Recipe Schema: Rich Results, Voice Cooking Mode, and Nutrition Panel Optimization
Recipe schema (@type: Recipe on Schema.org) is one of the richest structured data types in Google's ecosystem - enabling recipe cards with images, star ratings, cook time, calorie display, and step-by-step cooking mode in Google Assistant. For food publishers, Recipe schema is not optional: it is the prerequisite for recipe carousel inclusion, recipe image search eligibility, calorie-filtered search filter coverage, and Google Discover recipe feed cards.
For AEO, Recipe schema provides one of the clearest examples of how structured data creates direct AI answer delivery: when a user asks Google Assistant 'What's the next step?' during cooking, it reads directly from the recipeInstructions HowToStep array. When a user asks 'How many calories in this sourdough recipe?', it reads from NutritionInformation.calories. Each schema field is a potential AI answer source - making Recipe one of the most field-dense structured data types for voice and AI citation.
For related schema see HowTo Schema and FAQ Schema.
Recipe Rich Result Preview - Card and Nutrition Panel
Toggle between the main recipe card and the nutrition panel to see what Recipe schema enables in Google Search rich results:
Simple Homemade Sourdough Bread
Recipe Schema JSON-LD - Base, Nutrition, and Video Examples
Three critical section examples - the base Recipe object, NutritionInformation extension, and embedded VideoObject:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Recipe",
"name": "Simple Homemade Sourdough Bread",
"image": ["https://example.com/sourdough-1x1.jpg"],
"author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emma Wilson" },
"datePublished": "2026-01-15",
"description": "A straightforward sourdough bread recipe requiring...",
"prepTime": "PT20M",
"cookTime": "PT45M",
"totalTime": "PT65M",
"keywords": "sourdough, homemade bread, artisan bread",
"recipeYield": "1 loaf (8 servings)",
"recipeCategory": "Bread",
"recipeCuisine": "American",
"recipeIngredient": [
"500g bread flour",
"375ml warm water",
"100g active sourdough starter",
"10g sea salt"
],
"recipeInstructions": [
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Autolyse", "text": "Mix flour and 350ml water. Rest 30 minutes." },
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Add starter and salt", "text": "Add starter and salt with remaining water..." },
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Proof and shape", "text": "Proof for 4–6 hours at room temperature..." },
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Bake", "text": "Bake at 250°C for 20 minutes with steam, then 25 minutes uncovered." }
],
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.8",
"reviewCount": "2341"
}
}Voice & AI Query Mapping - Schema Fields per Query Type
Five common voice and AI queries for recipe content - with the specific schema field that sources the answer and optimization advice:
“How do I make sourdough bread?”
Source: Recipe schema + instruction steps
AI retrieves recipeInstructions steps. Keep each HowToStep text concise (under 50 words) with one clear action per step.
“What ingredients do I need for sourdough?”
Source: recipeIngredient array
AI reads from the recipeIngredient array. Format ingredients with the exact quantity first: '500g bread flour', not 'flour, 500 grams of'.
“How long does sourdough take to bake?”
Source: cookTime + totalTime schema fields
Ensure cookTime, prepTime, and totalTime are all declared in ISO 8601 duration format. Voice assistants read these fields directly for time queries.
“Is sourdough bread healthy?”
Source: nutrition schema + description text
AI cites the NutritionInformation schema fields. Supplement with a 'Health benefits' section in the article body for narrative health queries.
“Sourdough bread recipe easy”
Source: keywords + recipeCategory
keywords and recipeCategory help match recipe to difficulty-qualified queries. Include 'Easy', 'Beginner', or 'Simple' in the keywords field if that describes your recipe.