Rice and Cheese Bake

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. Onion + mustardtop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together9,259 recipes

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

2. Milk + ricetop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together7,374 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

3. Mustard + peppertop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together15,430 recipes

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

4. Rice + oniontop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together10,433 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).

5. Rice + mustardtop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together599 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (popcorn, roasted).

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

What each ingredient does

Eggs

Bind the mixture and set into a firm, sliceable custard around the rice.

Half and half (cream and milk)

Adds moisture and richness, helping the bake stay tender rather than dry.

Cooked rice

Forms the bulk of the dish, giving body and structure once the egg sets.

Cheddar cheese

Adds fat and savory flavor, and melts to bind the bake together.

The step that matters

Swap the mustard

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, cream, milk, rice, onion, pepper, cheddar cheese):

1. Potatofits better
2. Capsicumfits better
3. Chivefits better
4. Mustardthe original

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