mealie-agent-mcp

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Create Recipe

create_recipe

Create a new recipe in Mealie from scratch with a name and optional tags, ingredients, instructions, and timing details; returns the saved recipe.

Instructions

Create a new recipe from scratch. Returns the saved recipe.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "name": "<name>"
    },
    "name": "create_recipe"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`name`	Yes	Recipe name.
`tags`	No	Tag names; created if missing.
`notes`	No	Free-text notes.
`servings`	No
`cook_time`	No	Free text, e.g. '1 hour'.
`prep_time`	No	Free text, e.g. '15 minutes'.
`categories`	No	Category names; created if missing.
`source_url`	No	Where the recipe came from.
`total_time`	No	Free text.
`yield_text`	No	e.g. '12 cookies'.
`description`	No
`ingredients`	No	Ingredients in order. Simplest: [{'text': '2 cups flour'}]. Or structured: [{'quantity': 2, 'unit': 'cup', 'food': 'flour', 'note': 'sifted'}].
`instructions`	No	Steps in order, as strings or {'title', 'text'} objects.
`parse_ingredients`	No	Parse free-text ingredient lines into quantity/unit/food (creating missing foods and units in Mealie). If false, text is stored as-is.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.1Nov 6, 2026

TDQS

C2.9/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=false, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=false, so the description's burden is only to add context. "Returns the saved recipe" is the sole addition and duplicates the existing output schema; nothing is said about side effects such as auto-creating missing tags, categories, foods, or units, even though the schema mentions them in passing.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two short sentences, with the core action front-loaded and no filler. The second sentence is marginally redundant with the output schema, but it costs almost nothing and sets expectations.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 14-parameter creation tool with nested ingredient and instruction arrays, the description says nothing about required fields, defaults, or how free-text ingredients are parsed. The rich schema and output schema cover most of that gap, leaving the definition adequate but thin.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 86%, so the schema already documents the 14 parameters in detail, including the ingredient text-vs-structured choice and parse_ingredients behavior. The description adds no parameter meaning of its own, which makes the baseline 3 appropriate rather than a penalty.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

"Create a new recipe from scratch" gives a specific verb plus resource, and the qualifier "from scratch" implicitly separates it from the sibling create_recipe_from_url. It stops short of naming that alternative outright, so the differentiation must be inferred.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

There is no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance. The agent is left to infer on its own that this is not the tool for importing from a URL (create_recipe_from_url) or for modifying an existing recipe (update_recipe), and no prerequisites such as a required meal-plan context are stated.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.