recipeCategory

recipeCategory · Recommended

Appears in

Recipe

What is it?

recipeCategory classifies what type of meal or course a recipe belongs to. Values like "Dessert," "Appetizer," or "Main course" help search engines and AI engines organize recipes by meal type.

Why this matters for AEO

When a user asks "what are some good dessert recipes," AI answer engines filter by recipeCategory to return relevant results. This field is the primary signal for meal-type classification. Without it, engines must guess the category from the recipe title or ingredients, which is unreliable for ambiguous recipes like banana bread (breakfast? dessert? snack?).

What the specs say

Schema.org:Text. The category of the recipe, for example, appetizer, entree, etc. Source

Google: Recommended. "The type of meal or course your recipe is about." Source

Google uses this for filtering and categorization in recipe rich results.

How to find your value

• Appetizer — Starters, small plates, hors d'oeuvres
• Breakfast — Morning meals, brunch dishes
• Dessert — Sweets, baked goods, ice cream
• Dinner — Evening main courses
• Lunch — Midday meals, sandwiches
• Main course — Primary dishes for any meal
• Side dish — Accompaniments, salads, vegetables
• Snack — Between-meal bites
• Drink — Beverages, cocktails, smoothies

Format and code

Type: Text

Single category:

{
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Banana Bread",
  "recipeCategory": "Dessert"
}

Multiple categories (array):

{
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Banana Bread",
  "recipeCategory": ["Breakfast", "Dessert", "Snack"]
}

Use an array when a recipe fits multiple meal types. This increases the number of category queries your recipe can match.

Webflow implementation

Static pages

Add to Page Settings > Custom Code (Before ):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Banana Bread",
  "recipeCategory": "Dessert"
}
</script>

CMS template pages

Create a plain text CMS field called "Recipe Category" (e.g., "Dessert"). For multiple categories, use a comma-separated format and parse it in your embed, or use a single primary category:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "{{wf {"path":"name","type":"PlainText"} }}",
  "recipeCategory": "{{wf {"path":"recipe-category","type":"PlainText"} }}"
}
</script>

In Schema HQ

Your Webflow CMS category field to the correct schema format. It supports both single values and multi-select option fields for recipes that span multiple categories. is mapped automatically

Real examples

Love and Lemons (source):

{
  "recipeCategory": ["Breakfast", "Dessert", "Snack"]
}

Sally's Baking Addiction (source):

{
  "recipeCategory": "Dessert"
}

Related fields

• recipeCuisine classifies the regional origin
• recipeIngredient lists what goes into the recipe
• recipeYield states how much the recipe produces
• nutrition provides per-serving nutritional data

FAQ

Can I use multiple categories for one recipe?

Yes. Use a JSON array: ["Breakfast", "Dessert", "Snack"]. This is valid and helps your recipe appear in more category-filtered searches.

What values should I use for recipeCategory?

Use standard meal type terms: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Dinner, Drink, Lunch, Main course, Side dish, Snack. These are the values Google recognizes for recipe categorization.

Is recipeCategory required for rich results?

No, but Google lists it as Recommended. Providing it improves how your recipe is categorized and filtered in search results and AI answer engines.