Gluten-free Sloppy Joe Mix

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.

1. Tomato + celerytop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,377 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

2. Pepper + celerytop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together16,012 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

3. Onion + celerytop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together18,518 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

4. Tomato + peppertop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together17,923 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

5. Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together20,633 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

Ground round

Provides the meaty base and fat that carry the sauce's flavor and texture.

Tomato sauce

Supplies the liquid and tomato body that forms the sloppy, saucy consistency.

Catsup

Adds concentrated tomato flavor and a touch of sweetness and acidity.

Onion

Softens during cooking to add savory depth and sweetness to the sauce.

Apple cider vinegar

Adds acidity that brightens the sauce and balances the sweetness.

The step that matters

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, sauce, pepper, apple cider vinegar, celery, sugar):

1. Capsicumfits better
2. Mustardfits better
3. Carrotfits better
4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, sauce, pepper, apple cider vinegar, celery, sugar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.