Why it works: Onion and carrot are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 21,601 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
All-American Cole Slaw
Ingredients
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, toss the cabbage with the vinegar and salt.
Grate the carrots and optional onion directly into the bowl.
Add the mayonnaise and toss well.
For a very limp slaw, refrigerate several hours or overnight.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Carrot | 1 medium (61g) | 25 |
| Green Cabbage | 1 cup shredded (89g) | 22 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Cider | not in our table | 0 |
| Malt | 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.
-
Onion + carrottop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together21,601 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cabbage + carrottop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,505 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cabbage + oniontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,001 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cabbage + cidertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together306 recipes
Shared aroma: hexan-1-ol (green, grassy).
-
Cider + carrottop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together287 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Green cabbage
- Forms the bulk of the slaw and provides its crisp, crunchy texture.
- Mayonnaise
- Adds fat and creaminess that coats the shredded vegetables and binds the slaw.
- Cider vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor and softens the cabbage slightly as it sits.
- Carrots
- Add sweetness, color and a little extra crunch.
The step that matters
Salting and vinegar with the cabbage. Tossing the cabbage with vinegar and salt early draws out water and softens its cell walls, so the slaw turns tender rather than stays raw. Timing controls how limp it becomes.
Swap the onion
The recipe marks onion as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cabbage, cider, carrot):
- Turnipfits better
- Parsnipfits better
- Broccolifits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cabbage, cider, carrot. 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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