Cheddar Chili Cheesecake

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. Cream cheese + cottage cheesetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together77 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).

2. Cheddar cheese + cottage cheesetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together191 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).

3. Cheddar cheese + cream cheesetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together467 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).

4. Butter + cream cheesetop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,747 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

5. Butter + cheddar cheesetop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,436 recipes

   Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).

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

What each ingredient does

Cream cheese

Forms the dense, smooth body that gives the cheesecake its structure and creaminess.

Eggs

Set when heated, binding the filling into a firm, sliceable custard.

Sharp cheddar

Adds rich, savory flavor and fat that softens the texture as it bakes.

Cottage cheese

Adds moisture and a softer, looser texture to the blended filling.

Fine breadcrumbs

Form a toasted, crumbly base that coats the pan and adds a light crust.

The step that matters

Swap the jalapeno

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, cheddar cheese, ham, cream cheese, cottage cheese, onion, egg):

1. Garlicfits better
2. Parsleyfits better
3. Dillfits better
4. Jalapenothe original

Fit is the average pairing score against butter, cheddar cheese, ham, cream cheese, cottage cheese, onion, egg. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.