Skip to main content

Adding Recipes

This page covers how to create a recipe, what each field does, and how to use the Chef's Reserve section for the extra details that make a recipe truly yours.

Creating a recipe​

Tap the + button from the Recipes page.

Core fields:

  • Name — required
  • Description — a short note about the dish; what makes it special, when you make it, where it came from
  • Servings — how many people it feeds
  • Prep time — in minutes
  • Cook time — in minutes
  • Rating — 1–10; displayed as stars on your gallery and public profile
  • Tags — custom labels for filtering (e.g., "weeknight," "vegetarian," "comfort food," "summer")
  • Photo — upload a file (PNG, JPG, WebP, HEIC, or DNG, up to 10MB) or paste an image URL

Building the ingredient list​

Ingredients are added as individual items, each with:

  • Name — what the ingredient is
  • Quantity — how much
  • Unit — cups, grams, tablespoons, etc.
  • Category — the type of ingredient:
    • Produce
    • Dairy
    • Meat
    • Pantry
    • Frozen
    • Bakery
    • Beverages
    • Other
  • Notes — optional specifics ("room temperature," "finely diced," "preferably sourdough")

Ingredients are grouped by category when displayed on the recipe detail page and on your public profile, making them easy to read through and import to a grocery list.

You can reorder ingredients by dragging them. Delete any ingredient with the remove button.

Writing the steps​

Steps are ordered instructions. Add them one at a time — each step is a single field you can reorder by dragging. Keep each step focused on one action so the instructions are easy to follow while cooking.

The Chef's Reserve​

The Chef's Reserve section is for optional extras that add personality and usefulness to a recipe. None of these are required, but they make your recipes much richer to browse and share:

  • Drink pairing — what to serve alongside the dish (wine, cocktail, mocktail, tea, etc.)
  • Flavor profile — a brief taste description ("earthy and warm," "bright and acidic," "deeply savory")
  • Chef's secret — a technique, tip, or insight that makes this version of the dish work
  • Leftover idea — what to do with the leftovers ("makes great fried rice the next day")
  • Nutrition insight — a note about the dish's nutritional character ("high protein," "low carb swap available")

These appear as a dedicated section on the recipe detail page, separate from the ingredients and steps.

Publishing and featuring​

Publish makes the recipe visible on your public Terra profile, where anyone can browse your cookbook. The public view shows all ingredients grouped by category, the full steps, your rating, and the Chef's Reserve section (if populated).

Feature spotlights the recipe on your homepage.

Both can be toggled on or off at any time.

Editing and deleting​

Open any recipe and use the edit option to change any field, reorder steps, or update ingredients. Deleting a recipe is permanent.

Tips​

  • Tags are your main navigation tool. Tag consistently — if you start calling something "pasta" use that tag every time so the filter works cleanly.
  • The description field is for context, not the recipe itself. Where did this come from? When do you make it? Why do you love it? That's what goes here.
  • Add a photo if you have one. The gallery view is much more appealing with real images than without.
  • The Chef's Reserve fields are optional but worth filling in. A drink pairing suggestion or a one-line chef's tip makes the recipe feel alive rather than just a list of instructions.