Why it works: Cumin and coriander match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,866 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Toasted Almonds
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Spread almonds in shallow pan.
Roast
Place pan in oven until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool.
Season and finish
Combine salt, cumin and crushed coriander.
Toss almonds with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
Return to oven for 5 more minutes.
Serve warm.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 6 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Seed | not in our table | 0 |
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.
-
Cumin + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,866 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Almond + olivetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,875 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Cumin + olivetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,853 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Coriander + olivetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,615 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-undecenal (sweet).
-
Almond + cumintop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together259 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Almonds
- Form the crunchy, toasted body of the snack and carry the browning.
- Olive oil
- Carries the seasoning and helps the almonds brown evenly and taste rich.
- Coarse salt
- Seasons the almonds and draws out their roasted flavor.
- Ground cumin
- Adds warm, earthy aroma to the seasoned coating.
- Crushed coriander seeds
- Adds a citrusy, floral aroma that complements the cumin.
The step that matters
Return to oven for 5 more minutes. Oil-coated nuts can burn quickly once they are back in the heat, and the seasoning can scorch. A short, watched bake sets the coating and keeps the almonds crisp rather than dark and bitter.
Swap the almond
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cumin, coriander, olive):
- Chickpeafits better
- Lentilsfits better
- Beansfits better
- Almondthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cumin, coriander, olive. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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