Why it works: Pepper and thyme are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,585 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Yellow Pepper Frittata with Fresh Thyme
Ingredients
Directions
Make the egg mixture
In a large bowl beat eggs, milk and cheese, then stir in salt and pepper and set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium‑high heat melt butter with olive oil.
Cook the frittata
Add onion and bell pepper and sauté until onion is translucent.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until pepper is soft.
Pour egg mixture over the vegetables.
Reduce heat to low and cook until eggs are firm around the edges.
Lift edges of the eggs with a spatula and tilt pan to let uncooked eggs run under cooked eggs.
Cook until eggs are almost set on top, about 5 minutes more.
Invert a plate on top of the pan.
Hold plate and pan firmly together with pot holders and invert.
Slip the frittata cooked side up back into the pan.
Cook 2 minutes more.
Invert a serving plate over the pan and invert as before.
Finish and serve
Sprinkle with thyme.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
Cut the frittata into wedges.
Drizzle the wedges with extra‑virgin olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 10 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Pepper + thymetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,585 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Olive + thymetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,948 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
-
Onion + thymetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,171 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Milk + buttertop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Olive + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,779 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set into a custard that holds the frittata together as it cooks.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds savory, salty flavor and helps the eggs brown lightly at the surface.
- Yellow bell pepper
- Adds sweetness and moisture as it softens in the pan.
- Onion
- Builds savory sweetness as it cooks slowly in butter and oil.
- Milk
- Loosens the egg mixture, keeping the set eggs tender rather than dense.
The step that matters
Flipping the frittata with the plate. The eggs must be set enough to hold their shape, otherwise the frittata breaks or slides apart when inverted. Keeping the heat low during the set helps prevent over-browning and toughness.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, milk, parmesan cheese, pepper, butter, olive, thyme):
- Tomatofits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, milk, parmesan cheese, pepper, butter, olive, thyme. 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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