Highlights

• Cooking in Stardew Valley is not just for fun but also serves as a mechanic with various uses, such as boosting energy and health levels instantly.
• Certain dishes, like the Red Plate and Maple Bar, provide important buffs for efficiency, monster fighting, and mining, making them the best recipes to unlock.
• Players can unlock recipes by increasing their progress in other skills or friendships, and certain dishes are liked by specific villagers, making them useful for building relationships.

Cooking isn't only something players do for fun in Stardew Valley, it's a mechanic that has various uses. Although cooking doesn't have any levels like actual skills in the game, gamers will unlock more recipes as they play and increase their progress in other skills or friendships.

If the player's health goes down when facing the dangers of the mines or if their energy drops when mining or doing farm work, eating a meal or a snack can increase these levels in an instant. Certain foods also provide boosts that can be extremely helpful in terms of efficiency and monster fighting. So, out of all eighty recipes available in Stardew Valley, which ones are the best?

Updated March 5, 2024, by Alexandra O'Leary: Stardew Valley has defied expectations by remaining incredibly popular among a wide array of gamers. It's challenged the genre and greatly increased the player-base for farming simulation games - bringing entirely new crowds into the scene. Cooking is an important part of the game, since dishes can give players specific boosts that will allow them to farm, mine, or fish better - which is especially important, since farmers have limited health and energy. These boosts can be integral at the right moment, and overall make the game even better for players who love keeping busy. There are a lot of dishes available in the vast world of Stardew Valley, but some are definitely more useful than others. As such, more dishes have been added to this list.

19 Tom Kha Soup

Max Energy And Farming Buff

Ingredients:

• 1 Coconut
• 1 Shrimp
• 1 Common Mushroom

Thanks to its brilliant properties, Tom Kha Soup can be one of the harder recipes to get a hold of. Sandy will send it to a player at 7 or more hearts, or it can occasionally be purchased from the Stardrop Saloon's continually changing menu. It's certainly a dish for those who want to romance the quiet and mysterious members of Pelican Town - since both Elliot and Penny love it.

Tom Kha Soup is most useful for its fantastic buffs, though. It provides a +2 to farming and a +30 to the player's max energy - making it the perfect dish to eat when players want to get a lot of farming done in one day. It also gives 175 health and 78 energy, and sells for 250g. It's one of a selection of recipes that will sell for more money than its individual ingredients, but usually dishes like this are worth eating.

18 Chowder

Fishing Buff

Ingredients:

• 1 Clam
• 1 Milk

For a highly simple recipe, Chowder has some great benefits. Most players will likely receive this recipe from Willy in a letter after reaching three or more hearts with him, and it requires only two easily found ingredients. Milk can be obtained from cows on the player's farm, and Clams can be foraged from the beach or found in a crab pot.

While there are no characters who love this dish - not even Willy - Chowder will provide 225 health and 101 energy when eaten. Most importantly, it will give players a +1 fishing buff for a whopping 16 minutes and 47 seconds. It's no surprise that Willy the master fisherman is the one to give this recipe to players.

17 Pumpkin Pie

Worth Good Money

Ingredients:

• 1 Pumpkin
• 1 Wheat Flour
• 1 Milk
• 1 Sugar

Pumpkin Pie is one of Stardew Valley's most festive and tasty treats. While it does require a fair number of ingredients, it's one of the more realistic recipes available, and is perfect for those who love a seasonal bake. Marnie loves Pumpkin Pie, and it's enjoyed by everyone but Willy, Krobus and Leo.

Those interested in making some money can sell a Pumpkin Pie for 385g, or eat it to restore 225 health and 101 energy - perfect when players are running low on health in the mines. It can also be put into a sewing machine to make a holiday shirt.

16 Fruit Salad

Great Health And Energy Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Melon
• 1 Apricot
• 1 Blueberry

The main appeal of a Fruit Salad is its great restorative abilities and high selling price. Considering all the needed ingredients can be grown on the farm - melons and blueberry seeds can be bought and planted, apricots come from planting an apricot sapling - this dish sells for a whopping 450g.

It's also fantastic to eat in a pinch. When players are down in the mines or at the very bottom of their farm and don't feel like walking back to the house, a Fruit Salad will restore 263 health and 118 energy - making it very useful in tricky situations. Anybody trying to win over Hayley - a particularly tricky romance - will want to make this dish, since she absolutely loves it.

15 Red Plate

Max Energy Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Red Cabbage
• 1 Raddish

The Red Plate may appear either in the Stardrop Saloon or Krobus' shop on a Saturday (selected randomly). This little veggie dish will grant players +50 max energy for 3m and 30s, which is invaluable for players with big farms or those planning to venture into the mines for a long day of mining and fighting.

