diff --git a/app/models/schemas/recipe.py b/app/models/schemas/recipe.py
index c0b434d..0fc8d0a 100644
--- a/app/models/schemas/recipe.py
+++ b/app/models/schemas/recipe.py
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ class RecipeRequest(BaseModel):
     pantry_match_only: bool = False  # when True, only return recipes with zero missing ingredients
     complexity_filter: str | None = None  # 'easy' | 'moderate' | 'involved' — None = any
     max_time_min: int | None = None  # filter by estimated cooking time ceiling
-    max_total_min: int | None = None  # filter by parsed total time from recipe directions
+    max_total_min: int | None = None  # filter by parsed total time (active + passive)
+    max_active_min: int | None = None  # filter by hands-on active time only
     unit_system: str = "metric"  # "metric" | "imperial"
 
 
diff --git a/app/services/recipe/recipe_engine.py b/app/services/recipe/recipe_engine.py
index 817479b..6d8b901 100644
--- a/app/services/recipe/recipe_engine.py
+++ b/app/services/recipe/recipe_engine.py
@@ -918,6 +918,14 @@ class RecipeEngine:
                 elif row_time_min > req.max_total_min:
                     continue
 
+            # Active (hands-on) time filter — independent of total time.
+            # Lets users request "≤30 min hands-on, any total" to include slow braises.
+            # Skips recipes where active_min == 0 (no time signals parsed) to avoid
+            # hiding valid results when the parser couldn't extract timing.
+            if req.max_active_min is not None and row_time_effort.active_min > 0:
+                if row_time_effort.active_min > req.max_active_min:
+                    continue
+
             # Level 2: also add dietary constraint swaps from substitution_pairs
             if req.level == 2 and req.constraints:
                 for ing in ingredient_names:
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue b/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue
index 79547f6..04b3219 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/RecipesView.vue
@@ -142,22 +142,40 @@
       <!-- Time Budget selector (kiwi#52) -->
       <!-- Shows when time_first_layout != 'normal' (auto or time_first) -->
       <div v-if="settingsStore.timeFirstLayout !== 'normal'" class="form-group time-bucket-group">
-        <label class="form-label">How much time do you have?</label>
-        <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-sm">
-          <button
-            v-for="bucket in timeBuckets"
-            :key="bucket.label"
-            :class="['btn', 'btn-sm', 'time-bucket-btn',
-              recipesStore.maxTotalMin === bucket.value ? 'time-bucket-active' : 'btn-secondary']"
-            @click="recipesStore.maxTotalMin = recipesStore.maxTotalMin === bucket.value ? null : bucket.value"
-            :aria-pressed="recipesStore.maxTotalMin === bucket.value"
-          >
-            {{ bucket.label }}
-          </button>
+        <!-- Hands-on / active time row -->
+        <div class="time-row">
+          <span class="time-row-label">Hands-on time</span>
+          <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-xs">
+            <button
+              v-for="bucket in activeTimeBuckets"
+              :key="'active-' + bucket.label"
+              :class="['btn', 'btn-sm', 'time-bucket-btn',
+                recipesStore.maxActiveMin === bucket.value ? 'time-bucket-active' : 'btn-secondary']"
+              @click="recipesStore.maxActiveMin = recipesStore.maxActiveMin === bucket.value ? null : bucket.value"
+              :aria-pressed="recipesStore.maxActiveMin === bucket.value"
+              :title="'Max ' + bucket.label + ' of active cooking'"
+            >{{ bucket.label }}</button>
+          </div>
         </div>
+
+        <!-- Total time (including passive waits) row -->
+        <div class="time-row">
+          <span class="time-row-label">Total time</span>
+          <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-xs">
+            <button
+              v-for="bucket in totalTimeBuckets"
+              :key="'total-' + bucket.label"
+              :class="['btn', 'btn-sm', 'time-bucket-btn',
+                recipesStore.maxTotalMin === bucket.value ? 'time-bucket-active' : 'btn-secondary']"
+              @click="recipesStore.maxTotalMin = recipesStore.maxTotalMin === bucket.value ? null : bucket.value"
+              :aria-pressed="recipesStore.maxTotalMin === bucket.value"
+              :title="'Max ' + bucket.label + ' start to finish'"
+            >{{ bucket.label }}</button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
         <p class="form-hint">
-          Filters by time found in recipe steps.
-          <span v-if="!recipesStore.maxTotalMin">No time limit set.</span>
+          Both limits apply when set. Hands-on excludes wait time (marinating, baking, etc.).
         </p>
       </div>
 
