Skip to content

🍳 Core Keeper — Cooking & Food Guide

Your complete reference for Core Keeper's cooking and food system. All data based on the 1.0 full release.

Quick Navigation: - How Cooking Works - All Cooking Stations - Complete Recipe Database - Vegetable & Crop Dishes - Fish & Seafood Dishes - Meat Dishes - Drinks & Juices - Mushroom Dishes - Advanced Recipes - Best Foods by Game Stage - Food Buff Mechanics Explained - Profit Guide: Cooking vs Selling Raw

🔥 How Cooking Works

Cooking in Core Keeper is a crafting activity that transforms raw ingredients into meals with bonus effects. Unlike campfire cooking (which just restores HP), the Cooking Pot and Advanced Cooking Station produce food with temporary buffs and greatly boosted sell prices.

Key Mechanics

Mechanic Detail
Unlock Cooking Pot blueprint drops from Ghorm the Devourer (or found in Forgotten Ruins chests)
Station Craft at a Workbench: 20 Copper Bars + 10 Tin Bars + 8 Fibre
Fuel No fuel needed — recipes are instant crafts at the station
Ingredients Crops, fish, meat, mushrooms, and foraged items
Output Always produces 1 dish per recipe (some yield 2 with Gardening Mastery)
Buffs Most cooked dishes grant a 5–10 minute stat buff + HP recovery
Buff Stacking Eating the same dish refreshes duration; different dish buffs run on separate timers

💡 Cooking Pot vs Campfire: The basic Campfire (unlocked at start) can only roast individual items for minor HP gain. The Cooking Pot and Advanced Cooking Station are required for proper recipes with buffs.

🏗️ Cooking Stations

Station Materials Unlock Features
🔥 Campfire 10 Wood, 5 Fibre Starting recipe Roasts single items (minimal benefit)
🥘 Cooking Pot 20 Copper Bar, 10 Tin Bar, 8 Fibre Ghorm drop / Ruins chest All basic recipes, crop + fish dishes
⚗️ Advanced Cooking Station 15 Iron Bar, 10 Gold Bar, 5 Scarlet Bar Late-game (Scarlet biome) Advanced recipes, longer buff durations

Where to Find the Cooking Pot

The Cooking Pot recipe is obtained by:

  1. Defeat Ghorm the Devourer — drops the blueprint ~80% of the time
  2. Forgotten Ruins chests — check the wooden chests in the maze-like ruins
  3. Scrap Merchant — sometimes sells it for 150 coins

Once you have the blueprint, craft it at a Workbench and place it in your base.

📋 Complete Recipe Database

🥗 Vegetable & Crop Dishes

Dish Ingredients HP Restore Buff Buff Duration Sell Price
🥗 Basic Salad Any 2 vegetables (Carrot, Pepper, etc.) 40 HP +2 HP/s Regen 5 min 60g
🥗 Hearty Salad Any 3 vegetables 70 HP +4 HP/s Regen 6 min 100g
🥗 Gourmet Salad Any 4 vegetables 100 HP +6 HP/s Regen 8 min 160g
🍞 Bread 3 Wheat 60 HP +20 Max HP 5 min 72g
🥟 Pepper Dumplings 2 Pepper + 1 Wheat 50 HP +15% Mining Speed 5 min 85g
🌮 Spicy Wrap 2 Pepper + 2 Wheat 65 HP +20% Mining Speed 6 min 120g
🥧 Pumpkin Pie 2 Pumpkin + 3 Wheat 80 HP +15% Defence 8 min 200g
🎃 Roasted Pumpkin 1 Pumpkin 45 HP +5% Defence 3 min 50g
🥕 Glazed Carrots 3 Carrot + 1 Honey 55 HP +10% Move Speed 5 min 90g
🌶️ Hot Pepper Stew 3 Fire Pepper + 2 Wheat 90 HP +25% Melee Damage 8 min 250g
🍍 Pineapple Fritters 2 Pineapple + 1 Wheat 70 HP +15% Move Speed 6 min 180g
🍇 Grape Salad 3 Grape + 1 Any Vegetable 50 HP +10% Dodge Chance 5 min 110g
🌾 Porridge 2 Rice + 1 Wheat 45 HP +5 HP/s Regen 4 min 65g
🥬 Stir Fry 2 Any Vegetable + 1 Any Mushroom 60 HP +10% Melee Damage 5 min 95g

