diff --git a/cauldron/server.py b/cauldron/server.py
index a871047..b0b274d 100644
--- a/cauldron/server.py
+++ b/cauldron/server.py
@@ -471,6 +471,20 @@ def create_app() -> Flask:
     def list_view():
         return render_template("stub.html", title="list", coming="aggregated shopping list from this week's plan", active="list")
 
+    @app.get("/api/recipes/<slug>.json")
+    @require_session
+    def recipe_detail_json(slug: str):
+        client = current_user_mealie()
+        if not client:
+            return jsonify({"error": "not connected"}), 409
+        u = session["user"]
+        try:
+            recipe = client.get_recipe(slug)
+        except Exception as e:
+            return jsonify({"error": str(e)}), 502
+        recipe["picked"] = slug in db.list_household_pick_slugs(current_household_id() or 0) if current_household_id() else False
+        return jsonify({"recipe": recipe, "public_url": cfg.mealie_public_url})
+
     @app.get("/recipes/<slug>")
     @require_session
     def recipe_detail(slug: str):
diff --git a/cauldron/templates/_base.html b/cauldron/templates/_base.html
index 97d9833..5c75e6e 100644
--- a/cauldron/templates/_base.html
+++ b/cauldron/templates/_base.html
@@ -374,11 +374,96 @@ ol li, ul li { margin: .35em 0; }
   .recipe-card .rname { font-size: .95em; }
 }
 
+/* Recipe modal */
+.modal-backdrop {
+  position: fixed; inset: 0; z-index: 100;
+  background: rgba(5, 5, 8, .82);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(6px); -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
+  display: none; align-items: flex-end; justify-content: center;
+  animation: backdropIn .2s ease-out forwards;
+  overscroll-behavior: contain;
+}
+.modal-backdrop.open { display: flex; }
+@media (min-width: 720px) { .modal-backdrop { align-items: center; padding: 30px; } }
+.modal {
+  background: var(--surface);
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  border-radius: 8px 8px 0 0;
+  width: 100%; max-width: 720px;
+  max-height: 92vh; max-height: 92dvh;
+  display: flex; flex-direction: column;
+  box-shadow: 0 -10px 60px -10px rgba(0,0,0,.7), 0 0 0 1px rgba(155,95,232,.15);
+  animation: modalIn .25s ease-out forwards;
+  overscroll-behavior: contain;
+}
+@media (min-width: 720px) { .modal { border-radius: 8px; max-height: 86vh; } }
+.modal-head {
+  padding: 14px 18px;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
+  display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; gap: 10px;
+  background: var(--bg-2);
+  border-radius: 8px 8px 0 0;
+}
+.modal-head .title {
+  flex: 1; min-width: 0;
+  color: var(--bone); font-family: var(--serif); font-weight: 600; font-size: 1.15em;
+  letter-spacing: .02em;
+  overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.modal-close {
+  width: 40px; height: 40px; border-radius: 50%;
+  background: var(--surface-2); border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  color: var(--bone-dim); font-size: 22px; line-height: 1;
+  cursor: pointer; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+.modal-close:active { transform: scale(.92); background: var(--surface-3); }
+.modal-body {
+  padding: 18px;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;
+  flex: 1;
+}
+.modal-body h3 {
+  margin: 1.2em 0 .4em 0; padding-bottom: .3em;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line-soft);
+  color: var(--purple-bright); font-family: var(--serif); font-weight: 600;
+  font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: .15em; text-transform: uppercase;
+}
+.modal-body h3:first-child { margin-top: 0; }
+.modal-body .ing-list { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; }
+.modal-body .ing-list li { padding: 6px 0; border-bottom: 1px dashed var(--line-soft); color: var(--bone); }
+.modal-body .ing-list li:last-child { border-bottom: none; }
+.modal-body ol.steps { padding-left: 1.4em; margin: 0; }
+.modal-body ol.steps li { padding: 6px 0; color: var(--bone); }
+.modal-foot {
