Name: Fat-free Shrimp Soup
Ingredients: 1 kg fresh meduim shrimp; 2 meduim fresh carrots; 2 meduim spring onions; 2 meduim potatoes; 2 meduim leeks; 1 meduim tomato; 2 meduim zucchinni; 3 tbsp fresh dill; 3 tbsp fresh parsley; 3 tbsp fresh celery; 1 tbsp whole pepper; 4 small dried chili peppers; 2 tbsp tomato sauce

Why it works: Carrot and parsley match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 8,053 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓

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.

Carrot + parsleytop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together8,053 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Dill + parsleytop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together669 recipes

Shared aroma: p-mentha-1,3,8-triene (camphor, herbal).
Carrot + dilltop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together321 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Carrot + leektop 3% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together1,310 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Potato + dilltop 3% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together423 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

Shrimp: Provides the main protein and a sweet, briny seafood flavor to the soup.
Potatoes: Release starch as they cook, helping to give the broth more body.
Carrots: Add natural sweetness and a firm texture that holds up during simmering.
Leeks: Contribute a mild, savory aroma that builds the base flavor of the soup.
Zucchini (in the method): Soften during cooking and add a tender texture and light vegetable flavor.
Tomato sauce: Adds acidity, color, and savory depth that balances the seafood flavor.

The step that matters

Adding the shrimp. Shrimp cook very quickly in hot liquid. If they stay in the soup too long, their proteins tighten and they turn rubbery, so they should be added near the end and cooked only until opaque.

Swap the leek

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (shrimp, carrot, onion, potato, tomato, dill, parsley):

Chivefits better
Okrafits better
Capsicumfits better
Leekthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against shrimp, carrot, onion, potato, tomato, dill, parsley. 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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Potato	1 medium (173g) baked	161
Shrimp	100g cooked	99
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Carrot	1 medium (61g)	25
Tomato	1 medium (123g)	22
Chili	1 tsp (2.7g)	8
Celery	1 stalk (40g)	6
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Dill	5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried	4
Parsley	1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)	1

Fat-free Shrimp Soup