diff --git a/src/sparsezoo/objects/recipe.py b/src/sparsezoo/objects/recipe.py
index 213ff74f..138ac182 100644
--- a/src/sparsezoo/objects/recipe.py
+++ b/src/sparsezoo/objects/recipe.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ class RecipeTypes(Enum):
     """
 
     ORIGINAL = "original"
+    SPARSE = "sparse"
+    TRANSFER = "transfer"
     TRANSFER_LEARN = "transfer_learn"
 
 
@@ -455,9 +457,6 @@ def search_sparse_recipes(
         """
         from sparsezoo.objects.model import Model
 
-        if isinstance(recipe_type, str):
-            recipe_type = RecipeTypes(recipe_type).value
-
         if not isinstance(model, Model):
             model = Model.load_model_from_stub(model)
 
@@ -508,7 +507,10 @@ def recipe_type_original(self) -> bool:
         :return: True if this is the original recipe that created the
             model, False otherwise
         """
-        return self.recipe_type == RecipeTypes.ORIGINAL.value
+        return any(
+            self.recipe_type.startswith(start)
+            for start in [RecipeTypes.ORIGINAL.value, RecipeTypes.SPARSE.value]
+        )
 
     @property
     def recipe_type_transfer_learn(self) -> bool:
@@ -516,7 +518,10 @@ def recipe_type_transfer_learn(self) -> bool:
         :return: True if this is a recipe for transfer learning from the
             created model, False otherwise
         """
-        return self.recipe_type == RecipeTypes.TRANSFER_LEARN.value
+        return any(
+            self.recipe_type.startswith(start)
+            for start in [RecipeTypes.TRANSFER.value, RecipeTypes.TRANSFER_LEARN.value]
+        )
 
     @property
     def display_name(self):
@@ -653,15 +658,17 @@ def download_base_framework_files(
             return base_framework_files or framework_files
 
 
-def _get_stub_args_recipe_type(stub_args: Dict[str, str]) -> str:
+def _get_stub_args_recipe_type(stub_args: Dict[str, str]) -> Optional[str]:
     # check recipe type, default to original, and validate
     recipe_type = stub_args.get("recipe_type")
-
-    # validate
     valid_recipe_types = list(map(lambda typ: typ.value, RecipeTypes))
-    if recipe_type not in valid_recipe_types and recipe_type is not None:
+
+    if recipe_type is not None and not any(
+        recipe_type.startswith(start) for start in valid_recipe_types
+    ):
         raise ValueError(
             f"Invalid recipe_type: '{recipe_type}'. "
-            f"Valid recipe types: {valid_recipe_types}"
+            f"Valid recipes must start with one of: {valid_recipe_types}"
         )
+
     return recipe_type