@@ -958,12 +976,21 @@ const activeNutritionFilterCount = computed(() =>
 const activeLevel = computed(() => levels.find(l => l.value === recipesStore.level))
 
 // Time budget buckets for the time-first entry selector (kiwi#52)
-const timeBuckets = [
+// Active = hands-on cooking; total = active + passive waits (marinating, baking, etc.)
+const activeTimeBuckets = [
   { label: '15 min', value: 15 },
   { label: '30 min', value: 30 },
   { label: '45 min', value: 45 },
-  { label: '1 hour', value: 60 },
+  { label: '1 hr', value: 60 },
+]
+
+const totalTimeBuckets = [
+  { label: '30 min', value: 30 },
+  { label: '1 hr', value: 60 },
   { label: '90 min', value: 90 },
+  { label: '2 hr', value: 120 },
+  { label: '3 hr', value: 180 },
+  { label: '4+ hr', value: 240 },
 ]
 
 const cuisineStyles = [
@@ -1529,10 +1556,28 @@ details[open] .collapsible-summary::before {
 /* Time bucket selector (kiwi#52) */
 .time-bucket-group {
   margin-top: var(--spacing-sm, 0.5rem);
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: var(--spacing-xs);
+}
+
+.time-row {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: var(--spacing-sm);
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+
+.time-row-label {
+  font-size: var(--font-size-sm);
+  color: var(--color-text-secondary);
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  min-width: 6rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
 }
 
 .time-bucket-btn {
-  min-width: 4.5rem;
+  min-width: 4rem;
   border-radius: var(--radius-full, 9999px);
   font-weight: 500;
 }
@@ -1543,6 +1588,17 @@ details[open] .collapsible-summary::before {
   border-color: var(--color-primary, #1a6b4a);
 }
 
+@media (max-width: 480px) {
+  .time-row {
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: flex-start;
+  }
+
+  .time-row-label {
+    min-width: unset;
+  }
+}
+
 /* Preset grid — auto-fill 2+ columns */
 .preset-grid {
   display: grid;
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.ts b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
index 7dfe789..5e6c981 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ export interface RecipeRequest {
   complexity_filter: string | null
   max_time_min: number | null
   max_total_min: number | null
+  max_active_min: number | null
 }
 
 export interface Staple {
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/recipes.ts b/frontend/src/stores/recipes.ts
index f85df6b..de6027a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/recipes.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/recipes.ts
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ export const useRecipesStore = defineStore('recipes', () => {
   const complexityFilter = ref<string | null>(null)
   const maxTimeMin = ref<number | null>(null)
   const maxTotalMin = ref<number | null>(null)
+  const maxActiveMin = ref<number | null>(null)
   const nutritionFilters = ref<NutritionFilters>({
     max_calories: null,
     max_sugar_g: null,
@@ -207,6 +208,7 @@ export const useRecipesStore = defineStore('recipes', () => {
       complexity_filter: complexityFilter.value,
       max_time_min: maxTimeMin.value,
       max_total_min: maxTotalMin.value,
+      max_active_min: maxActiveMin.value,
     }
   }
 
@@ -396,6 +398,7 @@ export const useRecipesStore = defineStore('recipes', () => {
     complexityFilter,
     maxTimeMin,
     maxTotalMin,
+    maxActiveMin,
     nutritionFilters,
     dismissedIds,
     dismissedCount,