Why it works: Cumin and beans match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,188 recipes. Both carry linalool, which smells floral, citrus. The science ↓
Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium‑high heat. Add onions and sauté until lightly browned.
Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until sweet potato is tender.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Peanut | 1 oz (28g) | 161 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sweet Potato | 1 medium (114g) baked | 103 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Bean | 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.
-
Cumin + beanstop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,188 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Sweet potato + beanstop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together165 recipes
Shared aroma: damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Sweet potato + cumintop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together232 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Peanut + beanstop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together190 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).
-
Onion + cumintop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,498 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sweet potato
- Breaks down into the soup's body, giving it thickness and a naturally sweet flavour.
- Chunky peanut butter
- Adds richness and body, thickening the broth and giving a nutty flavour.
- Garbanzo beans
- Add substance and a firm, creamy texture that holds up during simmering.
- Onion
- Browned at the start, it builds savoury depth for the soup's base.
- Diced tomatoes
- Add acidity and moisture, balancing the sweetness of the sweet potato.
The step that matters
Simmer until the sweet potato is tender. Sweet potato must cook fully to soften and thicken the soup. Undercooked chunks stay firm and make the texture uneven, so test with a knife before serving.
Swap the peanut
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, canola oil, onion, sweet potato, cumin, pepper, beans):
- Chickpeafits better
- Lentilsfits better
- Sesamefits better
- Peanutthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, canola oil, onion, sweet potato, cumin, pepper, beans. 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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