---
title: "Quickstart — Tiny Plates recipe API"
description: "Make your first request to the Tiny Plates recipe API in curl, JavaScript or Python, then read the recipes, ingredients and steps it sends back."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/quickstart"
---

# Quickstart

From nothing to a recipe in three steps.

## Get a key

Create an account, then create a key on your [dashboard](https://www.tinyplates.dev/dashboard/keys). [Authentication](https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/authentication) covers the rest.

## Search for a recipe

Search matches on meaning as well as wording, so this finds carbonara as readily as anything with “creamy” in the title. Replace `rd_your_api_key` with the key you just created.

```
curl 'https://api.tinyplates.dev/search?query=creamy+pasta&limit=3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer rd_your_api_key'
```

## Read the response

Every result is a full recipe plus a `score`. Times are seconds, ingredients are parsed into quantities and names, and steps are numbered. This is the same object every recipe endpoint returns — see [the recipe object](https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/recipe-object).

When you only need a few fields, ask for them. The response then carries those, plus `id` and `score`:

```
curl 'https://api.tinyplates.dev/search?query=creamy+pasta&limit=3&fields=title,url,times' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer rd_your_api_key'
```

## Where to go next

* [Filtering and vocabularies](https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/filtering) — narrow a list by cuisine, course, diet, ingredient or total time.
* [Pagination](https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/pagination) — page through popular or pantry results.
* [Errors](https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/errors) — every message the API can answer with, and what to do about it.
* [The API reference](https://www.tinyplates.dev/docs/api/search-recipes) — every endpoint, with a Run button.