Name: Mexican Spoon Bread
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups water; 1 cup ALBERS Yellow Corn Meal; 3 MAGGI(r) Vegetable Bouillon Cubes; 1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 1 cup CARNATION Evaporated Milk; 4 eggs, beaten; 2 tablespoons or more ORTEGA Diced Jalapeños; 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Why it works: Corn and beans match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,211 recipes. Both carry 2,3-pentanedione, which smells butter, sweet. The science ↓

Mexican Spoon Bread

Oven400°F

Time25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups water
1 cup ALBERS Yellow Corn Meal
3 MAGGI(r) Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup CARNATION Evaporated Milk
4 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons or more ORTEGA Diced Jalapeños
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions

Prepare

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Make the cornmeal base

Cook water, corn meal, and bouillon in a large saucepan, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil and the bouillon is dissolved.
Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Remove from heat.

Bake and serve

Add beans, cheese, evaporated milk, eggs, jalapeños, and butter; stir until blended.
Pour into prepared dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Top with salsa, sour cream, olives, and cilantro before serving, if desired.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

753Calories

32 gProtein

49 gFat

50 gCarbs

Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 7 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Vegetable	1 tbsp (14g)	120
Black Bean	1/2 cup canned (120g) drained	114
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz (28g)	113
Butter	1 tbsp (14g)	102
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Corn	1/2 cup kernels (82g)	77
Water	not in our table	0
Carnation	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.

Corn + beanstop 3% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together1,211 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).
Cheddar cheese + buttertop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together2,436 recipes

Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
Beans + cheddar cheesetop 11% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together525 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Corn + buttertop 14% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together7,345 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).
Corn + cheddar cheesetop 15% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together669 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

Eggs: Bind the mixture and help it set into a sliceable bread as they cook.
Corn meal: Cooked into a thick base that gives the bread its body and structure.
Cheddar cheese: Adds richness and fat, and melts to add savory flavor and moisture.
Evaporated milk: Adds moisture and richness, helping the custard-like texture stay tender.
Black beans: Add body, earthy flavor, and substance to the bread.

The step that matters

Bake until a knife comes out clean. Eggs set as they heat, so underbaking leaves the center wet and loose, while overbaking dries the bread. Checking the center with a knife shows when the custard-like structure has firmed.

Swap the beans

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (corn, cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, egg, butter):

Pecansfits about as well
Beansthe original
Peanutfits about as well
Almondfits about as well

Fit is the average pairing score against corn, cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, egg, butter. 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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Mexican Spoon Bread