Why it works: Onion and mushroom are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 10% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,626 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Directions
1.In a lightly buttered 1½-quart casserole, combine green beans, onions, diced pimiento, and mushroom soup.
2.Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
3.Bake, uncovered, at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 5 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Soup | 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.
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 + mushroomtop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,626 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Green beans + mushroomtop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together49 recipes
Shared aroma: trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
-
Green beans + oniontop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together334 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cream + mushroomtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,500 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
-
Onion + creamtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together10,827 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonanone (fruity, floral).
Onion and cream barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 10,827 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
Swap the green beans
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, cream, mushroom):
- Potatofits better
- Spinachfits better
- Chivefits better
- Green beansthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against onion, cream, mushroom. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
Green Peas229 recipes
Green Pea Soup181 recipes
Mushroom Soup60 recipes
Green Corn Soup46 recipes