A method for recognising a capsule in an apparatus that uses capsules for making beverages wherein: the capsule has a cup-shaped body that is closed at the top by a disk-shaped lid and that contains a food substance; present on an outer surface of the disk-shaped lid there are an asymmetrical graphical element , inside which a central point of the outer surface of the disk-shaped lid lies, and a graphical code that is located in an eccentric position relative to the central point ; both the asymmetrical graphical element and the graphical code being visible in the visible spectrum; the position of the asymmetrical graphical element and the graphical code relative to each other is a known predetermined position; and the capsule may adopt, in the apparatus , any rotational position relative to its own central axis substantially perpendicular to the disk-shaped lid and passing through the central point ; the method comprising the operating steps of: acquiring, by means of a detecting device of the apparatus , an image in electronic format, which shows at least one part of the outer surface of the disk-shaped lid in the visible spectrum, and in which both the asymmetrical graphical element and the graphical code are present; by means of an electronic processing unit of the apparatus , identifying in the electronic image the asymmetrical graphical element or one or more parts of it, identifying its position in the image and saving that position as a reference position; and by means of the electronic processing unit of the apparatus , starting from the reference position and using the known predetermined position, identifying in the electronic image both a position in which the graphical code is located and a graphical code reading orientation; by means of the electronic processing unit of the apparatus , reading the graphical code taking into account the position and the orientation previously identified in the electronic image, obtaining a code in electronic format; and considering the capsule recognised when the electronic processing unit has obtained the code in electronic format. the capsule has a cup-shaped body that is closed at the top by a disk-shaped lid and that contains a food substance; present on an outer surface of the disk-shaped lid there are an asymmetrical graphical element , inside which a central point of the outer surface of the disk-shaped lid lies, and a graphical code that is located in an eccentric position relative to the central point ; both the asymmetrical graphical element and the graphical code being visible in the visible spectrum; the position of the asymmetrical graphical element and the graphical code relative to each other is a known predetermined position; and the capsule may adopt, in the apparatus , any rotational position relative to its own central axis substantially perpendicular to the disk-shaped lid and passing through the central point ; acquiring, by means of a detecting device of the apparatus , an image in electronic format, which shows at least one part of the outer surface of the disk-shaped lid in the visible spectrum, and in which both the asymmetrical graphical element and the graphical code are present; by means of an electronic processing unit of the apparatus , identifying in the electronic image the asymmetrical graphical element or one or more parts of it, identifying its position in the image and saving that position as a reference position; and by means of the electronic processing unit of the apparatus , starting from the reference position and using the known predetermined position, identifying in the electronic image both a position in which the graphical code is located and a graphical code reading orientation; by means of the electronic processing unit of the apparatus , reading the graphical code taking into account the position and the orientation previously identified in the electronic image, obtaining a code in electronic format; and <EOS>