Random Ingredients

Press Pick 3 new ingredients for a basket of three, each with what it is and how it tastes.

Random Ingredients

  1. Pine nutsThe edible seeds of pines. Buttery and sweet.
  2. MozzarellaA semi-soft Italian cheese that is not aged. Milky, mild and stretchy when melted.
  3. Vanilla beanThe seed pod of an orchid. Sweet, creamy and floral.

Next step Draw a flavor to go with itStill deciding what to eat? Spin the food wheel

How it works

Random ingredients, three to a press, as a basket to build a dish from. This random ingredient generator covers vegetables, fruit, meat and fish, beans and grains, dairy, herbs and spices and cupboard goods, each with what it is and how it tastes.

Read the full guide

Cook from the basket

Take the three as given and plan one dish that uses them all, adding only salt, oil and water. Press Lock on one you want to keep and the button changes the other two. The list by the button reads Any kind: choose Herbs and spices or Meat and fish to draw from one kind only.

Keep it to what the shop has

Choose More filters, the last entry in that list, then Everyday under How easy to find for things most large supermarkets stock. Specialist holds the rest, such as sumac, tempeh and pomegranate molasses.

Tips
  • Cooking game: every cook gets the same basket and may add one ingredient of their own choice.

Questions and answers

Does the list include alcohol?

No. There is no wine, beer or spirit on the list, and no brand name. Balsamic vinegar, which is made from grape must, is the nearest it comes.

Can I get only vegetables?

Yes. Choose Vegetables in the list by the button. Fruit, Beans and grains, Dairy and eggs and Cupboard work the same way.

What if I cannot eat one of the three?

Press again, or choose a kind that suits you. The page makes no health or allergy claim about any ingredient, so read the label of what you buy.

Where do the descriptions come from?

What each ingredient is was checked against its Wikipedia article on 30 September 2026. The taste notes are our own.

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Browse Food

All 150 ingredients

Vegetables 24

  • Beet The taproot of the beet plant. Sweet and earthy.
  • Bell pepper The mild fruit of a pepper plant, in red, yellow, orange or green. Sweet and crisp, with no heat.
  • Bok choy A Chinese cabbage that forms no head. Mild and juicy, with a faint mustard bite.
  • Butternut squash A winter squash that grows on a vine. Sweet and nutty when cooked.
  • Button mushroom The common cultivated mushroom. Mild and earthy, meatier when browned.
  • Carrot A root vegetable, usually orange. Sweet and earthy, crisp when raw.
  • Cauliflower A cabbage relative eaten for its white head. Mild and nutty, sweeter when roasted.
  • Celeriac A kind of celery grown for its bulb-like root. Nutty, with a clean celery taste.
  • Daikon A long, white winter radish. Mild and juicy, with a little pepper.
  • Eggplant The fruit of a nightshade, used as a vegetable. Mild and a little bitter; soaks up other flavors.
  • Fennel bulb The bulb of a plant in the carrot family. Crisp and sweet, with a light anise taste.
  • Garlic A bulb of the onion genus. Hot and sharp raw, mellow and sweet when roasted.
  • Globe artichoke The flower bud of a kind of thistle. Nutty, with a sweet aftertaste.
Show all 150 ingredients (137 more)

Vegetables, continued

  • Kale A leaf cabbage grown for its leaves. Earthy and slightly bitter.
  • Leek A vegetable of the onion genus, eaten for its bundle of leaf sheaths. Mild, sweet and oniony.
  • Okra The green pods of a plant in the mallow family. Mild and grassy, silky when stewed.
  • Radicchio A red-leaved chicory used in Italian cooking. Bitter and spicy, mellower when grilled.
  • Shallot A small member of the onion group. Milder and sweeter than onion.
  • Shiitake mushroom An edible mushroom native to East Asia. Deep, savory and a little smoky.
  • Spinach A leafy green from Central and Western Asia. Soft and mild, with a mineral edge.
  • Sweet potato A starchy, sweet root of the morning glory family. Sweet and soft when baked.
  • Tomato An edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable. Sweet, sharp and savory at once.
  • Yellow onion A dry onion with brown, papery skin and a strong flavor. Sharp raw, sweet when cooked slowly.
  • Zucchini A summer squash picked while young and soft. Mild and a little sweet.

