Cooking isn’t only something players do for fun in Stardew Valley, it’s a mechanic that has various uses. Although cooking doesn’t have any levels like actual skills in the game, gamers will unlock more recipes as they play and increase their progress in other skills or friendships.

If the player’s health goes down when facing the dangers of the mines or if their energy drops when mining or doing farm work, eating a meal or a snack can increase these levels in an instant. Certain foods also provide boosts that can be extremely helpful in terms of efficiency and monster fighting. So, out of all eighty recipes available in Stardew Valley, which ones are the best?

Updated May 1st, 2022 by Russ Boswell: Stardew Valley has seen some consistent updates over the years and there are still players that log in each and every day to tend to their farms and greet the NPC townsfolk they’ve come to know and love. Although players are anxiously awaiting Haunted Chocolatier, there are still those that are just starting their Stardew Valley adventure for the first time. There is so much to see and do in the expansive Indie darling that players will spend hours farming, cultivating relationships, exploring dungeons, and even cooking. But what are the best foods in Stardew Valley? To better answer that question, the following list has been updated with even more entries.

7 Dish O’ The Sea

Dish O’ The Sea provides a +3 boost to the fishing skill for five minutes and 35 seconds. This means that while the boost is active, the player will have an increase of three levels to their fishing skill, even if they’ve already reached Level 10 of the fishing skill. The recipe is unlocked once the player gets to Level 3 fishing.

Its accessibility to the player at such a low level is what makes it so useful, especially at the start of the game. Due to the higher level fishing skill granted by this dish, casting distance is increased, as well as the fish size and bar size, and, on top of that, the time that it takes for a fish to bite decreases.

Ingredients

  • 2 Sardines
  • 1 hashbrown
  • (cooked recipe made with 1 potato, 1 oil)

6 Eggplant Parmesan

With only two simple ingredients, it’s possible to make a dish that’ll provide a +3 defense boost and a +1 boost to the mining skill for 4 minutes and 39 seconds. It also increases the player’s health by 78 points and the player’s energy by 175 points. The recipe for this dish will appear via mail once the player gets to Seven Hearts with Mayor Lewis.

This dish is easy to cook without having to gather too many ingredients. What’s more, players can even make Eggplant Parmesan to sell — it’s profitable if it’s made out of low-quality ingredients that aren’t worth much when sold by themselves.

  • 1 Eggplant
  • 1 Tomato

5 Tropical Curry

Tropical Curry is one of the best foods when collecting forgeable items, since it increases the Foraging skill by four levels. These are particularly useful during Salmonberry and Blackberry season, because this level increase will make it possible to collect more berries per bush. Foraged items are more likely to be higher quality as well. The recipe can be obtained at the Ginger Island Resort for 2,000g and its effect will last for 5 minutes and 1 second.

Another recipe that’s almost as good and doesn’t require too many ingredients is the Survival Burger, which increases foraging skill by three levels. This buff lasts 5 minutes and 35 seconds.

Tropical Curry:

Survival Burger:

4 Pumpkin Soup

When looking for a good dish to take down to the mines, pumpkin soup is definitely one to keep in mind. It only takes two simple ingredients, and it will provide +2 luck and defense for 7 minutes and 41 seconds. In order to obtain it, the player has to befriend Robin and get to Seven Hearts. The recipe will then appear in the mail the following day.

  • 1 Pumpkin
  • 1 Milk

3 Complete Breakfast

There are particularly busy days in Stardew Valley, when the only thing the player will be doing is farming and harvesting produce. It is during these occasions that the Complete Breakfast dish comes in handy. It provides 50 temporary energy points, and increases Farming by two whole levels. This means that it improves the chances of harvesting a better quality crop, and improves the player’s efficiency with the hoe and watering can.

Watch the Queen of Sauce on the 21st day of spring during Year 2 to obtain this recipe. Its effects last for 7 minutes.

  • 1 Fried Egg
  • (cooked dish made with 1 Egg)
  • 1 Milk
  • 1 Hash Brown
  • (see above)
  • 1 Pancake
  • (cooked dish made with 1 Egg and 1 Wheat Flour)

2 Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are a great option to consider taking when heading to a dangerous place like the mines or Skull Cavern. They provide a speed boost as well as a +1 defense increase, and they’ll last the entirety of an in-game day.

To receive the Crab Cakes recipe, watch the Queen of Sauce on the 21st day of Fall during Year 2 (or any even-numbered year)

  • 1 Crab
  • 1 Wheat Flour
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Oil

1 Spicy Eel

Spicy Eel is definitely a fan favorite when it comes to top cooking recipes in Stardew Valley. It arrives in the mail once the player obtains Seven Hearts with George. And, although it only regenerates 51 health points and 115 energy, it boosts luck and speed by one each, and this effect lasts for a total of 7 minutes.

This buff is particularly helpful when venturing down to the Skull Cavern. The speed is useful for dodging fast enemies and finding the stairs down to the next level faster, while Luck increases the player’s chances of finding rare or valuable items.

  • 1 Eel
  • 1 Hot Pepper

Stardew Valley is available for Android, iOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.