Paper Mario The Thousand-Year Door Zess T. cooking.

All Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Recipes

Go on! Take it, Stompy!

As you walk, roll, glide, and sail through Rogueport in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, yo൩u’ll eventually run afoul of Zess T., the grouchy chef. After you’ve༺ smoothed things over with her, she’ll whip up unique dishes for you using the items you find on your journey as cooking ingredients.

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Zess T.’s dishes are some of the game’s best healing/buffing items, so you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the best and worst culinary combinations. Here’s a round-up of every recipe in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

How to get Zess T.’s Contact Lens in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Image via Nintendo

You can run into Zess T 🤪when the game frees you to explore Rogueport Plaza. Head west from the gallows, and you’ll run into Zesﷺs T. stomping about. She’s lost her contact lens and tells you to stand still until she finds it, lest you step on it with those Goomba-spore-stained clodhoppers of yours.

What happens next is inevitable. Zess T. never finds her contact lens, and even if you reverse course and walk away the exact way you came, you’ll end up squishing it. Like any grouchy grannie worth her salt, Zess T. demands ꦺimmediate compensation, ordering you to get her a new contact lens before blocking the route to Rougeport’s West Side, holding progression hostage until you repay your debt.

Head to Toad Bros Bazaar (next to Zesti’s shop) and talk to the owner. He’ll tell you he doesn’t have contact lenses and will put in an order for some. The contact lens will show up after you’ve beaten Chapter 1, so I recommend placing the order before you head out to Petelburg. The Bazaar will email you on your Mailbox SP once the contact lens comes in, so check it often.

Once the contact lens is in, you can buy it for ten coins. Once you’ve given it to Zess, T., she’ll return to her kitchen. Now you’re free to head into Rogueport’s West Side, but more importa🌄ntly, you can talk to Zess. T and have her cook fo𝓀r you!

Every recipe in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Zess T. can cook a whopping fifty-eight items in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, each with a corresponding recipe you’ll need to follow to bring it to life. The game doesn’t tell you which item/item combo creates which dish, so if you don’t plan on looking up a guide, you’ll have to get experimental.

Here’s a breakdown of every recipe in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. We also threw in what eaওch of the dishes they make and h♌ow much each of them sells for in shops. If you can’t eat ‘em, make a mint off of ‘em!

