Name: Taco Skillet and Rice
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 1-3/4-ounce package taco seasoning mix; 1 10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables; 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce; 1/2 cup water; 3 cups hot cooked rice; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided

Why it works: Cottage cheese and parmesan cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 213 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. 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.

Cottage cheese + parmesan cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together213 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Cottage cheese + cheddar cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together191 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Parmesan cheese + cheddar cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together592 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Tomato + ricetop 6% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together3,065 recipes

Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
Beef + tomatotop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together5,448 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

Lean ground beef: Provides the main protein and savory, browned flavor in the filling.
Tomato sauce: Adds liquid and acidity that combine with the seasoning to form the sauce.
Mixed vegetables: Add bulk and texture, softening as the filling simmers.
Cooked rice: Forms a starchy base that holds the saucy meat filling.

The step that matters

Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Simmering covered at low heat lets the frozen vegetables cook through and the sauce thicken gently. Stirring occasionally prevents the bottom from scorching and sticking.

“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
Beef	100g cooked	250
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Vegetable	1 tbsp (14g)	120
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz (28g)	113
Parmesan Cheese	1 oz (28g)	110
Cottage Cheese	1/2 cup (113g) 2%	98
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Tomato	1 medium (123g)	22
Taco	not in our table	0
Water	not in our table	0

Taco Skillet and Rice