Each PlateJoy recipe has a time included with the title. Recipe timing is difficult to measure and depends on a lot of factors, so we wanted to let you know what these times really mean!
Recipe time for any PlateJoy recipe indicates the total time needed to prepare 1-2 servings, but we also make some assumptions about how prepared you are to cook. To make sure you're prepared, follow these steps:
Have all ingredients ready: open cans and packages, wash produce, and defrost any frozen items.
Make sure ingredients are as listed: if the ingredients list says “mushrooms, pre-sliced” then we don’t include the time it takes to slice them. If you prefer using whole produce, add some extra time to prep!
Have your equipment ready: gather equipment ahead of time to have it ready to use. Make sure your work space is clean and ready to go.
Your personalized preferences can also affect the cooking time:
Whole grain options like whole wheat pasta and brown rice take longer to cook than refined (white) options.
If you choose to avoid pre-cut produce and pre-cooked meat in your personalization quiz, plan extra time for prep. You can pre-cut and pre-cook ingredients in batches to save time.
Kitchen equipment varies: gas heats faster than electric, and microwaves and blenders have a range of power outputs. You may have to adjust times according to your kitchen.
More servings, more time: if you’re cooking for a crowd, it will take longer to chop and cook ingredients. If preparing more than 2 servings for regular meals or 4 servings for batch meals, add about 5 minutes per serving to the total time.
The more you cook, the faster you’ll get at chopping, prepping, and measuring ingredients. Even though our chefs are super quick, we try to make the times reflect an average home cook. If you think a recipe time is way off, let us know! Review the recipe and your feedback will be used for recipe adjustments and improvements.