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 ↓
Mexican Casserole
Ingredients
Directions
Make the filling
Brown the meat with everything except cheese and tortillas.
Assemble and bake
Layer meat, cheese, tortillas, beginning with meat on bottom of large dish or pan.
Cook at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 12 ingredients. The other 4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Tortilla | 1 medium flour (45g) | 140 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Soup | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Enchilada | not in our table | 0 |
| Sauce | 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.
-
Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29,058 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Beef + mushroomtop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,232 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
-
Mushroom + garlictop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,700 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Beef + oniontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,092 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Pepper + garlictop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,090 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ground beef
- Provides the main meaty body and savory flavor of the filling.
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Adds moisture and creaminess that binds the filling together.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts into the layers, adding richness and a stretchy, binding texture.
- Tortillas
- Soften as they absorb moisture, giving the casserole its layered structure.
- Enchilada sauce
- Adds moisture and chili flavor that soaks into the tortillas.
“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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