Three Star Enchiladas

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.

1. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

2. Garlic + tomatotop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together14,076 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

3. Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

4. Corn + tomatotop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,099 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

5. Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together17,923 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

What each ingredient does

Corn tortillas

Form the layers that hold the filling and set into a tender, sliceable structure.

Bean puree

Adds body and moisture to the filling, binding it between the tortilla layers.

Tomato sauce

Provides moisture and acidity that softens the tortillas as they bake.

Cheddar or monterey jack cheese

Melts into the layers to add richness and help bind the filling.

Onion

Adds sweetness and savory depth when softened in oil.

The step that matters

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (corn, onion, garlic, pepper, tomato, sauce, cheese):

1. Cuminfits better
2. Oreganofits better
3. Basilfits better
4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against corn, onion, garlic, pepper, tomato, sauce, cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.