Introduction to AI Overviews and Recipe Queries
Recent observations indicate that certain recipe-related queries are triggering Google’s AI Overviews (AIO), a feature designed to provide concise, AI-generated summaries directly in the search results. However, not all recipe-related searches behave the same way—those with implicit recipe intent (without explicitly mentioning “recipe”) seem to be the ones activating AIOs, while direct recipe queries still return traditional rich results.
SEO professionals across social media platforms like LinkedIn and private Facebook groups have reported these changes. Tom Critchlow, an SEO expert, noted on LinkedIn that AI Overviews appearing for food-related searches may signal a shift in how Google delivers content, stating:
“Starting to see AI Overviews show up for recipe queries and… I think these are pretty good? Validates my hypothesis that each link will come with a reason to click it… Recommendations over rankings…”
This suggests that Google may be moving toward more contextual, recommendation-based results rather than simple listings.
When Do AI Overviews Appear for Recipes?
Interestingly, keyword phrases containing the word “recipe” or its variants still trigger the standard recipe-rich results on both desktop and mobile devices. For example, searching for “chicken cordon bleu recipe” brings up the familiar recipe carousel powered by structured data from content creators.
However, when users search using terms that imply they want a recipe but don’t explicitly say “recipe,” such as “chicken cordon bleu” , Google begins to roll out AI Overviews instead. This indicates that Google is identifying latent intent —a user’s unspoken desire to find a recipe—even without the keyword being present.
Example:
- Triggering AI Overview: “Chicken cordon bleu”
- Triggering Traditional Results: “Chicken cordon bleu recipe”
Desktop vs. Mobile Search Behavior
One key difference in this rollout appears to be device-specific behavior. On desktop , AI Overviews are being served for many food-related queries that lack the explicit “recipe” keyword. However, the same queries on mobile devices do not yet appear to trigger AI Overviews.
For instance:
- Searching for “chicken cordon bleu” on desktop may display an AI Overview.
- The same query on mobile might return a Wikipedia result or a standard recipe carousel.
Similarly, the phrase “healthy dinner ideas” , which triggered an AI Overview on desktop, returns a traditional Top Recipes section on mobile.
This suggests that Google may be rolling out AIO for food-related queries only to desktop users at this stage, potentially testing different formats before expanding to mobile.
Impact on Recipe Bloggers and Content Creators
With AI Overviews providing summarized answers directly in the SERPs, traffic to individual recipe blogs could begin to decline—especially from desktop users. If Google continues down this path, content creators may face reduced visibility and fewer clicks, as users get the information they need without visiting external sites.
Moreover, chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude are also increasingly being used for recipe generation. These tools can produce detailed recipes based on simple prompts, often without linking back to original sources. While these synthetic recipes may not always match the authenticity of professional culinary blogs, they often meet the expectations of casual home cooks.
Example:
When prompted with “chicken cordon bleu recipe” , ChatGPT provides a full recipe with ingredients and instructions—no web search required.
Final Thoughts
The integration of AI Overviews into food-related searches marks a significant evolution in how Google interprets intent and delivers results. While traditional recipe-rich results remain intact for now, especially on mobile, the increasing presence of AI-generated summaries suggests a broader trend toward conversational, answer-first experiences.
For SEOs and content creators, particularly in the recipe niche, this development warrants close attention. Adapting strategies to ensure visibility in both AI Overviews and traditional SERPs will become increasingly important in maintaining organic reach and traffic.