Why it works: Onion and lime are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 13% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,263 recipes. Both carry decanal, which smells soap, orange peel. The science ↓
Beet Salad II
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Boil beets, covered in water for 1/2 hour, until skins can be easily peeled off and beet is soft when poked by fork.
Peel and chop beets into small squares (about 1/2 inch).
Slice onion into thin pieces.
Assemble
Squeeze lime juice over the beets, add the onions.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Beet | 1/2 cup (85g) | 35 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
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.
-
Onion + limetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,263 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Beets
- Provide the main body, earthy sweetness and tender texture of the salad.
- Limes
- Add acidity that brightens the flavour and balances the beets' sweetness.
- White onion
- Adds sharp, pungent flavour and crunch to the salad.
The step that matters
Boiling the beets until fully tender. Beets must be cooked through so the skins slip off and the flesh softens. Undercooked beets stay firm and fibrous, and they are harder to peel and chop evenly.
“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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