Firehouse Tex-Mex Casserole

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. Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

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

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

3. Tomato + garlictop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together14,076 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

4. Rice + beanstop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,017 recipes

   Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).

5. Beans + garlictop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,935 recipes

   Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

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

What each ingredient does

Brown rice

Forms the base layer and absorbs the hot water to cook into a tender bed.

Lean ground beef

Provides the savory, browned meat that forms the main body of the filling.

Refried beans

Adds body and thickness to the sauce, helping it cling to the rice.

Stewed tomatoes

Supply moisture and acidity that cook the rice and balance the richness of the meat.

Barbecue sauce

Adds sweetness and depth of flavor to the meat mixture.

Cheddar cheese

Melts over the top during baking, adding fat and browning on the surface.

The step that matters

Swap the garlic

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, beef, sauce, tomato, beans, cheddar cheese, onion):

1. Cuminfits about as well
2. Garlicthe original
3. Celeryfits less well
4. Oreganofits less well

Fit is the average pairing score against rice, beef, sauce, tomato, beans, cheddar cheese, onion. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.