Why it works: Cheese and cheddar cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 984 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Kimchi Quesadillas
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the filling
Cook the bacon and set aside, retaining the grease.
Saute the kimchi in the bacon grease until it starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Assemble and cook
Melt a touch of butter in a pan.
Place a tortilla into the pan and swirl around in the butter and set aside.
Place the second tortilla into the pan and swirl around in the butter.
Sprinkle half of the cheese onto the tortilla, then kimchi, bacon, and remaining cheese.
Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tortilla | 1 medium flour (45g) | 140 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Kimchi | 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.
-
Cheese + cheddar cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together984 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
- Bacon
- Adds savory, smoky fat and meaty flavor that carries the filling.
- Kimchi
- Provides tangy, acidic flavor, and caramelizes in bacon fat for depth and sweetness.
- Cheese
- Melts to bind the filling together and gives the quesadilla its stretchy texture.
- Tortillas
- Form the crisp, browned outer shell that holds the filling.
The step that matters
Saute the kimchi until it caramelizes. Kimchi has a lot of water and sugar. Cooking it until the moisture evaporates lets the sugars brown, which deepens flavor. Stopping too early leaves the filling wet, and the tortilla can turn soggy.
“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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