Can AI write recipes?

AI might be smart, cool and fascinating… but it’s no chef.

Sausage-in-a-bag

AI is quickly becoming a fixture in our lives, being used for everything from writing university essays to creating job applications. It’s a tool designed to make life easier and simplify tasks, so of course, it got our team of food writers and recipe developers thinking: could it make our life easier too?

So this week, I set out to see if AI could give us any recipe inspiration.  

The result? Wildly mixed results, ranging from surprisingly acceptable to downright horrifying. 

Spoiler alert: we won’t be replacing our recipe developers anytime soon…

AI recipes: the brief 

I gave AI simple instructions: “Suggest some 2 ingredient recipes that include popular Australian ingredients or products.” 

Here’s what it came up with (we’ll save the best for last):

The downright horrifying

Make sure you’ve finished your lunch before you read these, because some of the ‘recipes’ that AI dished up might make you feel a little queasy.

2-ingredient Aussie “Snag in a Bag”

This recipe took inspiration from the classic “sausage sizzle” but used pantry staples for a fuss-free option. It instructed you to seal the snags and sauce of your choice in a zip-lock bag, then “microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or until snags are cooked through”. Alternatively, it suggested you simmer the sealed bag in a pot of boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

We politely declined… and we definitely do not suggest you try this sure-to-explode concoction at home.

Tuna & Tim Tam pate

This recipe (can we call it that?) took inspiration from the “classic Aussie tuna mornay” but used crushed Tim Tams for a sweet and savoury twist. The recipe literally instructed you to flake canned tuna into a bowl and “add enough crushed Tim Tams to create a desired consistency”. It even suggested you “season with salt and pepper to taste” and “serve with crackers or toast”. 

Crackers, please. (Jokes.)

AI’s better recipe suggestions

Here at taste.com.au, we love a quick and easy recipe – especially one with minimal ingredients. Some of the suggestions served up to us were simple, budget-friendly and time-saving, which ticks lots of boxes for us. Our favourites:

2-ingredient lamington bliss balls

This recipe instructed us to pulse 1 cup of broken store-bought lamingtons in a food processor, then add 1 cup of desiccated coconut then mix well. The method instructed us to “roll into small balls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving”, with an option to “drizzle with melted chocolate for extra decadence!”

We were impressed at the simplicity and Australian-ness of this recipe.

Weet-Bix slice with a nutty twist

This recipe gave one of our favourite Aussie slices a healthy and delicious upgrade. It told us to line a baking tray with baking paper, melt some peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl (much safer than the snag-in-a-bag suggestion!) and then break up Weet-Bix, toss with the nut butter and press into a baking tray before refrigerating to set and cutting into slices.

We let it slide that AI thought Weet-Bix was “biscuits” and think you’d need to do more than just break them up to fully combine them with peanut butter, but we didn’t mind the concept.

AI’s recipes: our verdict

Although AI gave us some… interesting ideas to consider, we have to admit that our recipe developers do it best. 

Our best 2-ingredient recipes (from experienced, human recipe developers)

• 2-ingredient lemon whip
• Miracle lentil wraps
• 2-ingredient condensed milk truffles

Originally published as Can AI write recipes?