diff --git a/package.yaml b/package.yaml
index d627f55..389f898 100644
--- a/package.yaml
+++ b/package.yaml
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ tests:
     main: Spec.hs
     source-dirs: test
     dependencies:
+      - hspec
       - roux-server
       - tasty
+      - tasty-golden
+      - tasty-hspec
       - tasty-hunit
diff --git a/roux-server.cabal b/roux-server.cabal
index 8607071..7f8bceb 100644
--- a/roux-server.cabal
+++ b/roux-server.cabal
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ build-type:     Simple
 library
   exposed-modules:
       Roux
+      Roux.Parser
       Roux.Types
   other-modules:
       Paths_roux_server
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ test-suite roux-server-test
   type: exitcode-stdio-1.0
   main-is: Spec.hs
   other-modules:
+      Roux.ParserSpec
       Paths_roux_server
   autogen-modules:
       Paths_roux_server
@@ -94,11 +96,14 @@ test-suite roux-server-test
     , bytestring
     , containers
     , directory
+    , hspec
     , http-types
     , optparse-applicative
     , parsec
     , roux-server
     , tasty
+    , tasty-golden
+    , tasty-hspec
     , tasty-hunit
     , text
     , time
diff --git a/src/Roux/Parser.hs b/src/Roux/Parser.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c2ffe1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Roux/Parser.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+{- | Parser for Cooklang (.cook) recipe files.
+
+Currently a minimal placeholder that splits input into paragraphs and
+treats them as plain-text steps.  Proper inline parsing (ingredients,
+cookware, timers, …) and metadata support will be added incrementally.
+-}
+module Roux.Parser
+    ( parseCookFile
+    ) where
+
+import Data.List.NonEmpty (NonEmpty ((:|)))
+import Data.Text (Text)
+import qualified Data.Text as T
+
+import Roux.Types
+
+-- | Parse a complete @.cook@ file into a 'Recipe'.
+--
+-- Returns 'Left' with an error message on invalid input (currently never
+-- — the placeholder always succeeds).
+parseCookFile :: Text -> Either String Recipe
+parseCookFile input =
+    let paragraphs = filter (not . T.null) (map T.strip (T.splitOn "\n\n" (T.strip input)))
+     in case paragraphs of
+            [] ->
+                Right Recipe
+                    { recipeMetadata = emptyMetadata
+                    , recipeSections = Section Nothing (Step [] :| []) :| []
+                    }
+            (p : ps) ->
+                Right Recipe
+                    { recipeMetadata = emptyMetadata
+                    , recipeSections = Section Nothing (stepFromText p :| fmap stepFromText ps) :| []
+                    }
+
+-- | Turn a paragraph of text into a single 'Step' containing nothing but
+-- 'StepText'.  This is a placeholder until inline parsing is implemented.
+stepFromText :: Text -> Step
+stepFromText t = Step [StepText t]
diff --git a/src/Roux/Types.hs b/src/Roux/Types.hs
index 38e9d20..20bfe26 100644
--- a/src/Roux/Types.hs
+++ b/src/Roux/Types.hs
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@ module Roux.Types
 
       -- * Metadata
     , Metadata (..)
+    , emptyMetadata
     ) where
 
 import Data.List.NonEmpty (NonEmpty)
 import Data.Map.Strict (Map)
+import qualified Data.Map.Strict as Map
 import Data.Text (Text)
 
 -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -183,3 +185,23 @@ data Metadata = Metadata
     , metaCustom      :: !(Map Text Text)
     }
     deriving stock (Eq, Show)
+
+-- | Metadata with all fields set to their default / empty values.
+emptyMetadata :: Metadata
+emptyMetadata =
+    Metadata
+        { metaTitle       = Nothing
+        , metaServings    = Nothing
+        , metaAuthor      = Nothing
+        , metaSource      = Nothing
+        , metaTotalTime   = Nothing
+        , metaPrepTime    = Nothing
+        , metaCookTime    = Nothing
+        , metaDifficulty  = Nothing
+        , metaCuisine     = Nothing
+        , metaDiet        = []
+        , metaTags        = []
+        , metaImage       = Nothing
+        , metaDescription = Nothing
+        , metaCustom      = Map.empty
+        }
diff --git a/test/Roux/ParserSpec.hs b/test/Roux/ParserSpec.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..172cf3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Roux/ParserSpec.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+module Roux.ParserSpec (spec) where
+
+import Data.List.NonEmpty (NonEmpty ((:|)))
+import Test.Hspec (Spec, describe, it, shouldBe)
+
+import Roux.Parser (parseCookFile)
+import Roux.Types
+
+spec :: Spec
+spec =
+    describe "parseCookFile" $ do
+        it "parses a single step of plain text" $ do
+            let input = "Hello, world."
+                expected =
+                    Right Recipe
+                        { recipeMetadata = emptyMetadata
+                        , recipeSections =
+                            Section
+                                { sectionName = Nothing
+                                , sectionSteps =
+                                    Step
+                                        { unStep = [StepText "Hello, world."]
+                                        }
+                                        :| []
+                                }
+                                :| []
+                        }
+            parseCookFile input `shouldBe` expected
+
+        it "parses multiple steps separated by a blank line" $ do
+            let input = "Wash the potatoes.\n\nPeel and dice them."
+                expected =
+                    Right Recipe
+                        { recipeMetadata = emptyMetadata
+                        , recipeSections =
+                            Section
+                                { sectionName = Nothing
+                                , sectionSteps =
+                                    Step {unStep = [StepText "Wash the potatoes."]}
+                                        :| [ Step {unStep = [StepText "Peel and dice them."]}
+                                           ]
+                                }
+                                :| []
+                        }
+            parseCookFile input `shouldBe` expected
+
+        it "handles empty input by returning an empty recipe" $ do
+            let expected =
+                    Right Recipe
+                        { recipeMetadata = emptyMetadata
+                        , recipeSections =
+                            Section
+                                { sectionName = Nothing
+                                , sectionSteps = Step {unStep = []} :| []
+                                }
+                                :| []
+                        }
+            parseCookFile "" `shouldBe` expected
+
+        it "trims leading and trailing whitespace from each step" $ do
+            let input = "\n\n  Mix well.  \n\n"
+                expected =
+                    Right Recipe
+                        { recipeMetadata = emptyMetadata
+                        , recipeSections =
+                            Section
+                                { sectionName = Nothing
+                                , sectionSteps =
+                                    Step {unStep = [StepText "Mix well."]} :| []
+                                }
+                                :| []
+                        }
+            parseCookFile input `shouldBe` expected
diff --git a/test/Spec.hs b/test/Spec.hs
index b58388d..6676ac0 100644
--- a/test/Spec.hs
+++ b/test/Spec.hs
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 module Main (main) where
 
 import Test.Tasty (defaultMain, testGroup)
+import Test.Tasty.Hspec (testSpec)
+
+import qualified Roux.ParserSpec
 
 main :: IO ()
-main =
+main = do
+    parserTests <- testSpec "Parser" Roux.ParserSpec.spec
     defaultMain $
         testGroup
             "roux-server"
-            [ ]
+            [ parserTests
+            ]