Extract a Recipe from Any YouTube Video
Paste a YouTube link. We read the video description and caption track and return just the ingredients and steps.
No account needed. Always free. Works with standard videos and Shorts.
How it works
Three steps. No extension, no account, nothing to install.
Find the video
Any cooking video on YouTube works — standard length or Shorts. The recipe just needs to be in the description or caption track.
Copy the URL
Copy the address from your browser bar, or tap Share → Copy link. Works with youtube.com/watch, youtu.be, and youtube.com/shorts links.
Paste it above and click "Get the recipe only"
The tool reads the description first. If that has no recipe, it falls back to the auto-generated caption track.
What it does and what it doesn't
What it does
- Reads the video description — most recipe creators put the full ingredients and method there
- Falls back to the auto-generated caption track if the description has no recipe
- Parses the text with AI to find ingredients, quantities, and steps
- Returns a clean card with scalable servings, tappable checkboxes, and a link back to the creator
- Works with standard YouTube videos, youtu.be short links, and Shorts
What it doesn't do
- It cannot watch the video or read on-screen text that has no caption
- It cannot follow external links, read comments, or access linked pages
- It cannot read a recipe that lives only in slides or images with no text
- It cannot access private, unlisted, or age-restricted videos
- If a creator posted "recipe below" but never typed it, there is nothing to extract
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Paste the full Shorts URL (youtube.com/shorts/VIDEOID) exactly as it appears. It is handled the same as a standard video.
What if the creator never wrote the recipe in the description?
The tool first checks the video description. If there is no recipe there, it falls back to the auto-generated caption track. If the channel has captions disabled and the description is bare, switch to "Paste text" mode: open the video, expand the description (tap "more" on mobile), copy it, and paste it in.
What if the description just says "full recipe on my website" or "link in bio"?
The tool reads only the video description and caption track. It cannot follow external links, read comments, or access linked pages. If the recipe lives on a separate website, open that URL and paste it into the extractor on the homepage — it works on most recipe sites.
Does it work on private, unlisted, or age-restricted videos?
No. The tool reads the public video page. Private and unlisted videos return no accessible description or caption data.
Do I need a YouTube account or a Cut Recipe account?
Neither. Up to five extractions a day are free without signing in. Create a free Cut Recipe account for unlimited use and to save recipes — no credit card needed.
What should I do if it returns "no recipe found"?
The description and transcript did not contain anything that looks like a recipe. Try "Paste text" mode: expand the video description, copy it, and paste it into the text box. That often works when the automatic read misses a non-standard format.
More Cut Recipe tools
The same extractor, built for different sources.