The Blood Moon returns in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, and it's every bit as menacing as in the previous game.

And while there's definitely reasons to dread each Blood Moon that occurs in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there's also a neat bonus that you can take advantage of.

Here's how often Blood Moons happen in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, whether or not you can trigger them, what they do, and a look at the Blood Moon cooking bonus.

If you'd like to learn more about Link's adventure, visit our Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom walkthrough.

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Blood Moon timings

Blood Moons occur every 168 minutes of real time in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. This is every three days in-game, with the Blood Moon always triggering at midnight. You will know when it is about to happen when, shortly after 11pm, you see red glowing energy start to build all around you. You can see this in the image below:

Once the clock strikes midnight, a cutscene will trigger, showing Princess Zelda staring up at a blood-drenched sky. You will then see various monsters across Hyrule spawning back to life, before you are returned to gameplay.

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Blood Moon effects

So what does the Blood Moon do in Tears of the Kingdom? Well, it basically respawns all overworld enemies, so that you can tackle them again for their resources. This does not include story bosses, like those in the Temples.

Be careful when you're close to midnight, especially if you are in enemy encampments, as once the Blood Moon hits, enemies will spawn around you, even if you just killed them.

Can you force Blood Moons to happen in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom?

No, you cannot force a Blood Moon to happen in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Skipping time at Campfires, for example, will not advance your progress towards the next Blood Moon. You will need to play three in-game days since the last one.

Because of this, there's not really an easy way to tell when a Blood Moon might be arriving on any given day, so just be prepared when the in-game clock starts nearing 11pm, and look out for the red energy trails that appear in the air around you.

Zelda Blood Moon cooking bonus

There is actually one good thing about Blood Moons, they grant you a bonus on your cooking. Every time you cook a meal, there is a small critical chance to pull of a great meal with boosted bonuses.

During a Blood Moon, between 11:30 and 12:30, this chance goes up to 100%. Healing effects, stat bonuses, the duration of those bonuses gained from ingredients will be maxed out in the resulting dish. Use this as a chance to make your resources stretch further.

That's everything you need to know about Blood Moons in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. If you need more help in your adventure across Hyrule, check out our Shrine locations guide or our Skyview Tower locations guide to find your way around.