Why it works: Spinach and water chestnut share more aroma than cooks usually use. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 21 recipes. Both carry coumarin, which smells sweet, hay. The science ↓
Tofu Spinach Dip
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Thaw the package of spinach and squeeze dry.
Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until blended.
Chill and serve
Cover; chill 2 hours.
Stir before serving.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable | 1 tbsp (14g) | 120 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Tofu | 100g firm | 76 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Spinach | 1 cup raw (30g) | 7 |
| Soup | not in our table | 0 |
| Water Chestnut | 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.
-
Spinach + water chestnuttop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together21 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Water chestnut + oniontop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together205 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Spinach + tofutop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Tofu + water chestnuttop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together13 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Spinach + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,336 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Frozen spinach
- Adds color and bulk; squeezing out its water keeps the dip from becoming watery.
- Firm silken tofu
- Provides a creamy, smooth body that makes up the base of the dip.
- Sour cream
- Adds tangy flavor and a rich, creamy texture.
- Low fat mayonnaise
- Adds fat and moisture, giving the dip a smooth, cohesive texture.
- Water chestnuts
- Contribute a crisp, crunchy texture that contrasts with the creamy base.
- Dry vegetable soup mix
- Seasons the dip with savory, herbal flavor.
The step that matters
Squeeze the thawed spinach dry. Frozen spinach holds a lot of water. If it is not squeezed dry, that liquid leaches into the creamy base during chilling, thinning the dip and diluting its flavor.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (spinach, tofu, water chestnut, cream):
- Welsh onionfits better
- Lettucefits better
- Chivefits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against spinach, tofu, water chestnut, cream. 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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