Name: Squash and Rice Bake
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash; 1/2 cup chopped onion; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup water; 3 cups cooked rice; 1 10-3/4-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup; 2 tablespoons chopped pimiento (optional); 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided

Why it works: Cheddar cheese and cottage cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 191 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.

Cheddar cheese + cottage cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together191 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Rice + chickentop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together4,769 recipes

Shared aroma: (e,e)-2,4-decadienal (fatty, deep fried).
Onion + chickentop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together17,814 recipes

Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
Onion + ricetop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together10,433 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Chicken + cheddar cheesetop 12% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,312 recipes

Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Yellow squash: Forms the main vegetable body and releases moisture that keeps the casserole tender.
Cooked rice: Adds bulk and a soft, starchy texture that holds the casserole together.
Cream of chicken soup: Provides creamy moisture and binding so the mixture stays cohesive when baked.
Eggs: Set when baked, giving the casserole structure and a firm, sliceable body.
Cottage cheese: Adds moisture and soft curds that become creamy and tender during baking.
Cheddar cheese: Melts into the mixture and browns on top, adding richness and savory flavor.

The step that matters

Drain the squash well. Squash holds a lot of water. Excess liquid left in the mixture thins the sauce and can make the casserole soggy or loose after baking.

Swap the white pepper

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, rice, cream, chicken, cheddar cheese, egg, cottage cheese):

Garlicfits better
Celeryfits better
Turmericfits better
White pepperthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, rice, cream, chicken, cheddar cheese, egg, cottage 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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Chicken	100g cooked	165
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
Cream	1 tbsp (15ml) heavy	51
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
White Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Pumpkin	not in our table	0
Water	not in our table	0
Soup	not in our table	0

Squash and Rice Bake