Baked Garlic Soup

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. Tomato + beanstop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,713 recipes

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

2. Tomato + basiltop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,979 recipes

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

3. Pepper + basiltop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together5,294 recipes

   Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).

4. Cheese + romano cheesetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together38 recipes

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

5. Beans + oniontop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together5,242 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

Diced fresh tomatoes

Supply liquid and acidity that give the soup its body and bright flavor.

Garbanzo beans

Add starch and a soft, creamy texture as they cook in the liquid.

Onions

Soften and turn sweet during the long covered bake, adding depth.

Summer squash

Breaks down while baking, adding moisture and tender texture.

Monterey jack cheese

Melts smoothly into the soup, adding richness and savory flavor.

Heavy cream

Adds fat for a rich, smooth mouthfeel and a silky finish.

The step that matters

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, beans, pepper, white wine, basil, cheese, romano cheese):

1. Capsicumfits better
2. Spinachfits better
3. Eggplantfits better
4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, beans, pepper, white wine, basil, cheese, romano cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.