Name: Eggplant Dressing
Ingredients: 1/2 stick margarine; 2 large purple eggplants (peeled and cubed); 1 lb. good ground chuck; 1/2 cup finely chopped onion; 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper; 1 cup water; 1 tsp. salt, pepper, garlic powder; 2 cups cooked hot white rice.

Why it works: Onion and garlic match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 29,058 recipes. Both carry furaneol, which smells caramel, strawberry. The science ↓

Eggplant Dressing

Oven350°F

Time30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 stick margarine
2 large purple eggplants (peeled and cubed)
1 lb. good ground chuck
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt, pepper, garlic powder
2 cups cooked hot white rice.

Directions

Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9×11 inch Pyrex dish with non‑stick spray.

Make the filling

Saute onion and bell pepper in melted margarine.
Add ground beef and brown slightly.
Add seasonings, eggplant, and water.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes on medium‑low heat.
Add rice and pour into the Pyrex dish.

Bake

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup bread crumbs.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

428Calories

8 gProtein

13 gFat

72 gCarbs

Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 8 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Butter	1 tbsp (14g)	102
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Eggplant	1 cup cubed (82g)	35
Bell Pepper	1 medium (119g)	31
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Water	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.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together29,058 recipes

Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Eggplant + garlictop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together801 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Pepper + garlictop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together27,090 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Eggplant + peppertop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,123 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Eggplant + oniontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together870 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

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

What each ingredient does

Eggplant: Becomes soft and tender as it simmers, adding bulk and moisture to the filling.
Ground chuck: Provides the meaty base and savory browning flavor of the casserole.
White rice: Absorbs liquid and juices, adding body and helping bind the casserole together.
Margarine: Fat that softens the onion and bell pepper and carries their flavor into the dish.
Bread crumbs (in the method): Forms a crisp, lightly browned topping during baking.