Vegetable Salad

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. Celery + carrottop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together10,173 recipes

   Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).

2. Cucumber + broccolitop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together432 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).

3. Tomato + cucumbertop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,405 recipes

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

4. Celery + tomatotop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,377 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

5. Carrot + broccolitop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,442 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).

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

What each ingredient does

Firm tofu

Provides protein-rich body and a chewy texture that holds up in the salad.

Peanut butter

Gives the dressing its creamy body, richness and nutty flavor.

Rice vinegar

Adds acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the peanut butter.

Safflower oil

Adds fat that helps emulsify the dressing and carries flavor.

Garlic

Contributes pungent aroma that deepens the savory flavor of the dressing.

Cucumber

Adds moisture and cool, crisp texture to the salad.

The step that matters

Swap the peanut

The recipe marks peanut as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tofu, celery, carrot, plum, tomato, cucumber, broccoli):

1. Beansfits better
2. Chickpeafits better
3. Lentilsfits better
4. Peanutthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tofu, celery, carrot, plum, tomato, cucumber, broccoli. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.