Why it works: Feta cheese and cream cheese share more aroma than cooks usually use. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 64 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Cilantro Dip
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the feta
Cut feta into 1‑inch pieces.
Place feta in a bowl, add milk, cover, and chill 8 hours (soaking reduces sodium content). Drain.
Make the dip
Process the feta cheese, cream cheese, and the next three ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides.
Chill 30 minutes.
Serve with baked tortilla chips or fresh vegetables.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Feta Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Cream Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 99 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Cilantro | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g) | 1 |
| Sauce | 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.
-
Feta cheese + cream cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together64 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Garlic + clovetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,368 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Milk + cream cheesetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,393 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Feta cheese + garlictop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together777 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Feta cheese + milktop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together104 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Feta cheese
- Provides the salty, tangy flavor that defines the dip.
- Cream cheese
- Adds creaminess and body to the smooth dip.
- Fat-free milk
- Soaks the feta, softening it so it blends smoothly.
- Green mexican sauce
- Adds moisture and the main green chili flavor.
The step that matters
Process until smooth, scraping the sides. Feta and cream cheese can stay lumpy if not blended thoroughly. Scraping the bowl ensures no unblended pieces remain, giving an even, creamy texture.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (feta cheese, milk, cream cheese, sauce, garlic):
- Oreganofits better
- Capersfits better
- Dillfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against feta cheese, milk, cream cheese, sauce, garlic. 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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