# BBC Good Food API: Search recipes

> Finds BBC Good Food recipes for a dish or ingredients in search order, with ratings, time, difficulty, photos and links. Excludes app-only recipes.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by BBC Good Food.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/bbcgoodfood.com/search-recipes
- Method: `bbcgoodfood.com/search_recipes`, version 1
- Website: bbcgoodfood.com
- Returns: title, star rating, number of ratings, total time, difficulty, photo link, recipe link
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `diet` | string | no | `"vegetarian"` | Diet to filter by, for example vegetarian. One of "any", "vegetarian", "vegan", "gluten_free", "dairy_free", "healthy". Default "any". |
| `query` | string | yes | `"vegetarian lasagne"` | Dish or ingredients to search, for example vegetarian lasagne. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `20` | Maximum number of recipes to return, for example 20. Default 20. |
| `max_total_minutes` | integer | no |  | Maximum total recipe time in minutes, for example 45. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "diet": "vegetarian",
  "query": "vegetarian lasagne",
  "max_results": 20
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "recipes": [
    {
      "title": "Vegetarian lasagne",
      "difficulty": "Easy",
      "photo_link": "https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2022/02/vegetarian-lasagne-5ee6162.jpg",
      "total_time": "1 hr 35 mins",
      "recipe_link": "https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-vegetable-lasagne",
      "star_rating": 4.45,
      "number_of_ratings": 334,
      "total_time_minutes": 95
    },
    {
      "title": "Microwave vegetarian mug lasagne",
      "difficulty": "Easy",
      "photo_link": "https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2023/01/Vegetarian-mug-lasagne-b1fc31b.jpg",
      "total_time": "10 mins",
      "recipe_link": "https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/microwave-vegetarian-mug-lasagne",
      "star_rating": 5,
      "number_of_ratings": 1,
      "total_time_minutes": 10
    },
    {
      "title": "Creamy courgette lasagne",
      "difficulty": "Easy",
      "photo_link": "https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2022/03/Creamy-courgette-lasagne-e63aa0c.jpg",
      "total_time": "30 mins",
      "recipe_link": "https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-courgette-lasagne",
      "star_rating": 4.55,
      "number_of_ratings": 738,
      "total_time_minutes": 30
    }
  ]
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"bbcgoodfood.com/search_recipes","input":{"diet":"vegetarian","query":"vegetarian lasagne","max_results":20}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- Find me quick vegetarian lasagne recipes under 45 minutes from BBC Good Food
- I need a chicken and leek pie recipe with ratings and photos
- show gluten free banana bread recipes, top 10 please
- easy vegan chilli recipes that take under 30 minutes
- healthy salmon traybake ideas with difficulty levels and total cooking time

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "query"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "diet": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "vegetarian",
        "vegan",
        "gluten_free",
        "dairy_free",
        "healthy"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Diet to filter by, for example vegetarian."
    },
    "query": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Dish or ingredients to search, for example vegetarian lasagne."
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 50,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of recipes to return, for example 20."
    },
    "max_total_minutes": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum total recipe time in minutes, for example 45."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "recipes"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "recipes": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "recipe_link"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "title": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "difficulty": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "photo_link": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "total_time": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "recipe_link": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "star_rating": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "number_of_ratings": {
            "type": [
              "integer",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "total_time_minutes": {
            "type": [
              "integer",
              "null"
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## See more

- [BBC Good Food API: Get recipe](https://fous.com/methods/bbcgoodfood.com/get-recipe.md): Gets a full BBC Good Food recipe by dish name or recipe link, including ingredients, method and nutrition per serving. A name uses the closest matching recipe in site search; details absent from the page are null.
- [Allrecipes API: Search recipes](https://fous.com/methods/allrecipes.com/search-recipes.md): Finds Allrecipes recipes for a dish or ingredients, in search order, with ratings, photos and total times; optionally only recipes ready within a time limit.
- [Food Network API: Search recipes](https://fous.com/methods/foodnetwork.com/search-recipes.md): Finds Food Network recipes for a dish or ingredient, optionally filtered by chef, in site search order.
- [Food Network API: Get recipe](https://fous.com/methods/foodnetwork.com/get-recipe.md): Gets a Food Network recipe by dish name or recipe page link. It returns ingredients, directions, ratings and cooking times; page details that are missing come back as null.
- [Serious Eats API: Search recipes](https://fous.com/methods/seriouseats.com/search-recipes.md): Finds Serious Eats recipes and cooking guides for a dish or technique, in site search order. Results can also include related articles; times appear only when the site shows them.
- [Allrecipes API: Get recipe](https://fous.com/methods/allrecipes.com/get-recipe.md): Gets a full Allrecipes recipe by its name or page link, including ingredients, directions, times, ratings and nutrition. Names select the most-rated close match.
- [Serious Eats API: Get recipe](https://fous.com/methods/seriouseats.com/get-recipe.md): Gets a complete Serious Eats recipe by name or page link, with ingredients, directions, timing, nutrition and ratings when the page shows them.
- [Open Food Facts API: Search packaged foods](https://fous.com/methods/openfoodfacts.org/search-products.md): Searches Open Food Facts packaged foods by name, optionally filtered by diet, country where sold and brand, ordered by popularity (most scanned first).
- [All BBC Good Food methods](https://fous.com/methods/bbcgoodfood.com.md)