M
API Matrix

Zestful API

Food & Drink / API Key Intermediate HTTPS CORS
Varies by plan (check documentation)
77 Score
Grade B
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Overview

Zestful is an ingredient parsing API that converts raw recipe ingredient strings like '2 cups all-purpose flour' into structured data with quantity, unit, and ingredient name. It uses machine learning to handle natural language variations in recipe text. Developers use it to build recipe apps, grocery list generators, and nutrition trackers.

💡

Beginner Tip

Send a POST request with a JSON body containing an 'ingredients' array of strings to parse multiple ingredients at once. Always check the 'parseQuality' field in the response to gauge confidence.

Available Data

recipe name and ingredients
nutritional values
calorie count
serving size
preparation time
Use case: Integrate parse recipe ingredients data into web and mobile applications

Example Response

JSON Response 
{
  "recipe": "Chicken Stir Fry",
  "calories": 380,
  "protein_g": 32,
  "carbs_g": 28,
  "fat_g": 14,
  "ingredients": [
    "chicken breast",
    "bell pepper",
    "soy sauce",
    "garlic"
  ],
  "prep_time_minutes": 20
}

Field Reference

ingredientRaw The original ingredient string you submitted
ingredientParsed.quantity Numeric quantity extracted from the ingredient string
ingredientParsed.unit Unit of measurement such as cup, tsp, or oz
ingredientParsed.product The ingredient product name, e.g. all-purpose flour
parseQuality Confidence level of the parse result: high, medium, or low

Implementation Example 

const url = "https://zestfuldata.com/";
// Replace headers or query params with the values required by this API.
const response = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
  "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
  }
});
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

401 Unauthorized Missing or invalid API key in the Authorization header
✓ Set the header as Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY with your actual Zestful API key
400 Bad Request Request body is not valid JSON or the ingredients field is missing
✓ Ensure Content-Type is application/json and the body is { "ingredients": ["..."] }
Low parseQuality score The ingredient string is ambiguous or in an unusual format
✓ Pre-clean the ingredient text by removing HTML tags and extra whitespace before sending to the API

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 5/20
🔒 Security 15/15
🛠 Developer XP 17/20
✓ Reliability 10/15

Partially tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth API Key
HTTPS REQUIRED
CORS YES
Category Food & Drink
Difficulty Intermediate
Verified: 2026-04-04

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