Why it works: Coriander and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,866 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Cowboy Cheeseburgers
Ingredients
Directions
Form the patties
Mix the burger ingredients together.
Form into burgers of equal size about 1/4 inch thick without compacting the meat.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture of spices on both sides of each patty.
Cook and serve
Grill or broil, 4 inches from source of heat, for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare patties.
Place the mozzarella cheese on center of each patty.
Cook for another minute until cheese melts.
Serve each patty on a warmed 8 inch flour tortilla, topped with a tomato slice, cilantro sprigs, and taco sauce.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 10 of 13 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 10 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Tortilla | 1 medium flour (45g) | 140 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Jalapeno | 1 pepper (14g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Taco | not in our table | 0 |
| Sauce | 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.
-
Coriander + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,866 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Jalapeno + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together688 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Cheese + mozzarella cheesetop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together421 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Jalapeno + coriandertop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,363 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).
-
Coriander + peppertop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,949 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Extra-lean ground beef
- Forms the main body of the patty, providing the meaty texture and savory flavor.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Melts over the hot patty to add creamy richness and binding flavor.
- Tortilla
- Serves as the bread, adding a soft, lightly toasted base for the patty.
- Onion
- Adds moisture and sweet, aromatic flavor to the meat mixture.
The step that matters
Forming the patties. Packing the meat tightly makes burgers dense and tough, so shape them loosely to an even thickness and keep the patties uniform so they cook evenly.
Swap the jalapeno
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, onion, coriander, cumin, pepper, cheese, mozzarella cheese):
- Oreganofits better
- Garlicfits better
- Turmericfits better
- Jalapenothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, onion, coriander, cumin, pepper, cheese, mozzarella cheese. 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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