Jamaican Meat Balls

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. Thyme + carrottop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together4,563 recipes

   Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).

2. Onion + potatotop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together9,023 recipes

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

3. Tomato + thymetop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,370 recipes

   Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).

4. Carrot + potatotop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together3,107 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).

5. Thyme + potatotop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,586 recipes

   Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).

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

What each ingredient does

Minced beef

Forms the main body of the meatballs and provides savory flavor and fat.

Egg

Binds the mixture so the meatballs hold their shape while cooking.

Bread crumbs

Absorbs moisture and keeps the meatballs tender rather than dense.

Beef broth

Adds liquid to the pot so the meatballs and vegetables simmer in savory sauce.

Tomato soup

Adds tomato flavor, sweetness and acidity to the sauce.

Carrots

Add sweetness and body to the sauce as they cook down.

The step that matters

Swap the thyme

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, egg, bread, onion, tomato, carrot, potato):

1. Parsleyfits about as well
2. Celeryfits about as well
3. Garlicfits about as well
4. Thymethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against beef, egg, bread, onion, tomato, carrot, potato. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.