipe.

5. Inconsistent Information

Schema must match visible content on the page.

WordPress Recipe Plugins

If you use WordPress, these plugins handle Recipe schema:

  • WP Recipe Maker - Popular free option
  • Tasty Recipes - Premium with great design
  • Recipe Card Blocks - Gutenberg native
  • Create by Mediavine - From ad network Mediavine
  • Zip Recipes - Simple and lightweight

Generate Your Recipe Schema

Use our free Recipe Schema Generator to create valid markup for your recipes.

Enter your:

  • Recipe name and description
  • Prep, cook, and total time
  • Ingredients list
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Nutritional information
  • Rating data

Get properly formatted JSON-LD ready to add to your recipe posts.

Measuring Success

Track these metrics:

Google Search Console

  • Rich result appearances
  • CTR for recipe queries
  • Impressions and position

Analytics

  • Traffic to recipe pages
  • Time on page
  • Print button clicks

Recipe-Specific

  • Recipe saves
  • Rating submissions
  • Social shares

Conclusion

Recipe schema is essential for food bloggers who want visibility in Google search. The rich recipe cards stand out dramatically from plain text results, driving significantly more traffic.

Focus on quality: great photos, accurate nutritional information, and detailed instructions. Combined with proper schema markup, your recipes will have the best chance of being featured in Google’s recipe experiences.

Start with your most popular recipes, implement schema, and expand across your entire recipe archive.

Need help optimizing your food blog for search? I can help you implement Recipe schema and improve your overall food blog SEO strategy. Get in touch for a consultation.