🐟 Fish & Seafood Dishes

Dish Ingredients HP Restore Buff Buff Duration Sell Price
🐟 Grilled Fish 1 Any Fish 35 HP — — Raw×1.5
🐟 Glow Tuna Steak 1 Glow Tuna 60 HP +Breathing (underwater) 10 min 120g
🐟 Hearty Stew 1 Mudfish + 1 Any Vegetable 50 HP +15% Max HP 6 min 35g
🐟 Angler Soup 1 Deep Sea Angler + 1 Wheat 55 HP +15% Mining Damage 6 min 75g
🐟 Thunder Steak 1 Thunder Pike + 1 Pepper 70 HP +15% Move Speed 6 min 110g
🐟 Storm Chowder 1 Storm Bass + 2 Wheat 65 HP +12% Defence 6 min 80g
🐟 Glowing Broth 1 Glowing Bass + 1 Any Mushroom 55 HP +Light Radius (+3 tiles) 6 min 85g
🐟 Mirage Soup 1 Mirage Pike + 1 Any Vegetable 50 HP +10% Luck 6 min 95g
🐟 Fisherman's Platter 2 Any Fish + 1 Wheat 75 HP +20% Fishing Power 8 min 140g
🐟 Seafood Stew 2 Any Fish + 1 Any Vegetable 80 HP +2 HP/s Regen 8 min 120g
🐟 Sushi Roll 1 Any Fish + 1 Rice 45 HP +8% Move Speed 5 min 70g

🥩 Meat Dishes

Dish Ingredients HP Restore Buff Buff Duration Sell Price
🥩 Basic Steak 1 Any Meat (Slime, Larva, etc.) 30 HP — — Raw×1.3
🥩 Meat Skewer 2 Any Meat 55 HP +8% Melee Damage 5 min 45g
🥩 Hearty Roast 2 Any Meat + 1 Any Vegetable 80 HP +15% Max HP 8 min 110g
🥩 Meat Pie 2 Any Meat + 2 Wheat 90 HP +12% Defence 8 min 150g
🥩 Hunter's Stew 3 Any Meat + 2 Any Vegetable 110 HP +20% Melee Damage + +10% Move Speed 10 min 220g
🥩 Pepper Steak 1 Any Meat + 2 Pepper 65 HP +15% Melee Damage 5 min 95g

🍄 Mushroom Dishes

Dish Ingredients HP Restore Buff Buff Duration Sell Price
🍄 Sautéed Mushrooms 2 Any Mushroom 40 HP +5% Max HP 4 min 45g
🍄 Mushroom Soup 3 Any Mushroom 60 HP +10% Max HP 5 min 75g
🍄 Mushroom Risotto 2 Giant Mushroom + 1 Rice 80 HP +15% Max HP + +5 HP/s Regen 8 min 130g
🍄 Glowing Mushroom Stew 3 Glowing Mushroom 70 HP +Light Radius (+2 tiles) 6 min 100g

☕ Drinks & Juices

Drink Ingredients HP Restore Buff Buff Duration Sell Price
☕ Coffee 5 Coffee Beans 20 HP +15% Move Speed 3 min 60g
☕ Strong Coffee 8 Coffee Beans 30 HP +20% Move Speed 4 min 100g
🍍 Pineapple Juice 3 Pineapple 40 HP +20% Move Speed 5 min 240g
🍇 Grape Juice 3 Grape 30 HP +10% Move Speed 4 min 100g
🥕 Carrot Juice 3 Carrot 25 HP +10% Mining Speed 4 min 50g
🍯 Honey Tea 3 Honey + 1 Wheat 50 HP +3 HP/s Regen 6 min 110g

⚗️ Advanced Recipes

These require the Advanced Cooking Station (late game).

Dish Ingredients HP Restore Buff Buff Duration Sell Price
🏆 Ambrosia 1 King Pepper + 1 Amber Pumpkin + 3 Honey 200 HP +30% All Stats 15 min 800g
🏆 Galaxite Steak 3 Any Meat + 2 Galaxite Crystal 150 HP +25% Melee + +25% Mining 12 min 500g
🏆 Miner's Banquet 3 Fire Pepper + 2 Any Meat + 1 Honey 140 HP +30% Mining Speed + +20% Move Speed 12 min 420g
🏆 Explorer's Feast 2 Pineapple + 2 Glow Tuna + 1 Any Mushroom 160 HP +20% Move Speed + +Breathing + +Light 12 min 380g
🏆 Defender's Platter 2 Pumpkin + 2 Storm Bass + 2 Wheat 180 HP +25% Defence + +20% Max HP 12 min 350g
🏆 Mushroom Medley Supreme 3 Giant Mushroom + 2 Glowing Mushroom + 1 Honey 130 HP +25% Max HP + +2 HP/s Regen + Light 12 min 310g

🎯 Best Foods by Game Stage

🌱 Early Game (First 2–3 Hours)