Fruit 12

  • Apple The round fruit of the apple tree. Crisp, sweet to sharp.
  • Avocado The fruit of a tree in the laurel family. Buttery and mild.
  • Banana A long fruit that botanists class as a berry. Sweet, soft and creamy.
  • Fig The fruit of a tree native to the Mediterranean and western Asia. Honey-sweet, with crunchy seeds.
  • Lemon A citrus fruit, a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Sour and bright; the zest is fragrant.
  • Lime A small, green citrus fruit. Sour and sharp, more floral than lemon.
  • Mango A tropical stone fruit. Very sweet, with a hint of pine.
  • Orange The sweet orange, a cross of pomelo and mandarin. Sweet with a gentle sourness.
  • Pineapple The fruit of a tropical plant native to South America. Sweet and sharp.
  • Plantain A starchy cooking banana, not eaten raw. Potato-like when green, sweet when ripe and fried.
  • Pomegranate A fruit filled with juicy seeds. Sweet and sour, with a little crunch.
  • Raisins Dried grapes. Sweet and chewy.

Meat and fish 16

  • Anchovies Small saltwater fish, usually sold cured. Very salty and deeply savory.
  • Bacon Salt-cured pork, usually from the belly or back. Salty, smoky and crisp.
  • Beef brisket A cut from the breast or lower chest of beef. Rich and beefy after long, slow cooking.
  • Chicken thighs Dark meat from the most common kind of poultry. Juicy and richer than breast.
  • Chorizo A pork sausage from the Iberian Peninsula. Smoky, garlicky and red with paprika.
  • Crab meat The meat from the legs and claws of a crab. Soft, delicate and sweet.
  • Ground beef Beef that has been finely chopped. Rich and savory, browns well.
  • Ham Pork from the leg, preserved by curing. Salty and a little sweet.
  • Mussels Shellfish with long, dark shells. Sweet and briny.
  • Pork belly A boneless, fatty cut from the belly of a pig. Rich, with crisp skin when roasted.
  • Prosciutto An uncooked, dry-cured ham, served thinly sliced. Salty, sweet and silky.
  • Salmon fillet An oily food fish. Rich and buttery.
  • Sardines Small, oily fish, often canned. Strong, salty and savory.
  • Scallops Shellfish with a round, white muscle. Sweet and delicate.
  • Shrimp Small shellfish eaten worldwide. Sweet and firm.
  • Squid A sea animal often sold as calamari. Mild and sweet; tender if cooked fast.

Beans and grains 20

  • Arborio rice An Italian medium-grain rice. Creamy and chewy when cooked.
  • Basmati rice A long-grained aromatic rice from the Indian subcontinent. Fragrant and fluffy.
  • Black beans A small, shiny variety of the common bean. Earthy and soft.
  • Brown rice Whole grain rice with only the outer hull removed. Nutty and chewy.
  • Buckwheat The grain-like seeds of a plant in the knotweed family. Earthy and toasty.
  • Bulgur Cracked wheat from Middle Eastern cooking. Nutty and light.
  • Chickpeas The seeds of a legume, also called garbanzo beans. Nutty and creamy.
  • Couscous Small steamed granules of rolled semolina. Mild; takes on the sauce it sits in.
  • Farro The grain of hulled wheats such as emmer and spelt. Nutty and chewy.
  • Kidney beans A common bean named for its shape. Mild and mealy; holds its shape in a stew.
  • Pearl barley Barley with the hull and bran polished off. Nutty and chewy.
  • Polenta Boiled cornmeal, an Italian dish. Mild, sweet and corny.
  • Quinoa The seeds of a plant in the amaranth family. Nutty, with a light pop.
  • Red lentils The lens-shaped seeds of a legume. Mild and earthy; they cook down soft.
  • Rice noodles Noodles made from rice flour and water. Mild and slippery.
  • Rolled oats Oat groats steamed and rolled into flat flakes. Mild and creamy when cooked.
  • Spaghetti Long, thin pasta made of wheat and water. Plain and wheaty; a carrier for sauce.
  • Split peas Dried, peeled and split peas. Sweet and earthy.
  • Tempeh Fermented soybeans pressed into a cake, from Indonesia. Nutty and firm.
  • Tofu Pressed curds of soy milk. Mild; takes on other flavors.

