Why it works: Cucumber and dill match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 530 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Cucumber Dip
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Peel the cucumbers.
Grate the cucumbers.
Add salt and let sit for 15 minutes.
Set aside a few dill sprigs for garnish.
Chop the remaining dill and mint leaves.
Mince the garlic.
Make the dip
Add olive oil, garlic, and water to the yogurt. Blend until smooth.
Knead the grated cucumber to remove excess water.
Add the cucumber, dill, and mint to the yogurt mixture. Blend again.
Season with salt and sugar to taste.
Garnish with the dill sprigs.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 8 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Dill | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Peppermint | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Cucumber + dilltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together530 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Cucumber + garlictop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,556 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Cucumber + minttop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together884 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Dill + minttop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together177 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Yoghurt
- Forms the creamy, tangy base of the dip.
- Cucumber
- Adds moisture and crisp, fresh texture to the dip.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat for richer flavour and a smoother mouthfeel.
- Garlic
- Contributes sharp, pungent aroma and savoury flavour.
- Dill
- Provides herbal, aromatic flavour throughout the dip.
- Mint leaves
- Adds cool, fresh aroma that brightens the yogurt.
The step that matters
Knead the grated cucumber to remove excess water. Cucumber is mostly water; if excess liquid stays in, it thins the yogurt and makes the dip watery. Salting and squeezing draws out moisture so the dip stays thick.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cucumber, dill, mint, olive, garlic, sugar):
- Corianderfits better
- Fennelfits better
- Cuminfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cucumber, dill, mint, olive, garlic, sugar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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