Why it works: Oregano and basil match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,390 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
White Bean, Basil and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them until just covered; let stand 10 minutes to soften. Drain well and chop into thin strips.
Place beans, garlic, and oregano in a food processor. Cover and blend until smooth.
Assemble and bake
Spread bean paste over the surface of the pizza crust.
Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and cheese.
Place pizza on an ungreased cookie sheet or pizza pan and bake about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Navy Bean | 1/2 cup (91g) cooked | 127 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
| Pizza | 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.
-
Oregano + basiltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,390 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Tomato + beanstop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,713 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Tomato + basiltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,979 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Tomato + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,767 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,756 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
- Great northern or navy beans
- Blended into a smooth paste that forms the creamy base spread over the crust.
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Add concentrated, chewy bursts of tomato flavour after being softened in boiling water.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Melts over the topping to add gooey texture and a savoury, lightly browned surface.
- Garlic
- Adds pungent aroma that mellows and deepens as the pizza bakes.
- Pre-made pizza crust
- Provides the base that crisps and holds the toppings during baking.
The step that matters
Blending the bean paste until smooth. A smooth paste spreads evenly and bakes into a creamy layer; lumps can leave dry or chunky patches under the cheese and make the crust soggy in spots.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, beans, garlic, oregano, basil, mozzarella cheese):
- Cuminfits better
- Rosemaryfits better
- Thymefits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, beans, garlic, oregano, basil, mozzarella cheese. 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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