Dairy and eggs 20

  • Blue cheese Cheese veined with edible blue-green mold. Salty and sharp.
  • Butter A dairy product made from churned cream. Rich and sweet; nutty when browned.
  • Buttermilk A fermented milk drink. Tangy and thin.
  • Cheddar A hard cheese first made in Cheddar, in Somerset, England. Mild to sharp, the older the sharper.
  • Cream cheese A soft fresh cheese made from milk and cream. Mild, tangy and smooth.
  • Crème fraîche A soured cream, similar to sour cream. Rich, with a gentle tang.
  • Eggs Chicken eggs, the most widely eaten kind. Mild white, rich yolk.
  • Feta A Greek white cheese kept in brine. Salty, tangy and crumbly.
  • Ghee A clarified butter from the Indian subcontinent. Nutty and rich.
  • Goat cheese Cheese made from goat's milk. Tangy and creamy.
  • Greek yogurt Yogurt strained of most of its whey. Thick and sour.
  • Gruyère A hard Swiss cheese named after a town in Fribourg. Nutty and a little sweet.
  • Halloumi A cheese from Cyprus. Salty and squeaky; browns without melting.
  • Heavy cream The fat-rich layer skimmed from milk. Rich and smooth.
  • Mascarpone A soft Italian dairy product made from cream. Very rich and faintly sweet.
  • Mozzarella A semi-soft Italian cheese that is not aged. Milky, mild and stretchy when melted.
  • Paneer A fresh South Asian cheese that does not melt. Mild and milky.
  • Parmesan A hard, granular Italian cheese aged at least 12 months. Salty, nutty and savory.
  • Ricotta An Italian cheese made from whey. Mild, milky and a little sweet.
  • Sour cream Cream fermented with lactic acid bacteria. Tangy and thick.

Herbs and spices 32

  • Allspice The dried unripe berry of a tree, also called Jamaica pepper. Like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg together.
  • Basil A tender herb of the mint family. Sweet and peppery, with a clove note.
  • Bay leaf An aromatic leaf, taken out of the dish before eating. Woody and floral.
  • Black peppercorns The dried fruit of a flowering vine. Hot, sharp and woody.
  • Cardamom A spice made from the seeds of plants in the ginger family. Floral, sweet and cooling.
  • Cilantro The leaves of the coriander plant. Fresh and citrusy to most people.
  • Cinnamon stick The inner bark of a tree. Sweet and warm.
  • Cloves The dried flower buds of a tree. Strong, sweet and numbing.
  • Crushed red pepper Dried and crushed red chili peppers. Hot, with a slow burn.
  • Cumin The dried seeds of a plant in the parsley family. Earthy and warm.
  • Dill An herb of the celery family. Grassy, with a touch of anise.
  • Five-spice powder A Chinese mix of five or more spices, star anise among them. Sweet, warm and licorice-like.
  • Flat-leaf parsley A leafy herb of the carrot family. Fresh, green and a little peppery.
  • Fresh ginger The rhizome of a flowering plant. Hot, sharp and lemony.
  • Garam masala A blend of ground spices from the Indian subcontinent. Warm and sweet.
  • Lemongrass A tropical grass. Lemony without the sourness.
  • Mint A leafy herb, the genus that gives the mint family its name. Cool and sweet.
  • Mustard seeds The small round seeds of mustard plants. Sharp and hot once cracked.
  • Nutmeg The seed of a tree, grated as a spice. Warm, sweet and woody.
  • Oregano An herb of the mint family from the Mediterranean. Warm, sharp and a little bitter.
  • Rosemary A shrub with fragrant, needle-like leaves. Piney and strong.
  • Saffron The dried threads from a crocus flower. Honeyed and hay-like; turns food gold.
  • Sage A shrubby herb with grayish leaves. Earthy and warm, a little bitter.
  • Sichuan pepper A spice from the dried husk of a fruit, used in Sichuan cooking. Citrusy, with a tingle on the tongue.
  • Smoked paprika A spice of dried and ground red peppers. Sweet, warm and smoky.
  • Star anise The star-shaped fruit of a tree from South China and Vietnam. Sweet, strong anise.
  • Sumac A red spice from the dried fruit of a shrub. Sour and lemony.
  • Tarragon A perennial herb, also called estragon. Sweet anise, with a light bitterness.
  • Thyme An herb of the mint family. Woody and warm.
  • Turmeric The root of a plant in the ginger family. Earthy and a little bitter; turns food yellow.
  • Vanilla bean The seed pod of an orchid. Sweet, creamy and floral.
  • Za'atar A Middle Eastern herb blend. Herby, nutty and tangy.

