Complete Cooking Guide
Cooking is one of the most important skills in Stardew Valley. Cooked dishes restore energy and health, provide powerful buffs for farming, mining, fishing, and combat, and some are loved gifts by villagers. This guide covers all recipes, their effects, sources, and the best foods for every activity.
Kitchen Unlock Requirements
To cook, you must first upgrade your farmhouse. The kitchen is unlocked with the first farmhouse upgrade (10,000g + 450 wood). After the upgrade, you can cook any recipe you have learned using the kitchen.
You can also cook at the stove in the Stardrop Saloon, but only during opening hours (12:00 PM - 12:00 AM).
Recipe Sources
Source How It Works Queen of Sauce (TV) Watch on specific days to learn recipes Friendship Events Some recipes are learned from villager heart events Skill Levels Certain recipes unlock at farming/fishing/foraging levels Mail Some recipes are mailed to you Purchase Some recipes can be bought from shops
Queen of Sauce TV Schedule
The Queen of Sauce airs on specific days. In odd-numbered years, it airs on Wednesdays and Sundays. In even-numbered years, it airs on Sundays and Thursdays. Recipes repeat on the 7th of each season (Sunday).
Year 1 Schedule (Odd Year)
Season Day Recipe Ingredients Spring Year 1, Day 7 Fried Egg Egg Spring Year 1, Day 14 Sashimi Any fish Spring Year 1, Day 21 Omelet Egg, Milk Spring Year 1, Day 28 Pancakes Wheat Flour, Egg Summer Year 1, Day 7 Mango Sticky Rice Mango, Coconut, Sugar Summer Year 1, Day 14 Crab Cakes Crab, Egg, Flour Summer Year 1, Day 21 Bruschetta Tomato, Garlic, Bread Summer Year 1, Day 28 Escargot Snail, Garlic, Olive Oil Fall Year 1, Day 7 Pumpkin Soup Pumpkin, Milk Fall Year 1, Day 14 Super Meal Pumpkin, Corn, Egg, Milk Fall Year 1, Day 21 Autumn’s Bounty Yam, Pumpkin, Cranberry Fall Year 1, Day 28 Pepper Poppers Hot Pepper, Cheese Winter Year 1, Day 7 Winter Root Soup Winter Root, Brussel Sprout Winter Year 1, Day 14 Miner’s Treat Cave Carrot, Egg, Milk Winter Year 1, Day 21 Rice Pudding Milk, Sugar, Rice Winter Year 1, Day 28 Seafoam Pudding Cave Carrot, Kelp, Seaweed
Best Foods by Activity
Best Foods for Farming
Food Energy Health Buff Duration Recipe Source Farmer’s Lunch 225 101 Farming +3 10 min Cooking (Parsnip, Fried Egg) Spicy Eel 80 35 Speed +1, Defense +1 12 min Cooking (Eel, Hot Pepper) Coffee 30 0 Speed +1 1.5 hours Cooking (Coffee Bean) Survival Burger 225 101 Max Energy +50 8 min Cooking (Sap, Fiber)
Best Foods for Mining
Food Energy Health Buff Duration Recipe Source Spicy Eel 80 35 Speed +1, Defense +1 12 min Cooking (Eel, Hot Pepper) Pumpkin Soup 220 99 Defense +2 7 min Queen of Sauce (Fall 7) Miner’s Treat 90 40 Mining +1 5 min Queen of Sauce (Winter 14) Life Elixir 0 0 Max Health +50 10 min Foraging Level 8
Best Foods for Fishing
Food Energy Health Buff Duration Recipe Source Dish o’ The Sea 225 101 Fishing +3 5 min Willy’s 6-heart event Seafoam Pudding 175 78 Fishing +4 12 min Queen of Sauce (Winter 21) Crab Cakes 175 78 Fishing +1 10 min Queen of Sauce (Summer 14) Trout Soup 100 45 Fishing +1 5 min Linus’s 4-heart event
Best Foods for Combat
Food Energy Health Buff Duration Recipe Source Spicy Eel 80 35 Speed +1, Defense +1 12 min Cooking (Eel, Hot Pepper) Cheese Cauli 225 101 Defense +2 7 min Cooking (Cheese, Cauliflower) Pumpkin Soup 220 99 Defense +2 7 min Queen of Sauce (Fall 7) Life Elixir 0 0 Max Health +50 10 min Foraging Level 8
Best Foods for Energy Restoration
Food Energy Health Recipe Source Stardrop Full restore Full restore Special (7 in game) Escargot 225 101 Queen of Sauce (Summer 28) Super Meal 225 101 Queen of Sauce (Fall 14) Farmer’s Lunch 225 101 Cooking Triple Shot Espresso 90 0 Cooking (3 Coffee)
Key Recipes in Detail
Stardrop Salad
