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Find step-by-step recipes from API Ninjas Recipe API in an n8n AI agent

Milan Vasarhelyi - SmoothWorkMilan Vasarhelyi - SmoothWork
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2/3/2026
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Workflow Overview

This workflow creates an intelligent AI chatbot that retrieves recipes from an external API through natural conversation. When users ask for recipes, the AI agent automatically determines when to use the recipe lookup tool, fetches real-time data from the API Ninjas Recipe API, and provides helpful, conversational responses. This demonstrates the powerful capability of API-to-API integration within n8n, allowing AI agents to access external data sources on demand.

Key Features

  • Intelligent Tool Calling: The AI agent automatically decides when to use the HTTP Request Tool based on user queries
  • External API Integration: Connects to API Ninjas Recipe API using Header Authentication for secure access
  • Conversational Memory: Maintains context across multiple turns for natural dialogue
  • Dynamic Query Generation: The AI model automatically generates the appropriate search query parameters based on user input

Common Use Cases

  • Build AI assistants that need access to real-time external data
  • Create chatbots with specialized knowledge from third-party APIs
  • Demonstrate API-to-API integration patterns for custom automation
  • Prototype AI agents with tool-calling capabilities

Setup & Configuration

Required Credentials:

  1. OpenAI API: Sign up at OpenAI and obtain an API key for the language model. Configure this in n8n's credential manager.
  2. API Ninjas: Register at API Ninjas to get your free API key for the Recipe API (supports 400+ calls/day). This API uses Header Authentication with the header name "X-Api-Key".

Agent Configuration:

The AI Agent includes a system message instructing it to "Always use the recipe tool if i ask you for recipe." This ensures the agent leverages the external API when appropriate. The HTTP Request Tool is configured with the API endpoint (https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/recipe) and set to accept query parameters automatically from the AI model. The tool description "Use the query parameter to specify the food, and it will return a recipe" helps the AI understand when and how to use it.

Language Model: Currently configured to use OpenAI's gpt-5-mini, but you can change this to other compatible models based on your needs and budget.

Memory: Uses a window buffer to maintain conversation context, enabling natural multi-turn conversations where users can ask follow-up questions.

Find Step-by-Step Recipes from API-Ninjas Recipe API in an n8n AI Agent

This n8n workflow demonstrates how to set up a basic AI agent that can respond to chat messages. While the workflow's directory name suggests interaction with the API-Ninjas Recipe API, the provided JSON definition does not include any nodes that directly interact with an external recipe API. Instead, it focuses on the core components of an n8n AI agent for conversational interactions.

This workflow serves as a foundational example for building more complex AI agents within n8n, ready to be extended with custom tools for specific tasks like fetching recipes.

What it does

This workflow sets up a simple AI agent capable of engaging in conversational interactions:

  1. Listens for Chat Messages: The workflow is triggered whenever a new chat message is received.
  2. Initializes AI Agent: An AI Agent node is configured to process the incoming chat messages.
  3. Configures Chat Model: The agent uses an OpenAI Chat Model for understanding the conversation and generating responses.
  4. Manages Conversation History: A Simple Memory node is included to maintain context throughout the conversation, allowing the AI agent to remember previous turns.

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

  • n8n Instance: A running n8n instance.
  • OpenAI API Key: An API key for OpenAI to use their chat models. This key will need to be configured as a credential in n8n for the "OpenAI Chat Model" node.

Setup/Usage

  1. Import the workflow:
    • Download the provided JSON file.
    • In your n8n instance, go to "Workflows" and click "New".
    • Click the "Import from JSON" button and paste the workflow JSON or upload the file.
  2. Configure Credentials:
    • Locate the "OpenAI Chat Model" node.
    • Click on the "Credentials" field and select or create a new "OpenAI API" credential.
    • Enter your OpenAI API Key into the credential setup.
  3. Activate the Workflow:
    • Once the credentials are set, save the workflow.
    • Click the "Activate" toggle in the top right corner to enable the workflow.
  4. Interact with the Agent:
    • You can now send chat messages to the n8n instance (e.g., via the n8n chat UI if available, or by configuring a chat platform integration that triggers the "When chat message received" node).
    • The AI agent will process your messages and respond based on its configuration.

Extending the Workflow

To fulfill the purpose hinted by the directory name ("find-step-by-step-recipes-from-api-ninjas-recipe-api"), you would need to:

  • Add a "Tool" node within the "AI Agent" that specifically interacts with the API-Ninjas Recipe API.
  • Configure this tool with the necessary API key and logic to fetch recipe information based on user queries.
  • Ensure the AI agent is prompted to use this tool when a user asks for recipes.

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