Why it works: Corn and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,324 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Cheesy Corn Pie
Ingredients
Directions
Assemble
Mix all the above ingredients together.
Put half of the mixture in a 1‑quart size, greased baking dish.
Top with half of the grated Cheddar cheese.
Pour the remaining mixture in.
Top with the other half of grated Cheddar cheese.
Bake
Bake at 375 °F for about half an hour or until done (when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean).
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Pimento | 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.
-
Corn + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,324 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + cheddar cheesetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,669 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Corn + oniontop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,205 recipes
Shared aroma: hexanal (green, grassy).
-
Cream + cheddar cheesetop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,036 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Corn muffin mix
- Forms the batter base that bakes into the pie's cake-like structure.
- Large egg
- Binds the mixture and helps it set as it bakes.
- Creamed corn
- Adds moisture and sweetness to the batter.
- Sour cream
- Adds moisture and tang, keeping the crumb tender.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts into the batter and browns on top, adding richness and flavor.
- Vegetable oil
- Adds fat for a tender texture and moisture.
The step that matters
Check for doneness with a knife. Baking until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean confirms the center has set. Underbaked centers stay wet and sink, while overbaking dries the crumb.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (corn, egg, pepper, cream, cheddar cheese):
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Spinachfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against corn, egg, pepper, cream, cheddar 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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