+  padding: 14px 18px;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--line);
+  background: var(--bg-2);
+  display: flex; gap: 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center;
+}
+.modal-foot .btn { flex: 1; min-width: 120px; text-align: center; }
+.modal-foot .btn.full { flex: 1 0 100%; }
+.modal-meta {
+  display: flex; gap: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-bottom: 12px;
+  color: var(--muted); font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: .15em;
+  text-transform: uppercase; font-family: var(--mono);
+}
+.modal-meta .m { padding: 3px 10px; border: 1px solid var(--line); border-radius: 999px; }
+
 /* Animations */
 @keyframes fadeIn {
   from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(8px); }
   to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
 }
+@keyframes backdropIn {
+  from { opacity: 0; }
+  to { opacity: 1; }
+}
+@keyframes modalIn {
+  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(20px); }
+  to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
+}
 
 form { margin: 0; }
 button { font-family: inherit; }
@@ -409,5 +494,172 @@ button { font-family: inherit; }
 {% block content %}{% endblock %}
 </main>
 
+<div class="modal-backdrop" id="recipe-modal" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" aria-hidden="true">
+  <div class="modal" role="document">
+    <div class="modal-head">
+      <div class="title" id="modal-title">…</div>
+      <button class="modal-close" type="button" id="modal-close" aria-label="close">×</button>
+    </div>
+    <div class="modal-body" id="modal-body">
+      <p style="color: var(--muted); text-align: center; padding: 30px 0;">summoning…</p>
+    </div>
+    <div class="modal-foot" id="modal-foot"></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<script>
+(function(){
+  const modal      = document.getElementById('recipe-modal');
+  const titleEl    = document.getElementById('modal-title');
+  const bodyEl     = document.getElementById('modal-body');
+  const footEl     = document.getElementById('modal-foot');
+  const closeBtn   = document.getElementById('modal-close');
+  let currentSlug  = null;
+  let openedHistory = false;
+
+  function escapeHtml(s) { return String(s).replace(/[&<>"']/g, c => ({'&':'&amp;','<':'&lt;','>':'&gt;','"':'&quot;',"'":'&#39;'}[c])); }
+
+  function setHidden(hidden) {
+    modal.classList.toggle('open', !hidden);
+    modal.setAttribute('aria-hidden', hidden ? 'true' : 'false');
+    document.body.style.overflow = hidden ? '' : 'hidden';
+  }
+
+  async function openRecipe(slug, name, pushHistory=true) {
+    currentSlug = slug;
+    titleEl.textContent = name || '…';
+    bodyEl.innerHTML = '<p style="color: var(--muted); text-align: center; padding: 30px 0;">summoning…</p>';
+    footEl.innerHTML = '';
+    setHidden(false);
+    if (pushHistory) {
+      history.pushState({modalSlug: slug}, '', '/recipes/' + encodeURIComponent(slug));
+      openedHistory = true;
+    }
+    try {
+      const r = await fetch('/api/recipes/' + encodeURIComponent(slug) + '.json');
+      if (!r.ok) throw new Error(r.status);
+      const data = await r.json();
+      renderRecipe(data.recipe, data.public_url);
+    } catch (e) {
+      bodyEl.innerHTML = '<p style="color: var(--crit);">load failed.</p>';
+    }
+  }
+
+  function renderRecipe(r, publicUrl) {
+    titleEl.textContent = r.name || '(untitled)';
+    const meta = [];
+    if (r.totalTime) meta.push('<span class="m">' + escapeHtml(r.totalTime) + '</span>');
+    if (r.prepTime) meta.push('<span class="m">prep ' + escapeHtml(r.prepTime) + '</span>');
+    if (r.cookTime) meta.push('<span class="m">cook ' + escapeHtml(r.cookTime) + '</span>');
+    if (r.recipeYield) meta.push('<span class="m">' + escapeHtml(r.recipeYield) + '</span>');
+    const metaHtml = meta.length ? '<div class="modal-meta">' + meta.join('') + '</div>' : '';
+
+    let html = metaHtml;
+    if (r.description) html += '<p style="color: var(--bone-dim); font-style: italic;">' + escapeHtml(r.description) + '</p>';
