Why it works: Pepper and basil match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,294 recipes. Both carry methyl cinnamate, which smells strawberry. The science ↓
Asparagus Tips and 4-Cheese Bake
Serves 4Ingredients
Directions
Step-by-step directions aren't available for this recipe. See the full recipe at the source →
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Munster Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Asparagus | 6 spears (90g) | 27 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Pepper + basiltop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,294 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
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Cheddar cheese + munster cheesetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1 recipe
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
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Asparagus + oniontop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,212 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
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Asparagus + basiltop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together161 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
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Asparagus + peppertop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,968 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
Swap the basil
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (asparagus, cheddar cheese, munster cheese, egg, onion, pepper, bread):
- Garlicfits better
- Parsleyfits better
- Celeryfits better
- Basilthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against asparagus, cheddar cheese, munster cheese, egg, onion, pepper, bread. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
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