Stat Value Energy Full restore (to max) Health Full restore (to max) Buff None Ingredients 1 of each: Magma Cap, Sugar, Egg, Wheat Flour, Corn, Pumpkin, Yam, Tomato, Rice, Blueberry, Melon, Red Cabbage, Artichoke, Radish, Kale, Sunflower, Cornbread, Eggplant, Cauliflower, Potato, Parsnip, Garlic, Cheese, Goat Cheese, Pickles, Honey, Jelly, Wine, Juice, Coffee, Truffle, Fiddlehead Fern, Rabbit’s Foot, Nautilus Shell, Chub, Periwinkle, Lobster, Sea Urchin, Oyster, Clam, Cockle, Mussel, Shrimp, Snail, Crab, Quartz, Earth Crystal, Frozen Tear, Fire Quartz, Maple Syrup, Oak Resin, Pine Tar, Slime, Bug Meat, Bat Wing, Solar Essence, Void Essence, Coffee Bean, Fiber, Oil, Vinegar, Salt, Sugar, Flour, Rice, Hazelnut, Blackberry, Crocus, Holly, Snow Yam, Winter Root, Sweet Pea, Common Mushroom, Wild Horseradish, Dandelion, Leek, Grape, Spice Berry, Daffodil Recipe Source Secret Note #13 (Mr. Qi quest)
Dish o’ The Sea
Stat Value Energy 225 Health 101 Buff Fishing +3 Duration 5 minutes Ingredients Sardine, Tilapia, Salmon Recipe Source Willy’s 6-heart event
Seafoam Pudding
Stat Value Energy 175 Health 78 Buff Fishing +4 Duration 12 minutes Ingredients Cave Carrot, Kelp, Seaweed Recipe Source Queen of Sauce (Winter 21, Year 1)
Spicy Eel
Stat Value Energy 80 Health 35 Buff Speed +1, Defense +1 Duration 12 minutes Ingredients Eel, Hot Pepper Recipe Source Cooking (learned from Emily’s 2-heart event or TV)
Pumpkin Soup
Stat Value Energy 220 Health 99 Buff Defense +2 Duration 7 minutes Ingredients Pumpkin, Milk Recipe Source Queen of Sauce (Fall 7, Year 1)
Complete Recipe List by Category
Basic Recipes (Learned from TV or Events)
Recipe Ingredients Energy Health Buff Fried Egg Egg 50 22 None Omelet Egg, Milk 113 50 None Pancakes Wheat Flour, Egg 113 50 None Sashimi Any fish 75 33 None Salad Dandelion, Leek 113 50 None Bread Wheat Flour 50 22 None Rice Pudding Milk, Sugar, Rice 113 50 None Chocolate Cake Sugar, Wheat Flour, Egg, Cocoa 225 101 None Cookie Sugar, Wheat Flour, Egg 38 17 None Spicy Eel Eel, Hot Pepper 80 35 Speed +1, Defense +1
Advanced Recipes (Skill Unlocks or Special Sources)
Recipe Ingredients Energy Health Buff Source Farmer’s Lunch Parsnip, Fried Egg 225 101 Farming +3 Farming Level 1 Survival Burger Sap, Fiber 225 101 Max Energy +50 Foraging Level 2 Life Elixir Maple Syrup, Cave Carrot, Salmonberry, Sugar 0 0 Max Health +50 Foraging Level 8 Dish o’ The Sea Sardine, Tilapia, Salmon 225 101 Fishing +3 Willy 6-heart Seafoam Pudding Cave Carrot, Kelp, Seaweed 175 78 Fishing +4 Queen of Sauce Triple Shot Espresso 3 Coffee 90 0 Speed +2 Cooking
Complete All Recipes Table
This table lists every cookable recipe in Stardew Valley with full details:
All Recipes with Energy, Health, and Buff Data
| Recipe | Ingredients | Energy | Health | Buff | Duration | Source |
|--------|------------|--------|--------|------|----------|
| Fried Egg | Egg | 50 | 22 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Spring 7, Y1) |
| Sashimi | Any fish | 75 | 33 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Spring 14, Y1) |
| Omelet | Egg, Milk | 113 | 50 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Spring 21, Y1) |
| Pancakes | Wheat Flour, Egg | 113 | 50 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Spring 28, Y1) |
| Bread | Wheat Flour | 50 | 22 | None | - | Cooking |
| Tortilla | Corn, Wheat Flour | 113 | 50 | None | - | Cooking |
| Rice Pudding | Milk, Sugar, Rice | 113 | 50 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Winter 21, Y1) |
| Pumpkin Soup | Pumpkin, Milk | 220 | 99 | Defense +2 | 7 min | Queen of Sauce (Fall 7, Y1) |
| Bean Hotpot | Green Bean, Bacon | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Farmer’s Lunch | Parsnip, Fried Egg | 225 | 101 | Farming +3 | 10 min | Farming Level 1 |
| Survival Burger | Sap, Fiber | 225 | 101 | Max Energy +50 | 8 min | Foraging Level 2 |
| Dish o’ The Sea | Sardine, Tilapia, Salmon | 225 | 101 | Fishing +3 | 5 min | Willy 6-heart |
| Spicy Eel | Eel, Hot Pepper | 80 | 35 | Speed +1, Defense +1 | 12 min | Emily 2-heart |
| Seafoam Pudding | Cave Carrot, Kelp, Seaweed | 175 | 78 | Fishing +4 | 12 min | Queen of Sauce (Winter 21, Y1) |
| Triple Shot Espresso | 3 Coffee | 90 | 0 | Speed +2 | 1.5 hours | Cooking |
| Life Elixir | Maple Syrup, Cave Carrot, Salmonberry, Sugar | 0 | 0 | Max Health +50 | 10 min | Foraging Level 8 |
| Chocolate Cake | Sugar, Wheat Flour, Egg, Cocoa | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Cookie | Sugar, Wheat Flour, Egg | 38 | 17 | None | - | Cooking |
