Why it works: Mustard and beans match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 852 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Bean and Soy Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Boil or steam the potatoes until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
In a small bowl, mix together the beans, mustard and pepper.
Assemble and bake
Place half of the cooked potatoes in a lightly oiled casserole dish.
Layer the beans and cheese over the potatoes.
Add another layer of the remaining potatoes, the rest of the beans, and the rest of the cheese.
Cover and bake for 35–40 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Bean | 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.
-
Mustard + beanstop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together852 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + beanstop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together655 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).
-
Potato + mustardtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,340 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Mustard + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,430 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,305 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
- Potatoes
- Form the bulk of the casserole and turn soft and starchy when cooked through.
- Baked beans
- Add moisture and body, binding the layers together as they bake.
- Soy cheese
- Melts and browns on top, adding richness and a savoury, binding texture.
- Dijon mustard
- Adds sharp, tangy flavour that cuts through the starchy potatoes and beans.
Swap the potato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (mustard, beans, pepper, cheese):
- Lettucefits better
- Broccolifits better
- Welsh onionfits better
- Potatothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against mustard, beans, pepper, 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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