RecipeSelling Price (in Coins)IngredientsEffect
Mushroom Fry5Dried Mushroom, Mushroom, Poison Mushroom, Super Mushroom, Volt Mushroom, Dried Mushroom + Fire Flower, Dired Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Mushroom + Dried MushroomReplenishes 6 HP and 2 FP.
Mushroom Roast15Slow Mushroom, Life Mushroom, Slow Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Mushroom + Fire Flower, Mushroom + Super Mushroom, Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Super Mushroom + Dried Mushroom, Super Mushroom + Volt MushroomReplenishes 15 HP and 5 FP.
Mushroom Steak45Ultra Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Dried Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Super Mushroom, Mushroom + Ultra Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Dried Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Super Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Volt MushroomReplenishes 30 HP and 10 FP.
Honey Mushroom10Mushroom + Honey Syrup, Slow Mushroom + Honey Syrup, Volt Mushroom + Honey SyrupReplenishes 5 HP and 5 FP.
Maple Mushroom25Mushroom + Maple Syrup, Slow Mushroom + Maple Syrup, Volt Mushroom + Maple SyrupReplenishes 5 HP and 10 FP.
Jelly Mushroom75Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Volt Mushroom + Jammin JellyReplenishes 5 HP and 50 FP.
Maple Super35Super Mushroom + Maple Syrup, Life Mushroom + Maple SyrupReplenishes 10 HP and 10 FP.
Jelly Super100Life Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Slow Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Super Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Volt Mushroom + Jammin’ JellyReplenishes 10 HP and 50 FP.
Honey Ultra75Ultra Mushroom + Honey SyrupReplenishes 50 HP and 50 FP.
Maple Ultra100Ultra Mushroom + Maple SyrupReplenishes 50 HP and 10 FP.
Jelly Ultra150Ultra Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly
Zess Dinner7Super Mushroom + Fire Flower, Super Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Super Mushroom + Horsetail, Super Mushroom + Keel Mango, Super Mushroom + Peachy Peach, Ultra Mushroom + Keel Mango, Life Mushroom + Fire Flower, Ultra Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Ultra Mushroom + Horsetail. Life Mushroom + Slow Mushroom, Fresh Pasta + Mystic Egg, Fresh Pasta + Coconut, Fresh Pasta + Healthy Salad, Healthy Salad + Mushroom Fry, Healthy Salad + Koopasta, Healthy Salad + Spaghetti, Spicy Pasta + Coconut, Meteor Meal + Fruit ParfaitReplenishes 10 HP and 10 FP.
Zess Special20Ultra Mushroom + Fire Flower, Ultra Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Ultra Mushroom + Horsetail, Healthy Salad + Ink Pasta, Healthy Salad + Mushroom Roast, Healthy Salad + Spicy PastaReplenishes 20 HP and 20 FP.
Zess Deluxe60Whacka Bump + Golden Leaf, Mushroom Steak + Healthy SaladReplenishes 40 HP and 40 FP.
Spaghetti30Fresh PastaReplenishes 6 HP and 4 FP.
Koopasta60Fresh Pasta + Turtley Leaf, Spaghetti + Turtley LeafReplenishes 7 HP and 7 FP.
Spicy Pasta30Hot Sauce + Fresh Pasta, Hot Sauce + Spaghetti, Hot Sauce + Koopasta Replenishes 10 HP, 10 FP and raises Attack Power by 1.
Ink Pasta80Inky Sauce + Fresh Pasta, Inky Sauce + Koopasta, Inky Sauce + Spaghetti, Inky Sauce + Spicy PastaReplenishes 10 HP and 30 FP.
Hottest Dog10Hot Sauce + Hot DogCharges the recipent and replenishes 7 HP and FP.
Spicy Soup5Fire Flower, Horsetail, Snow Bunny, Dried Bouquet, Fire Flower + Dried Broquet, Fire Flower + Hot Sauce Replenishes 4 HP and 4 FP.
Fried Egg7Mystic EggReplenishes 10 HP.
Omelette Meal10Mystic Egg + Horsetail, Mystic Egg + Mushroom, Mystic Egg + Super Mushroom, Mystic Egg + Life Mushroom, Mystic Egg + Ultra Mushroom
Koopa Bun7Keel Mango + Turtley LeafReplenishes 15 FP.
Healthy Salad5Turtley Leaf + Golden Leaf, Turtley Leaf + Horsetail
Meteor Meal40Mushroom Fry + Shooting Star, Mushroom Roat + Shooting Star, Mushroom Steak + Shooting StarReplenishes 7 HP and gradually regenerates HP for 2 turns.
Couple’s Cake10Snow Bunny + Spicy SoupRegenerates 2 HP for nine turns. A character cannot use it on themselves.
Mousse Cake10Cake MixReplenishes 15 FP.
Mushroom Cake20Mushroom + Cake Mix, Super Mushroom + Cake Mix, Life Mushroom + Cake Mix, Slow Mushroom + Cake MixReplenishes 10 HP and 10 FP.
Choco Cake25Cake Mix + Inky Sauce, Mousse Cake + Inky SauceReplenishes 5 HP and 15 FP.
Heartful Cake10Cake Mix + Ruin Powder, Peachy Peach + Ruin PowderReplenishes 20 FP, but if it is consumed in battle, it will also soften the recipient.
