"What can I cook with what I have?" is the question that breaks most recipe apps. CheffEye is built around it. Tell the app what is in your fridge, either by typing it or by photographing the shelf, and the AI returns three recipes you can actually cook right now. Every recipe is matched to your diet, allergens, skill level and time available, with full ingredients, step-by-step instructions, nutrition and a hands-free Cooking Mode.
What makes a great pantry recipe with AI
The hard problem with pantry cooking is not finding ideas. It is finding ideas you can finish. A search for "spinach recipes" returns a thousand options, most of which call for two more ingredients you do not have. A search for "chicken and spinach" narrows it slightly, but the recipes still drift outside your pantry as soon as you read the ingredient list.
AI fixes this by starting from your inventory instead of a search query. CheffEye's recipe model receives your full pantry list (plus your diet, allergens and time available) and writes recipes constrained to those ingredients. It assumes a handful of basics you almost certainly have (salt, oil, basic spices) and prioritises recipes that use the items in your pantry, not the items you might one day buy. The result is three options that are different from each other but all cookable from the same fridge.
For limited-ingredient situations (a half-used sweet potato, a can of beans, half a head of cabbage) the AI prefers one-pan techniques and short ingredient lists. For fuller pantries, it opens up roasts, layered bakes and longer-build dishes. Either way, the recipes match what is in the kitchen, not what would be ideal.
Sample pantry recipes
Three examples of what CheffEye returns from a typical mid-week pantry. These are teasers, not full recipes. Generate the recipe in the app to see the full ingredient list, steps and nutrition.
One-pan chickpea and spinach curry
Vegan | Indian | 25 min | 2 servings
A 25-minute curry built from canned chickpeas, frozen spinach, onion, garlic, tomato paste and pantry spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala). The AI thickens it with a touch of coconut milk if you have it, or with the chickpea liquid if you do not. Serves two over rice or with flatbread.
Ingredients
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
0.5 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained but reserve liquid
200 g frozen spinach
0.5 cup coconut milk (or reserved chickpea liquid)
Salt and a squeeze of lemon
Steps
Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more.
Stir in tomato paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and slightly darkened.
Add chickpeas, frozen spinach (no need to thaw) and coconut milk or chickpea liquid. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once, until the spinach has melted into the sauce and the chickpeas are heated through.
Taste, adjust salt and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Serve over rice or with flatbread.
Nutrition (per serving): 440 kcal, 18 g protein, 44 g carbs, 22 g fat.
Lemon-parmesan pasta with leftover roast chicken
Pantry | Italian | 15 min | 2 servings
Cooked pasta tossed with browned butter, lemon zest, parmesan and shredded leftover chicken, finished with cracked black pepper. A 15-minute fridge-clearing dinner that turns Sunday's roast into Monday's lunch. The AI scales it to the amount of chicken you actually have.
Ingredients
200 g dry pasta (spaghetti, linguine or whatever you have)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200 g shredded leftover roast chicken
1 lemon, zested and juiced
50 g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
0.25 cup reserved pasta water
Freshly cracked black pepper
Handful of chopped parsley (optional)
Steps
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 0.25 cup pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes, swirling, until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the shredded chicken to warm through, about 2 minutes.
Add the drained pasta, lemon zest, juice and a generous splash of pasta water. Toss vigorously over low heat for 1 minute.
Off the heat, sprinkle in the parmesan and toss again until creamy. Top with extra parmesan, black pepper and parsley if using.
Nutrition (per serving): 640 kcal, 42 g protein, 64 g carbs, 22 g fat.
Black bean and sweet potato quesadillas
Vegetarian | Mexican | 30 min | 2 servings
Roasted or mashed sweet potato folded with black beans, cumin and cheddar, pressed between tortillas and crisped in a dry pan until the cheese melts. Built specifically around a half-used sweet potato and a forgotten can of beans, the kind of ingredients that sit in a pantry for weeks.
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato (about 350 g), peeled and cubed
1 can (400 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp smoked paprika
0.25 tsp chili powder (optional)
100 g cheddar, grated
4 medium flour tortillas
1 tbsp neutral oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream or salsa, to serve
Steps
Steam the cubed sweet potato over simmering water for 12 minutes until completely tender. Drain and mash roughly with a fork.
Stir the black beans, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder if using, salt and pepper into the mashed sweet potato. Mash again so some beans stay whole and others break down.
Spread half the filling over a tortilla, scatter with half the cheddar, top with a second tortilla and press gently. Repeat for the second quesadilla.
Brush a dry skillet with a little oil and heat over medium. Cook each quesadilla for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing with a spatula, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is deeply golden.
Rest for 1 minute, then slice each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with sour cream or salsa.
Nutrition (per serving): 620 kcal, 24 g protein, 82 g carbs, 22 g fat.
Want the full ingredient lists, step-by-step instructions and nutrition? Generate the recipe in CheffEye, or browse the broader recipe hub.
How CheffEye generates pantry recipes
Pantry mode in CheffEye works in two paths. The first is manual: you tap ingredients into your pantry list, and the AI matches them against viable recipes. The second is photo-scan: you photograph the inside of your fridge or a pantry shelf, the vision model identifies the items, and you confirm or remove anything misidentified before generation.
Once the pantry is set, the recipe model receives the full list along with your profile (diet, allergens, skill, cuisine) and the time you have available. It returns three distinct recipes: one quick and pantry-only, one slightly more involved, and one optional weekend-style option when the pantry supports it. The AI chef chat lets you push further with prompts like "use fewer ingredients", "make it vegan", "drop the dairy", or "scale to four servings".
Every pantry recipe includes nutrition (calories, protein, carbs, fat, fibre) calculated from the ingredient list and serving size. The estimates are useful for daily tracking, not medical advice. Cooking Mode then reads the recipe step by step with timers, so you can actually cook the meal you just planned without going back to scroll your screen.
FAQ
How does CheffEye know what is in my pantry?
You add ingredients in two ways. You can type or tap items into the pantry list inside the app, or you can photograph your fridge or pantry shelf and the AI vision model identifies the items for you to confirm. The list is stored on your device and updates as you cook through it.
Do I need every ingredient the recipe lists?
No. Pantry mode prioritises recipes you can make from what you have, but the AI will sometimes call for an obvious pantry staple (salt, oil, basic spices) that it assumes you keep. If the recipe needs something you do not have, you can ask the AI chef chat to swap or remove that ingredient.
Does pantry mode respect my diet and allergens?
Yes. Every pantry recipe is filtered through your profile: vegan, vegetarian, halal, keto, gluten-free, allergens, cuisine preferences and skill level. The three returned recipes are always compatible with the rules you set during onboarding.
Can I limit pantry mode by time available?
Yes. You can tell CheffEye how much time you have (15, 30, 45 minutes or more) and the AI tightens the recipe selection to fit. Quick weeknight pantry recipes lean on canned goods, frozen vegetables and one-pan techniques; longer sessions open up roasts and slow-build dishes.
Stop staring at a half-full fridge. Tell CheffEye what you have, and the AI will return three recipes you can cook right now, all matched to your diet, your allergens and the time you have.
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