Couldn't parse data file recipe Minecraft

What this actually means

A recipe, loot table or advancement JSON is invalid or references something that doesn't exist. Usually non-fatal — that one entry is skipped.

How to fix it

Fix or remove the named file. If it came from a mod, the mod shipped a broken recipe and you can usually ignore it. If it is yours, check the item ids actually exist -- a typo'd id is the common cause.

How to be sure it is this

The error gives the JSON path. Open it.

What it gets mistaken for

Usually assumed to be malformed JSON when it is actually a reference to an item that does not exist — which produces no error at all elsewhere.

What to do next

Validate every referenced id against what your jars register. See ids that silently do nothing.

What it looks like in your log

Search your crash report or latest.log for any of these:

Couldn't parse
Failed to load datapack
Parsing error loading recipe

The free edition covers the six most common startup failures, and this is not one of them — it is in the paid tool, which checks all 24 and names the mod jar from the stack trace. The fix above is the same one it prints, so you do not need it to solve this.