American Chop Suey I

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.

1. Celery + tomatotop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,377 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

2. Pepper + celerytop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together16,012 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

3. Mushroom + tomatotop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,719 recipes

   Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).

4. Onion + celerytop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together18,518 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

5. Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together17,923 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Hamburger

Provides the meaty base and savory flavor of the dish.

Tomato juice

Supplies the liquid and acidity that build the tomato sauce during simmering.

Mushrooms

Add moisture and savory, earthy flavor as they soften in the sauce.

Onion

Adds aromatic sweetness and depth that softens during simmering.

Celery

Contributes crisp-tender texture and mild, fresh flavor after simmering.

Green pepper

Adds fresh, slightly bitter vegetable flavor and texture to the sauce.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pepper, celery, mushroom, tomato, sauce, sugar):

1. Capsicumfits better
2. Carrotfits better
3. Mustardfits better
4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against pepper, celery, mushroom, tomato, sauce, sugar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.