This article explains how to do an advanced search in the Spoonacular database. This is an older database implemented in 2017. There is a newer recipes database which most users should use instead. For an article on how to do advanced search in the NutriAdmin database click here

NutriAdmin uses a third-party database that contains over 360,000+ recipes. In order to search effectively in such a vast repository, there are a few options to filter and refine your search parameters so that you can find what you need faster.

This article explains how to use the advanced search for recipes in NutriAdmin.

In particular, the following are possible:

  • Search for recipes by name
  • Filter out results by cuisine, meal of the day, food intolerance, or ingredients
  • Search for recipes by macronutrient content

Note: The recipes database and advanced search functionality is only available on a subscription level of the Popular plan or higher. You can Click here to check pricing details.

How to use the advanced search functionality and filtering for recipes

Step 1: Click on Recipes & Foods.

recipes and foods

Step 2: Click on New Recipe.

new recipe button

Step 3: Click on Search Recipe Database.

search recipe database

Step 4: Click on Advanced search filtering.

advanced search filtering

Step 5: Enter as many parameters as you need. You can hover with your mouse over the information icons for help and tips. In the example below, the following filters have been applied:

  • Main course meals only
  • Vegetarian meals
  • Excluding coconut and gluten
  • Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Thai cuisine only
filtering advanced search options

Step 6: Enter the name of the recipe you want to search for (or the main ingredient) and click the Search icon.

search for quinoa

Step 7: When you get the results back, you can click on the Show Macros button for any given recipe that picks your interest.

show macros

This will load the macronutrient content of a given recipe after a short moment. You can use this information to decide if a recipe is suitable for what you are trying to achieve before loading the whole document.

macros loaded for recipe

Note: If you enter very restrictive parameters on the filters for recipes you may get no results back. For example, searching for Pizza without bread or for vegetarian chicken will not yield any results. If you cannot find results for a specific query, you can click the back arrow highlighted below and try again with fewer restrictions.

back arrow recipes

How to search for recipes by macronutrient content

Step 1: Click on the Find by Macros tab.

find by macros example

Step 2: Fill in at least one field in the form, then click Find by Macros.

find by macros

This functionality is specially useful when you are trying to find a recipe high in protein, low in fat, or within a certain calorie range.