| Pink Cake | Wheat Flour, Egg, Sugar, Melon | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Blackberry Cobbler | Blackberry, Sugar, Wheat Flour | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Artisan Goods | Various artisan goods | Varies | Varies | None | - | Various |
| Pepper Poppers | Hot Pepper, Cheese | 225 | 101 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Fall 28, Y1) |
| Eggplant Parmesan | Eggplant, Tomato, Cheese | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Super Meal | Pumpkin, Corn, Egg, Milk | 225 | 101 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Fall 14, Y1) |
| Autumn’s Bounty | Yam, Pumpkin, Cranberry | 225 | 101 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Fall 21, Y1) |
| Cranberry Sauce | Cranberry, Sugar | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Stir Fry | Rice, Kale, Mushroom | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Roasted Seeds | Pumpkin, Sunflower Seeds | 75 | 33 | None | - | Cooking |
| Hashbrowns | Potato, Oil | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Salad | Dandelion, Leek | 113 | 50 | None | - | Cooking |
| Cheese Cauliflower | Cheese, Cauliflower | 225 | 101 | Defense +2 | 7 min | Cooking |
| Fiddlehead Risotto | Fiddlehead Fern, Garlic, Oil | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Escargot | Snail, Garlic, Olive Oil | 225 | 101 | None | - | Queen of Sauce (Summer 28, Y1) |
| Maki Roll | Any fish, Rice, Seaweed | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Tempura | Rice, Vinegar, Any fish | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Lucky Lunch | Sea Cucumber, Tortilla, Blue Jazz | 225 | 101 | Luck +3 | 8 min | Cooking |
| Complete Breakfast | Fried Egg, Pancake, Hashbrowns, Coffee, Orange Juice | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Root Vegetable Platter | Potato, Yam, Beet, Rice | 225 | 101 | None | - | Cooking |
| Plumb Elixir | 1 of each forageable | 0 | 0 | Luck +3 | 12 min | Secret Note |
| Stardrop Salad | 1 of each item | Full | Full | None | - | Secret Note 13 |
Ingredient Sources
Ingredient How to Obtain Wheat Flour Buy from Pierre (100g) or grow Wheat and use Mill Sugar Buy from Pierre (100g) or forage from Ginger Island Rice Buy from Pierre or grow Rice (Spring crop, Year 2+) Oil Buy from Pierre or forage from Ginger Island Vinegar Buy from Pierre or forage from Ginger Island Cocoa Buy from Pierre (100g) or forage from Ginger Island Coffee Bean Grow Coffee plants (available from Traveling Cart) Bacon Buy from Pierre or forage from Ginger Island Seaweed Forage on beach (Year 2+) or grow on Ginger Island Kelp Forage on beach (Year 2+) or grow on Ginger Island Cave Carrot Forage in mines (levels 40-79) Salmonberry Forage during Salmonberry season (Spring 15-18)
Buff Duration Reference
Buff Type Duration Effect Farming +1 5 min Crops grow slightly faster Farming +2 5 min Crops grow faster Farming +3 10 min Crops grow much faster Fishing +1 5 min Fishing bar is larger Fishing +2 5 min Fishing bar is much larger Fishing +3 5 min Fishing bar is significantly larger Fishing +4 12 min Maximum fishing buff Mining +1 5 min More ladder chance in mines Defense +1 12 min Take less damage Defense +2 7 min Take significantly less damage Speed +1 1.5 hours Move faster Speed +2 1.5 hours Move much faster Luck +3 8 min Better daily luck Max Energy +50 8 min Temporary energy boost Max Health +50 10 min Temporary health boost
Cooking Tips
Watch the Queen of Sauce every week to learn new recipesCook in bulk - prepare multiple dishes at once and store themAlways carry food when mining, fishing, or exploringPrioritize buff foods for difficult activitiesLearn the Stardrop Salad recipe for the ultimate healing itemUse Coffee for speed buffs - easy to mass-produce with kegsSave rare ingredients for the most valuable recipesCook Spicy Eel regularly - it is one of the best all-around buff foodsMake Dish o’ The Sea for legendary fish attemptsStack buffs - you can have multiple buffs active at the same time from different foods ← Previous Stardew Valley Tips for Beginners - Getting Started Guide Next → Stardew Valley Money Guide - Best Ways to Make Gold Fast