Instacart MCP Server

The Instacart MCP server is the official Model Context Protocol integration for the Instacart Developer Platform API. It is provider-hosted, so there is no repo to clone or container to run. Clients connect over Streamable HTTP to https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp (production) or https://mcp.dev.instacart.tools/mcp (development) and authenticate with an Instacart Developer Platform API key passed as a Bearer token.

The server exposes two tools: create-recipe, which produces a shareable Instacart recipe page with ingredients, instructions, servings, and cook time, and create-shopping-list, which produces a shareable shopping list page with line items that map to real Instacart products. Both tools return a hosted URL that users can open to buy the ingredients for delivery or pickup from a nearby retailer.

The integration is designed for recipe sites, meal planners, nutrition apps, and AI assistants that want to convert text recipes or meal plans into checkout-ready Instacart links without writing direct REST calls. The MCP schema lets the model self-discover the parameter shape (title, ingredients, line items, expiration, partner linkback URL, etc.) and call the API in one step.

Tools

Prerequisites

• An Instacart Developer Platform account and API key (request one at docs.instacart.com)
• An MCP client that supports Streamable HTTP transport with custom headers (Claude Desktop, Cursor, MCP Inspector, etc.)

Server endpoints

• Production: https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp
• Development: https://mcp.dev.instacart.tools/mcp

Authentication

Pass your Instacart Developer Platform API key as a Bearer token in the Authorization header.

Test with MCP Inspector

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

In the Inspector UI:

• Transport Type: Streamable HTTP
• URL: https://mcp.dev.instacart.tools/mcp
• Headers: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_INSTACART_API_KEY

Click Connect, then open the Tools tab to see create-recipe and create-shopping-list.

Claude Desktop / Cursor config

For clients that support remote MCP servers with headers, add a server entry similar to:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instacart": {
      "url": "https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp",
      "transport": "http",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_INSTACART_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

For clients that do not support remote HTTP servers directly, use a wrapper such as mcp-remote:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instacart": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_INSTACART_API_KEY"
      ]
    }
  }
}

• Turn a recipe pasted into a chat into a fully shoppable Instacart recipe page, including measurements and instructions.
• Convert a weekly meal plan generated by an AI agent into a single Instacart shopping list link for one-click checkout.
• Add an Instacart Buy Now button to a recipe blog or nutrition app by having an agent call create-recipe with the ingredient list at publish time.
• Build a voice or chat assistant that lets users say "order the ingredients for chicken tikka masala" and respond with a checkout URL.
• Power a partner integration by setting landing_page_configuration.partner_linkback_url to drive users back to your site after shopping.

• "Create an Instacart recipe page for spaghetti carbonara, 4 servings, with pancetta, eggs, pecorino, and black pepper, then give me the link."
• "Take this week's meal plan and generate one Instacart shopping list that covers all the ingredients."
• "Make an Instacart shopping list called 'Taco Night' with ground beef, taco shells, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa."
• "Generate a recipe page for my grandma's chocolate chip cookies with the instructions below and an expiration of 30 days."
• "Build an Instacart shopping list for a vegetarian Thanksgiving for 8 people and return the URL."

• Officially built and hosted by Instacart, so no self-hosting or maintenance is required.
• Remote Streamable HTTP server with simple Bearer token auth works with most modern MCP clients.
• Tools map directly to the production Instacart Developer Platform API, including rich line item options (UPCs, product IDs, measurements, filters).
• Separate development endpoint makes it easy to test without affecting production traffic.

• Scope is narrow: only recipe page and shopping list creation. There are no tools for placing real orders, browsing retailers, tracking deliveries, or managing carts.
• Requires an approved Instacart Developer Platform API key, which is gated and intended for partners rather than end users.
• Documentation for MCP-specific client configuration is thin; setup details for Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc. must be inferred from generic MCP guidance.

• Strider Labs mcp-instacart: community open-source server that aims to support product search and cart management on top of unofficial endpoints.
• Apify Instacart Product Details Scraper MCP: scraper-based MCP server for reading product data, not for creating shoppable pages.
• Direct use of the Instacart Developer Platform REST API if you do not need the MCP abstraction.