Cupboard 26

  • Almonds The seed of a tree in the peach genus. Mild, sweet and crunchy.
  • Balsamic vinegar A dark, concentrated vinegar made from grape must. Sweet and sour.
  • Capers The pickled flower buds of the caper bush. Salty, sour and sharp.
  • Coconut milk A plant milk pressed from grated coconut. Rich, sweet and creamy.
  • Cornstarch The starch powder made from corn, used to thicken sauces. No taste of its own.
  • Dijon mustard A traditional mustard from France, named after a city in Burgundy. Sharp and hot.
  • Fish sauce A liquid seasoning made from salted, fermented fish. Very salty and savory.
  • Gochujang A fermented red chili paste from Korean cooking. Savory, sweet and spicy.
  • Harissa A Tunisian hot chili pepper paste. Hot, smoky and garlicky.
  • Hoisin sauce A thick, savory sauce from China. Sweet, salty and dark.
  • Honey A sweet, thick substance made by bees. Sweet and floral.
  • Maple syrup A syrup made from the sap of maple trees. Sweet, with caramel and wood.
  • Miso A Japanese paste of fermented soybeans. Salty and savory.
  • Nori A dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cooking. Savory, with a taste of the sea.
  • Olive oil An oil pressed from whole olives. Fruity, grassy or peppery.
  • Oyster sauce A thick, dark sauce made from oyster extracts. Savory, sweet and salty.
  • Peanut butter A paste of ground, dry-roasted peanuts. Roasty, salty and rich.
  • Pine nuts The edible seeds of pines. Buttery and sweet.
  • Pomegranate molasses Concentrated pomegranate juice. Sour, sweet and dark.
  • Preserved lemon Lemons pickled in salt, common in Moroccan and Indian cooking. Salty, soft and intensely lemony.
  • Sesame seeds The seeds of the sesame plant. Nutty, more so when toasted.
  • Soy sauce A liquid seasoning of Chinese origin, made from fermented soybeans. Salty and deeply savory.
  • Tahini A paste of ground sesame seeds. Nutty, with a pleasant bitterness.
  • Toasted sesame oil An oil made from sesame seeds. Deep, nutty and toasty.
  • Tomato paste Tomatoes cooked down to a thick paste. Sweet, sharp and concentrated.
  • Walnuts The edible seed of the walnut tree. Rich, with a slightly bitter skin.

How this list was compiled: We chose these cooking ingredients and wrote every line ourselves. What each ingredient is (the first sentence of its card) was checked on 2026-09-30 against its English Wikipedia article, read through https://en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php and saved per item as src; a script then checked that the words the sentence rests on stand in the article. The taste notes (the second sentence) are our own and are not from a source. The sorting into seven kinds and into Everyday and Specialist is ours: Everyday means most large supermarkets in the United States stock it, and it is a judgment, not a survey. No alcohol and no brand names are listed, and no nutrition, allergy or health claim is made. Licence: own work