get_recipesLABSCO SUMMARY
The gap between a recipe and a shopping list closes in one call.
add_recipe_to_shopping_list is the tool that earns this server its place — it turns 'I'm making the lasagna this week' into a list without you copying ingredients across. The bulk item tools mean the everyday cleanup, checking off what you bought and clearing the rest, happens in a single request rather than a dozen.
What it is
A server covering the Mealie self-hosted recipe manager's API, with tools grouped into recipes, shopping lists, categories, tags, foods, units, recipe tools and meal plans.
What you get
- Recipes handled end to end: get_recipes searches with text, category, tag and tool filters joined by AND/OR logic, get_recipe_detailed and get_recipe_concise read one back, and create_recipe, create_recipe_full, update_recipe, patch_recipe, duplicate_recipe and delete_recipe cover the writes
- Images and files attached — set_recipe_image_from_url scrapes an image from a page, upload_recipe_image_file and upload_recipe_asset_file take a file from disk, and mark_recipe_last_made stamps when you actually cooked it
- Shopping lists as a full surface: create, read and delete lists; add, update, check off and remove items one at a time or in bulk with the _bulk tools
- add_recipe_to_shopping_list pulls a recipe's ingredients straight onto a list, and remove_recipe_from_shopping_list takes them back off
- Categories and tags created, listed and filtered, with tools to find the ones that have no recipes attached so you can clean them up
- Units and recipe tools each get their own small CRUD set, including get_tool_by_slug
- Meal plans read and written — get_all_mealplans, create_mealplan, create_mealplan_bulk to lay in several at once, and get_todays_mealplan for what is on today
Requirements
A running Mealie instance and an API key from it, given as MEALIE_BASE_URL and MEALIE_API_KEY. Python 3.12+ and the uv package manager; run it with uvx git+https://github.com/rldiao/mealie-mcp-server, or install it with the fastmcp command against src/server.py.
Setup effort
One command plus a key — uvx git+https://github.com/rldiao/mealie-mcp-server, then supply credentials
USE CASES
01
Deciding what to cook from what you have
Search the recipe box the way the craving arrives — chicken, quick and healthy, breakfast with eggs — using tag and category filters combined with AND/OR, then read the one you pick in full.
02
Turning this week's plan into a shopping list
Create a list, drop the ingredients from each recipe you plan to cook straight onto it, and let the bulk tools tidy duplicates rather than adding items line by line.
03
Working the list while you shop
Pull the items on a list, check off what lands in the cart, and clear the ones you have as you go — all in bulk so the list stays current without a tap per item.
04
Filling in the week's meals
Lay in several meal-plan entries at once and check what today's menu actually is, so the plan is set without opening the Mealie calendar.
05
Getting a recipe off a webpage into Mealie
Create the recipe with its full content in one call, then set its image from the source URL and mark it made once you have cooked it.
06
Tidying up the taxonomy
List your categories and tags, find the ones nothing is filed under, and delete them so filtering stays meaningful.
61 tools
Listed in project docs. Your client may show a different list.
get_recipe_detailedget_recipe_concisecreate_recipecreate_recipe_fullupdate_recipepatch_recipeduplicate_recipemark_recipe_last_madeset_recipe_image_from_urlupload_recipe_image_fileupload_recipe_asset_filedelete_recipeget_shopping_listscreate_shopping_listget_shopping_listdelete_shopping_listadd_recipe_to_shopping_listremove_recipe_from_shopping_listget_shopping_list_itemsget_shopping_list_itemcreate_shopping_list_itemcreate_shopping_list_items_bulkupdate_shopping_list_itemupdate_shopping_list_items_bulkdelete_shopping_list_itemdelete_shopping_list_items_bulkget_categoriesget_empty_categoriescreate_categoryget_categoryget_category_by_slugupdate_categorydelete_categoryget_tagsget_empty_tagscreate_tagget_tagget_tag_by_slugupdate_tagdelete_tagget_foodscreate_foodget_foodupdate_fooddelete_foodget_unitscreate_unitget_unitupdate_unitdelete_unitget_toolscreate_toolget_toolget_tool_by_slugupdate_tooldelete_toolget_all_mealplanscreate_mealplancreate_mealplan_bulkget_todays_mealplanBEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
61 tools named in the project's documentation.
Requires
- uvx on PATH
- Python 3.12+
- MEALIE_API_KEY in your environment
Where it runs
The documented client runs the server on your machine.
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Server setup
TERMINAL
uvx git+https://github.com/rldiao/mealie-mcp-serverMCP Clients
Claude Desktop
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"mealie-mcp-server": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"git+https://github.com/rldiao/mealie-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"MEALIE_BASE_URL": "<YOUR_MEALIE_BASE_URL>",
"MEALIE_API_KEY": "<YOUR_MEALIE_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}