Need Best Food Why
🩹 Healing Bread (3 Wheat) Easy to make, 60 HP restore, +20 Max HP buff
⛏️ Mining Pepper Dumplings (2 Pepper + 1 Wheat) +15% Mining Speed, cheap ingredients
🏃 Exploration Carrot Juice (3 Carrot) +10% Move Speed, Carrots are everywhere
💰 Selling Basic Salad (Any 2 Veg) 60g from common ingredients, 2x raw value
🎣 Fishing Sushi Roll (1 Fish + 1 Rice) Easy recipe, decent heal and speed buff

☕ Early Coffee Trick: Once you reach the Sunken Sea, plant 5 Coffee bushes. Coffee beans regrow every 4 minutes, giving you infinite +15% Move Speed. Game-changing for early exploration.

⚒️ Mid Game (Clay → Desert / Sunken Sea)

Need Best Food Why
🩹 Healing Pumpkin Pie (2 Pumpkin + 3 Wheat) 80 HP + +15% Defence, great for boss fights
⛏️ Mining Spicy Wrap (2 Pepper + 2 Wheat) +20% Mining Speed for resource runs
🏃 Speed Pineapple Juice (3 Pineapple) +20% Move Speed, lasts 5 min
💪 Combat Stir Fry (2 Veg + 1 Mushroom) +10% Melee Damage, easy ingredients
🗺️ Exploration Mushroom Risotto (2 Giant Mushroom + 1 Rice) +15% Max HP + HP regen
🌊 Sunken Sea Glow Tuna Steak (1 Glow Tuna) +Breathing for underwater exploration
💰 Selling Pineapple Fritters (2 Pineapple + 1 Wheat) 180g from Desert crops

🔥 Late Game (Forlorn Metropolis + Beyond)

Need Best Food Why
🩹 Boss Healing Hunter's Stew or Explorer's Feast Massive HP restore + dual buffs
⛏️ Max Mining Miner's Banquet (Advanced Station) +30% Mining Speed + +20% Move Speed
⚔️ Max Combat Hot Pepper Stew (3 Fire Pepper + 2 Wheat) +25% Melee Damage, easy to mass-produce
🌟 All-Purpose Ambrosia (Advanced Station) +30% All Stats — the ultimate food
🛡️ Tank Defender's Platter (Advanced Station) +25% Defence + +20% Max HP
💰 Best Sell Hot Pepper Stew 250g per dish, Fire Peppers are profitable crops

🏆 Boss-Specific Food Loadouts

Boss Recommended Food Why
👾 Glurch Bread or Basic Salad Early game, simple heals
🐛 Ghorm Pepper Dumplings + Carrot Juice Mining speed to dig tunnels + move speed to chase
🦑 Omoroth Glow Tuna Steak + Angler Soup Breathing (underwater) + mining damage
🕷️ Ivy Mushroom Risotto + Spicy Wrap Max HP tank + mining speed for walls
💀 Malugaz Pumpkin Pie + Hunter's Stew Defence + damage, endurance fight
👑 Raven Hot Pepper Stew + Coffee Pure damage + speed for kiting

📊 Food Buff Mechanics Explained

How Food Buffs Work

  1. Duration: Most food buffs last 5–8 minutes (advanced dishes up to 15 min)
  2. Stacking: Eating the same dish again refreshes the duration (does not stack intensity)
  3. Separate Timers: Different buff types (Move Speed, Mining Speed, etc.) run independently
  4. Food Slot: Eating any food gives a temporary buff icon in your HUD — you can see remaining duration
  5. Overheal: Food HP recovery can overheal you beyond your max HP (up to ~150% of max)
  6. Cancel: Buffs are cancelled on death (food effects do NOT persist through respawn)

Buff Types Reference

Buff Type Effect Best Source Max Tier Available
❤️ Max HP +20 to +25% max health Mushroom Risotto, Hearty Roast, Defender's Platter +25%
💚 HP Regen X HP per second Salad series, Mushroom Medley Supreme +6 HP/s
⛏️ Mining Speed +10% to +30% mine speed Spicy Wrap, Miner's Banquet +30%
🏃 Move Speed +8% to +20% movement Coffee, Pineapple Juice +20%
⚔️ Melee Damage +8% to +25% melee Hot Pepper Stew, Hunter's Stew +25%
🛡️ Defence +5% to +25% damage reduction Pumpkin Pie, Defender's Platter +25%
🌊 Breathing Enables underwater breathing Glow Tuna Steak Duration only
💡 Light +2 to +3 tiles light radius Glowing Broth, Glowing Mushroom Stew +3 tiles
🍀 Luck +10% loot luck Mirage Soup +10%
🎣 Fishing Power +20% catch rate Fisherman's Platter +20%
🎲 Dodge +10% dodge chance Grape Salad +10%
🌟 All Stats +30% to everything Ambrosia (endgame legendary) +30%