+
+    const ings = r.recipeIngredient || [];
+    if (ings.length) {
+      html += '<h3>ingredients · ' + ings.length + '</h3><ul class="ing-list">';
+      for (const i of ings) {
+        const txt = i.display || i.note || '';
+        html += '<li>' + escapeHtml(txt) + '</li>';
+      }
+      html += '</ul>';
+    }
+
+    const steps = r.recipeInstructions || [];
+    if (steps.length) {
+      html += '<h3>instructions</h3><ol class="steps">';
+      for (const s of steps) {
+        html += '<li>' + escapeHtml(s.text || '') + '</li>';
+      }
+      html += '</ol>';
+    }
+    bodyEl.innerHTML = html;
+    bodyEl.scrollTop = 0;
+
+    const isPicked = !!r.picked;
+    footEl.innerHTML = `
+      <button class="btn ${isPicked ? 'btn-purple' : 'btn-primary'}" type="button" id="modal-pin"
+              data-slug="${escapeHtml(r.slug)}" data-name="${escapeHtml(r.name||'')}">
+        🍄 ${isPicked ? 'pinned · unpin' : 'pin to plan'}
+      </button>
+      <a class="btn" href="${publicUrl}/recipe/${encodeURIComponent(r.slug)}" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in mealie ↗</a>
+    `;
+  }
+
+  function closeModal() {
+    setHidden(true);
+    currentSlug = null;
+    if (openedHistory && history.state && history.state.modalSlug) {
+      openedHistory = false;
+      history.back();
+    }
+  }
+
+  closeBtn.addEventListener('click', closeModal);
+  modal.addEventListener('click', (e) => { if (e.target === modal) closeModal(); });
+  document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
+    if (e.key === 'Escape' && modal.classList.contains('open')) closeModal();
+  });
+
+  window.addEventListener('popstate', (e) => {
+    if (modal.classList.contains('open')) {
+      setHidden(true);
+      currentSlug = null;
+      openedHistory = false;
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Hijack any recipe-card click anywhere on the page → open modal
+  document.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+    const card = e.target.closest('.recipe-card');
+    if (!card) return;
+    if (e.target.closest('.pick-btn')) return;  // mushroom handles its own
+    if (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey || e.shiftKey || e.button === 1) return;  // open in new tab
+    e.preventDefault();
+    const slug = card.dataset.slug || (card.getAttribute('href') || '').replace('/recipes/','');
+    if (slug) openRecipe(slug, card.querySelector('.rname')?.textContent);
+  });
+
+  // Pin toggle inside the modal (event delegation on body)
+  footEl.addEventListener('click', async (e) => {
+    const btn = e.target.closest('#modal-pin');
+    if (!btn) return;
+    const slug = btn.dataset.slug;
+    const name = btn.dataset.name;
+    const isOn = btn.classList.contains('btn-purple');
+    btn.disabled = true;
+    try {
+      const r = await fetch('/api/picks/' + encodeURIComponent(slug), {
+        method: isOn ? 'DELETE' : 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: isOn ? null : JSON.stringify({ name })
+      });
+      if (!r.ok) throw new Error(r.status);
+      btn.classList.toggle('btn-purple');
+      btn.classList.toggle('btn-primary');
+      btn.innerHTML = btn.classList.contains('btn-purple')
+        ? '🍄 pinned · unpin'
+        : '🍄 pin to plan';
+      // Sync the matching card on the page (if visible)
+      const card = document.querySelector('.recipe-card[data-slug="' + slug + '"]');
+      if (card) {
+        card.classList.toggle('picked');
+        const pickBtn = card.querySelector('.pick-btn');
+        if (pickBtn) pickBtn.classList.toggle('on');
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      /* leave as-is */
+    } finally {
+      btn.disabled = false;
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Direct-link fallback: if user lands on /recipes/<slug> directly (e.g. shared link),
+  // the server-rendered detail page handles it. No modal pop on initial load.
+})();
+</script>
+
 </body>
 </html>