Why it works: Beef and tomato are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,448 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Beef Taco Skillet with Tortillas and Salsa
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the beef
Cook beef in skillet until well browned.
Pour off fat.
Simmer the skillet
Stir in soup, sour cream, salsa, water, tortillas.
Heat to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes.
Top and serve
Top with cheese.
Garnish with chopped green onions.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Corn Tortilla | 1 medium flour (45g) | 140 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Soup | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | 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.
-
Beef + tomatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,448 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Tomato + cheddar cheesetop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,865 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Beef + cheddar cheesetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together951 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cheddar cheese + creamtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,036 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Flour + cheddar cheesetop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,592 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ground beef
- Provides the main protein and savory browned flavor that forms the base of the dish.
- Tomato soup
- Adds moisture and a smooth, saucy body that binds the skillet together.
- Tortillas
- Absorb liquid as they simmer, softening and thickening the sauce around them.
- Sour cream
- Adds richness and fat, plus a mild tang that softens the sauce.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts over the top, adding fat, saltiness and a creamy, stretchy texture.
The step that matters
Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes. Once the sour cream is stirred in, a hard boil can curdle or separate it. Keeping the heat lower and the simmer gentle keeps the sauce smooth while the tortillas soften.
Swap the tomato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, flour, cheddar cheese, cream):
- Potatofits better
- Chivefits better
- Onionfits better
- Tomatothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, flour, cheddar cheese, cream. 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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