diff --git a/cli/catalogue/generate.go b/cli/catalogue/generate.go
index 0d24d06d3..51fea34b3 100644
--- a/cli/catalogue/generate.go
+++ b/cli/catalogue/generate.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package catalogue
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -93,8 +95,24 @@ var catalogueGenerateCommand = &cli.Command{
 			<-ch // wait for everything
 		}
 
-		// for reach app, build the recipemeta from parsing
-		// spit out a JSON file
+		catl := make(catalogue.RecipeCatalogue)
+		for recipeName := range recipes {
+			// TODO: gather more metadata
+			catl[recipeName] = catalogue.RecipeMeta{
+				Name: recipeName,
+			}
+		}
+
+		recipesJSON, err := json.MarshalIndent(catl, "", "    ")
+		if err != nil {
+			logrus.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if err := ioutil.WriteFile(config.APPS_JSON, recipesJSON, 0644); err != nil {
+			logrus.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		logrus.Debugf("generated new recipe catalogue in '%s'", config.APPS_JSON)
 
 		return nil
 	},