Paper Mario TTYD: Recipes That'll Really Hit The Spot (2024)

If one wants, they can get through Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door without ever engaging Zess T. and sampling her cooking. That, however, would be a mistake. It’s no exaggeration that Zess T.’s dishes rank among the most powerful consumables in the game and taking even just a few for the road can make Mario’s quest much easier.

The thing is, Zess T.’s cookbook is extensiv and not all of her creations are worth the effort it takes to cook ‘em up. The best absolutely are, though, and of those, these are the most to die for.

10 Zess Tea

Just one sip is enough!

It only seems right to start things off with a nice cup of tea. This is a special tea capable of replenishing 20FP upon drinking. For items dedicated entirely to FP, this is among the best since it only takes a single Golden Leaf from Creepy Steeple to brew it. This makes Zess Tea both more effective and much more inexpensive than the Maple Syrups sold in the shops.

9 Electro Pop

A shockingly tasty way to replenish Mario’s energy!

The Electro Pop might look weak at first glance, but consider this: it both restores 15FP and effectively gives Mario a buff to both offense and defense. That buff doesn’t translate directly into raw damage and damage reduction, but the electrified status it grants does do passive damage each time Mario is attacked and outright stops leeching enemies like fuzzies. It also makes it easier for Mario to attack enemies who are themselves electrified.

8 Spicy Pasta

Spice up Mario’s attacks and get back some HP and FP!

Those who want to kick things up a notch while also restoring some HP and FP would do well to stock up on Spicy Pasta. This dish will restore 10HP and 10FP to Mario while also giving him a one point boost to attack! Unfortunately, its main ingredient, Fresh Pasta, is kind of expensive at fifty coins per serving.

7 Shroom Crepe

A delicate creation that makes the most of its high-end ingredients.

The Shroom Crepe is as effective as it is delicious, restoring 30HP and 20FP upon consumption. Its only drawback is that one of its key ingredients is an Ultra Mushroom (the other is Cake Mix), which costs anywhere from 120 to 200 coins. It’s not a problem if Mario’s got money to burn, but otherwise there are probably better uses for such expensive ingredients.

The Shroom Crepe isn’t a bad option if one wants to be efficient with inventory space and doesn’t have a Jammin’ Jelly on hand. The Ultra Mushroom’s full 50HP is almost never needed, so turning twenty points into FP isn’t the worst thing to do with it.

6 Jelly Ultra

Supreme restoration, but it’s gonna cost ya.

If Mario has a Jammin’ Jelly to go along with his Ultra Mushroom, then there’s no better option than the Jelly Ultra. This item is the pinnacle of restoratives, combining both items’ full effects to give its consumer both 50HP and 50FP. It really is the ultimate, but that almost makes it too valuable to use.

With so much power packed into a single item, one would usually want to wait until both their HP and FP are critically low before using it. Otherwise, it kind of feels like a waste. So, despite how powerful this is, there are better recipes in the cookbook.

5 Zess Dynamite

Blow away the baddies with this explosive dish!

Zess T. can actually make a few concoctions good for making Mario’s enemies feel the heat, but none can compete with Zess Dynamite. When served, this powerful dish makes all enemies feel the full wrath of Zess T., taking a whopping seven points of damage in the process! It’s cheap too, as it’s essentially made from just fire flowers, coconuts and mystic eggs!

4 Zess Cookie

If real cookies were this good, they’d practically be a staple!

Sometimes even just a little cookie can go a long way and Zess Cookies often do even better. One cookie replenishes 15HP and 15FP, making it a better mid-level option than its direct competition: the Maple Super, which is much more expensive and only grants 10HP and 15FP.

Making a Zess Cookie only requires a Cake Mix (roughly eighteen coins) and a Mystic Egg (a gift from Petuni), so getting some of these is really just a matter of putting in a little leg work. It takes a few minutes, but the effort is worth it.

3 Shroom Steak

Sometimes you just need a nice, hearty steak dinner.

The Shroom Steak grants even more HP than the Zess Cookie, giving Mario thirty whole points to play around with rather than just fifteen. It gives a little less FP at only ten points, but the extra HP is probably worth it. It requires a Dried Shroom or Mushroom and at least a Life Shroom to make, which makes it kind of an expensive recipe since a Life Shroom costs at least forty coins.

Even at forty coins, though, the Shroom Steak holds its own, since each coin spent on its ingredients equates to at least one point of HP or FP. It's almost like converting cash straight into staying power!

2 Zess Special

This special is so strong that it would easily dominate the regular menu!

For those looking for even more recovery for their efforts, then how about whipping up a Zess Special? It replenishes both 20HP and 20FP and can be made cheaply so long as one doesn’t mind running around a bit. First, make a Healthy Salad (Turtley Leaf + Horsetail) and then broil either a Life Shroom or a Slow Shroom for a Mushroom Roast. After that, combine the roast and the salad for a nutritious Zess Special.

1 Zess Deluxe

A true master chef doesn’t need expensive ingredients to craft masterful dishes.

While the Zes Deluxe isn’t the most potent healing item Zess T. can craft, it might just be the most cost-effective. This sumptuous meal replenishes 40HP and 40FP, and can be cooked up by combining a Shroom Steak with a Healthy Salad. Healthy Salads are cheap and easy to make, but the Shroom Steak can cost a few coins since it requires at least a Life Shroom and a Dried Shroom.

Life Shrooms cost at least forty coins, so a Zess Deluxe will run Mario at least 42 coins if he just buys the ingredients. Still, it’s way better than shelling out 120 to 200 coins for an Ultra Mushroom, making the Deluxe much more usable.