Buff Stacking Rules

✅ Move Speed (Coffee) + Mining Speed (Spicy Wrap) → BOTH active, separate timers
✅ Melee Damage (Hot Pepper Stew) + Max HP (Mushroom Risotto) → BOTH active
✅ Multiple Move Speed foods → Only highest Move Speed buff applies
❌ Same buff type from different foods → Only the strongest buff active
❌ Same dish eaten twice → Refreshes timer, does not double the buff
❌ Food buff + same buff from gear → They DO stack (e.g. Coffee + Swift Ring = big speed)

💡 Key Insight: Buff effects from food + gear stack additively. A Coffee (+15% Move Speed) plus a Swift Ring (+10% Move Speed) gives you +25% total. Always combine food buffs with appropriate gear for maximum effect.

Food & Gear Stacking Examples

Combo Buff Effect Source
Coffee + Swift Ring +25% Move Speed 15% food + 10% gear
Hot Pepper Stew + Rune Pendant +35% Melee Damage 25% food + 10% gear
Miner's Banquet + Mining Hat +45% Mining Speed 30% food + 15% gear
Defender's Platter + Shield of Endurance +45% Defence 25% food + 20% gear

💰 Profit Guide: Cooking vs Selling Raw

Best Crops to Cook Before Selling

Crop Raw Sell Price Best Dish Cooked Sell Value Profit Multiplier
🎃 Pumpkin (×2) + Wheat (×3) 160g + 72g = 232g Pumpkin Pie 200g Recipe uses 5 items — consider value add
🌾 Wheat (×3) 72g Bread 72g Same value — cook only for buff
🌶️ Fire Pepper (×3) + Wheat (×2) 330g + 48g = 378g Hot Pepper Stew 250g Better to sell raw unless you need the combat buff
🍍 Pineapple (×3) 360g Pineapple Juice 240g Better to sell raw
🥕 Carrot (×3) 54g Carrot Juice 50g Better to sell raw
🌶️ Pepper (×2) + Wheat (×1) 48g + 24g = 72g Spicy Wrap 120g +48g profit over selling raw
🍇 Grape (×3) 180g Grape Juice 100g Sell raw
🌶️ Pepper (×2) + Wheat (×2) 48g + 48g = 96g Spicy Wrap 120g +24g profit

💰 Cooking Profit Rule: Cooking is generally not profitable for selling unless you're using cheap crops. The real value of cooked food is the buff, not the sell price. Fish dishes are the exception — cooking fish almost always adds value.

Fish That Sell Better Cooked

Fish Raw Price Best Dish Cooked Price Profit
🐟 Glow Tuna 65g Glow Tuna Steak 120g +55g ✅
🐟 Thunder Pike 60g Thunder Steak 110g +50g ✅
🐟 Glowing Bass 45g Glowing Broth 85g +40g ✅
🐟 Storm Bass 42g Storm Chowder 80g +38g ✅
🐟 Deep Sea Angler 40g Angler Soup 75g +35g ✅
🐟 Mirage Pike 50g Mirage Soup 95g +45g ✅
🐟 Mudfish 12g Hearty Stew 35g +23g ✅

🏪 Summary: Quick Reference Card

Essential Foods to Keep Stocked

Stage Food Qty Why
🌱 Early Bread 10+ stack Cheap, +20 Max HP, easy to mass-produce
🌱 Early Coffee Unlimited Infinite speed buff from regrowing beans
⚒️ Mid Spicy Wrap 10+ Best mining buff before late game
⚒️ Mid Pumpkin Pie 5+ Boss fight defence
⚒️ Mid Glow Tuna Steak 3+ Sunken Sea exploration
🔥 Late Hot Pepper Stew 10+ Best farmable combat food
🔥 Late Miner's Banquet 5+ Max mining for resource runs
🔥 Late Ambrosia Save for bosses +30% All Stats, extremely rare
🔥 Late Explorer's Feast 5+ All-purpose exploration

Quick Tips

  • Always carry Bread — cheap, stacks well, decent heal
  • Coffee is worth farming — 5 coffee bushes = infinite speed buff
  • Cook fish, sell crops — opposite of what you might expect
  • Different buffs stack — stack Mining Speed + Move Speed for efficient resource runs
  • Gear + food stacks — double down on your build's main stat
  • Ambrosia is endgame — save the rare ingredients (King Pepper, Amber Pumpkin) for bosses