Tofu Soy Sloppy Joes

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. Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

2. Olive + tomatotop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together15,539 recipes

   Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).

3. Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together25,665 recipes

   Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

4. Garlic + tomatotop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together14,076 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

5. Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

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

What each ingredient does

Extra-firm tofu

Provides the crumbled, meaty body of the filling and browns in the skillet for savory flavor.

Tomato sauce

Supplies the liquid and tomato base that binds the filling together and gives it its sloppy texture.

Soy sauce

Adds salty, savory depth and helps the tofu take on color as it browns.

Onion

Softens as it cooks, adding sweetness and aromatic body to the filling.

Green bell pepper

Softens as it cooks, adding mild sweetness and vegetable bulk to the filling.

Chili powder

Adds warm, earthy heat and spice that flavors the whole filling.

The step that matters

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, garlic, pepper, onion, tofu, sauce, tomato):

1. Cuminfits better
2. Oreganofits better
3. Basilfits better
4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against olive, garlic, pepper, onion, tofu, sauce, tomato. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.