Fruit Parfait10Keel Mango + Gradual Syrup, Keep Mango + Honey Syrup, Keel Mango + Jammin’ Jelly, Keel Mango + Maple Syrup, Keel Mango + Peachy Peach, Peachy Peach + Honey Syrup, Peachy Peach + Jammin’ Jelly, Peachy Peach + Maple SyrupReplenishes 10 HP and 2 FP.
Mango Delight10Keel Mango + Cake MixReplenishes 10 HP and 3 FP.
Love Pudding10Mystic Egg + Mango DelightRandomly gives the recipient the Invisible, Electrified, or Sleepy status.
Zess Cookie20Cake Mix + Gradual Syrup, Cake Mix + Maple Syrup, Cake Mix + Mystic EggReplenishes 15 HP and 15 FP.
Mushroom Crepe100Ultra Mushroom + Cake MixReplenishes 30 HP and 20 FP.
Peach Tart10Peachy Peach + Cake MixRandomly gives the recipient the Dodgy, Electrified, or Sleepy status.
Koopa Tea3Turtely LeafReplenishes 7 FP.
Zess Tea6Golden Leaf, Maple Syrup + Jammin’ JellyReplenishes 20 FP.
Mushroom Broth20Golden Leaf + Poison Mushroom, Golden Leaf + Slow Mushroom, Turtley Leaf + Slow MushroomRegenerates 2 HP for five turns, but gives the recipient the soft status ailment.
Fresh Juice3Honey Syrup, Jammin’ Jelly, Keel Mango, Maple Syrup, Peachy Peach, Coconut + Keel Mango, Coconut + Peachy Leaf, Coconut + Turtley Leaf, Gradual Syrup + Turtely Leaf, Gradual Syrup + Honey Syrup, Honey Syrup + Jammin’ Jelly, Honey Syrup + Maple Syrup, Honey Syrup + Turtley Leaf, Jammin’ Jelly + Gradual Syrup, Jammin’ Jelly + Turtely Leaf, Maple Syrup + Turtely LeafReplenishes 5 FP and cures poison.
Inky Sauce10Hot Sauce + Fresh Juice, Hot Sauce + Koopa Tea, Hot Sauce + Mushroom Broth, Hot Sauce + Turtely Leaf, Hot Sauce + Zess Tea, Hot Sauce + Tasty Tonic Replenishes 30 FP.
Icicle Pop15Honey Syrup + Ice StormReplenishes 15 FP, but if it is consumed in battle, it will also freeze the recipient.
Zess Frappe30Ice Storm + Maple Syrup, Ice Storm + Jammin’ JellyReplenishes 20 FP, but freezes the recipient if consumed in battle.
Snow Bunny10Ice Storm + Golden LeafReplenishes 15 HP, but freezes the recipient if consumed in battle.
Coco Candy12Cake Mix + CoconutReplenishes 3 HP and 15 FP.
Honey Candy15Honey Syrup + Cake MixReplenishes 20 FP.
Jelly Candy100Jammin’ Jelly + Cake MixReplenishes 64 FP.
Electro Pop25Cake Mix + Volt MushroomReplenishes 15 FP, and if consumed in battle, also electrifies the recipient.
Fire Pop20Fire Flower + Cake Mix, Hot Sauce + Cake MixReplenishes 20 FP.
Space Food10Dried Bouquet + Any healing item in the game (except Gradual Syrup, Honey Syrup, Maple Syrup, Jammin’ Jelly, Icicle Pop, Fresh Juice, Mushroom Broth, and Trial Stew)Replenishes 5 HP and causes the Allergic status.
Poison Mushroom10Inky Sauce + Slow Mushroom, Point Swap + Slow Mushroom, Dried Bouquet + Trial StewPoisons the recipient, but has a small chance it will replenish all of their HP instead.
Trial Stew1Poison Mushroom + Couple’s CakeReduces HP to 1, FP to 0, and restores all SP.
Courage Meal10Courage Sheel + Zess Delux, Courage Shell + Zess Dinner, Courage Shell + SpecialDeals 4 HP of damage to a single enemy.
Coconut Bomb5Coconut + fire FlowerDeals 7 HP of damage to a single enemy.
Egg Bomb10 Dried Bouquet + Zess Dynamite, Mystic EggDeals 6 HP of damage to a single enemy.
Zess Dynamite20Egg Bomb + Coconut BombDeals 7 HP of damage to all enemies.
Mistake1Any ingredient or combination not listed.Replenishes 1 HP and 1 FP.

How to get the Cookbook in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Image via Nintendo

At first, Zess T. can’t cook more than one item. You won’t be able to do anything about this until after you’ve finished Chapter 4. Once you’ve reached this point, a new side quest will become available at the Trouble Center on Rogueport’s East Side, “Seeking legendary book.”

You can complete this side quest during your first trip through Creepy Steeple. Once you enter the front door, head north and roll into Tube mode. It’s hard to see, but there’s a hidden hole you can squeeze through. Thi🔜s leads you to what I can only assume🍒 is Doopliss’ secret crash pad. The cookbook is in the chest on the right.

Once you’ve got the cookbook, return to Rogueport and bring it to Zess T. She can now cook two items. She🐬 also gives you a Honey Mushroom for your trouble—a free sample!


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Drew Kopp
Drew has been an insatiable reader of Destructoid for over a decade. He got his start with Comic Book Resources and Attack of the Fanboy, and now he's rocking it as a member of Destructoid's staff!