Another bonus of a Red Plate is how valuable it is to sell. Any farmer in a money pinch can sell this for a whopping 400g, making it one of the more profitable dishes in the game. Additionally, anybody looking to romance Penny will want to get their hands on this dish, and it's liked by almost every other villager.

14 Maple Bar

Farming, Fishing, And Mining Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Maple Syrup (made by tapping a maple tree)
• 1 Sugar
• 1 Wheat Flour

Maple Bars are the best snack for players looking to do a bit of everything over the course of their day. This tasty bar gives players a +1 buff to farming, fishing, and mining for a brilliant 16m and 47s. The length of the buff means it's a one-and-done kind of snack that covers all the bases without needing multiple dishes.

Acquiring this dish is easy, too. Players just need to tune in to The Queen of Sauce on the 14th of Summer, Year 2, to get the recipe. It's a popular dish among the townspeople, but players looking to romance Sam will definitely want to get their hands on some Maple Bars.

13 Farmer's Lunch

Farming Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Omelet (made with 1 Egg & 1 Milk)
• 1 Parsnip

Unlocked when players reach Farming Level 3, Farmer's Lunch provides a +3 Farming boost for 5 minutes and 35 seconds. In addition, it also gives 200 Energy and 90 Health points. As early recipes go, Farmer's Lunch is one of the easiest for players to create, as Parsnips are one of the fastest-growing crops in the whole game.

The Farmer's Lunch dish occasionally appears in Krobus' shop on Saturdays and might also be found in a treasure room in the Skull Cavern. Its excellent stamina and health regeneration capabilities make it a great recipe for players to have on hand.

12 Seafoam Pudding

Fishing Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Flounder
• 1 Midnight Carp
• 1 Squid Ink

For players looking to seriously up their fishing game, this recipe unlocked at Fishing Level 9 is one of the best to master. Seafoam Pudding provides a +3 Fishing boost for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, which is incredibly useful for high-level players hunting down hard-to-catch fish. This dish also restores 175 Energy and 78 Health points.

Seafoam Pudding can be bought for 5000g once a year from the shop at the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. It will occasionally also appear in the Traveling Cart for anywhere between 900g and 1500g.

11 Survival Burger

Foraging Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Bread (made with 1 Wheat Flour)
• 1 Cave Carrot
• 1 Eggplant

The Survival Burger provides a +3 Foraging boost for 5 minutes and 35 seconds, making it a great food to have on hand when gathering necessities for players' farms. In addition to granting players 125 Energy and 56 Health points, it also increases their axe proficiency as well.

The Survival Burger can be found in a few different places in the game and will unlock for players after reaching Foraging Level 2. Emily also adores this dish, so it's a great one to know for those looking to woo her.

10 Lucky Lunch

Luck Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Sea Cucumber
• 1 Tortilla (made with 1 Corn)
• 1 Blue Jazz

This fortunate food provides a +3 Luck boost for 11 minutes and 11 seconds, making it a great recipe for better odds at finding some of Stardew Valley's rarer items. It also restores 100 Energy and 45 Health points and can be stacked with other lucky recipes for additional effects.

Lucky Lunch is another dish that is profitable when sold, going for 250g. It will occasionally appear in some of the shops and is liked by most of the town's villagers. However, it is one of those dishes that players will likely want to keep for themselves.

9 Roots Platter

Attack Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Cave Carrot
• 1 Winter Root

The Roots Platter provides a +3 Attack boost for 5 minutes and 35 seconds, making it the strongest Attack buff of any recipe in the game. It gives the player 125 Energy and 56 Health points as well, so it's a handy dish for players struggling against the game's difficult enemies.

The Roots Platter recipe can be unlocked by reaching Combat Level 3 and can occasionally be found in Krobus' shop on Saturdays. This dish is one of the few profitable recipes as well and can be sold for 100g.

8 Dish O' The Sea

Fishing Boost

Ingredients:

• 2 Sardines
• 1 Hashbrown (made with 1 Potato & 1 Oil)

Dish O' The Sea provides a +3 boost to the fishing skill for five minutes and 35 seconds and becomes available once players have reached Fishing Level 3. Boosts like this one can be used regardless of the skill level players have achieved. So, for those heading to catch themselves some fish, this easy dish is a staple.

Its accessibility to the player at such a low level is what makes it so useful, especially at the start of the game. Dish O' The Sea also gives players 125 Energy and 56 Health points. While under the effects of its buff, players will have a greater casting distance as well as the fish size and bar size.

