Cheese Rice Balls

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. Cheddar cheese + parmesan cheesetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together592 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).

2. Rice + milktop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together7,374 recipes

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

3. Spinach + oniontop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together3,336 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

4. Rice + spinachtop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together518 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).

5. Rice + parmesan cheesetop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together879 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Eggs

Bind the mixture together so the balls hold their shape when baked.

Cooked rice

Forms the bulk of each ball and gives a soft, tender interior.

Cheddar cheese

Melts into the mixture, adding richness and helping bind the balls.

Parmesan cheese

Adds savory, salty flavor and browns slightly on the outside while baking.

Bread crumbs

Absorb moisture and add structure so the balls stay firm.

Frozen chopped spinach

Adds moisture, color and earthy flavor to the balls.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, spinach, cheddar cheese, bread, parmesan cheese, egg, milk):

1. Asparagusfits better
2. Potatofits better
3. Tomatofits better
4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against rice, spinach, cheddar cheese, bread, parmesan cheese, egg, milk. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.