Why it works: Garlic and potato are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,517 recipes. Both carry furaneol, which smells caramel, strawberry. The science ↓
Crispy Oven-baked Potatoes
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Process cornflakes, cheese and spices in blender.
Coat and bake
Dip potatoes in butter, then cornflake mixture.
Place on a well greased baking sheet and cook 20–25 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| 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.
-
Garlic + potatotop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,517 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Parmesan cheese + buttertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,163 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Potato + buttertop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,456 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Parmesan cheese + garlictop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,041 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Parmesan cheese + potatotop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together572 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cornflakes
- Form a crisp, golden coating on the outside of the potatoes.
- Butter
- Adds fat that helps the coating brown and crisp in the oven.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds savory flavor and helps the coating brown.
- Baking potatoes
- Provide the soft, starchy interior that sits under the crisp coating.
The step that matters
Dip potatoes in butter, then cornflake mixture.. The butter must coat the slices evenly so the cornflake crumbs stick and the coating browns and crisps evenly in the oven.
Swap the garlic
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (parmesan cheese, potato, butter):
- Garlicthe original
- Parsleyfits about as well
- Thymefits about as well
- Celeryfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against parmesan cheese, potato, butter. 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.
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
Potato Croquettes255 recipes
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes
Potato Rolls78 recipes
Potato Chips53 recipes