7 Eggplant Parmesan

Defense And Mining Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Eggplant
• 1 Tomato

As one of the multi-buff recipes, Eggplant Parmesan is a great food in the game. It provides a +3 Defense boost and a +1 Mining boost for 4 minutes and 39 seconds. This recipe is unlocked after earning 7 hearts from Mayor Lewis and is a particular favorite of Jodi. Eggplant Parmesan also grants players 175 Energy and 78 Health points.

This dish is one of the easiest to cook thanks to its low ingredient cost, and isn't too hard to unlock either. It's a handy dish to have when mining, as it will help players keep enemies at bay more easily. What's more, Eggplant Parmesan is another profitable dish selling for 200g.

6 Tropical Curry

Foraging Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Coconut
• 1 Pineapple
• 1 Hot Pepper

Tropical Curry is another food for players who enjoy gathering the materials they need. It provides a +4 Foraging boost for 5 minutes and 1 second and grants players 150 Energy and 67 Health points. Its buff to the Foraging skill is particularly useful during Salmonberry and Blackberry seasons, as it makes it possible to collect more berries per bush.

This recipe can only be obtained from Gus at the Ginger Island Beach Resort for 2000g, so players will need to save some money if they want to unlock it. This dish is also a particular favorite of Caroline.

5 Pumpkin Soup

Luck And Defense Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Pumpkin
• 1 Milk

This seasonal soup can be unlocked by achieving 7 hearts with Robin and provides a +2 Luck boost and a +2 Defense boost for 7 minutes and 41 seconds. Pumpkin Soup also grants players 200 Energy and 90 Health points. While other dishes are great to help with actual mining, this dish is great to take down to the mines to keep players safe.

Pumpkin Soup can be purchased from several shops in the game, but given the simplicity of its ingredients, players will be better off cooking it themselves. Those hoping to eventually marry Sebastian should definitely take the time to learn this recipe.

4 Complete Breakfast

Farming And Energy Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Fried Egg (made with 1 Egg)
• 1 Milk
• 1 Hash Brown (made with 1 Potato & 1 Oil)
• 1 Pancake (made with 1 Egg & 1 Wheat Flour)

There's no better way for players to start their day than eating a Complete Breakfast, which provides a +2 Farming boost and +50 max energy for 7 minutes. The dish also grants players 200 Energy and 90 Health points, which is perfect for those hoping to have a full day of farming and harvesting produce.

To obtain this recipe, players need to watch the Queen of the Sauce television program on the 21st day of spring during their second year. This dish is loved by the villager Alex, too, so players hoping to romance him should be sure to tune in.

3 Crab Cakes

Defense And Speed Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Crab
• 1 Wheat Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 Oil

For players looking to navigate dangerous places like Skull Carven as quickly as they can, Crab Cakes are a wonderful food item. This dish provides a +1 Defense boost and a +1 Speed boost for 16 minutes and 47 seconds. Essentially, it'll last them the entirety of an in-game day.

The Crab Cakes recipe can be unlocked by watching Queen of the Sauce on the 21st day of fall in the player's second year. For those hoping to woo Elliot, one of the game's older bachelors, Crab Cakes are a must-have recipe.

2 Spicy Eel

Luck And Speed Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Eel
• 1 Hot Pepper

Spicy Eel is definitely a fan favorite when it comes to top cooking recipes in Stardew Valley. It provides a +1 Luck boost and a +1 Speed boost for 7 minutes. It also grants players 115 Energy and 51 Health points. Given its easy ingredients, it's a very cheap and achievable food to make.

The Spicy Eel dish can be unlocked when players reach seven hearts with George and will be sent to them in the mail. It can also be bought from a variety of locations and is profitable for players looking to sell. However, when venturing into Skull Cavern, players will want to make sure they have Spicy Eel on hand.

1 Lobster Bisque

Max Energy And Fishing Boost

Ingredients:

• 1 Lobster
• 1 Milk

Lobster Bisque is incredibly useful for fishing fanatics, particularly for its insanely long buff time. This fishy dish will give players a +3 fishing buff and a +50 to max energy for a whopping 16m and 47s. This makes it the perfect option for those long days players spend trying to catch a specific fish or during the winter when crops don't turn a profit.

There are a few ways to obtain this dish. The first is to watch The Queen of Sauce on the 14th of Winter, Year 2. Alternatively, players who want to get close to Willy can receive the recipe from him via mail when they reach nine hearts - he will claim it's a family recipe, so he might be surprised to learn it's available on TV. The only downside to this dish is that nobody in the town loves it, but it's a universal like for everybody but Krobus and Leo.