Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan.
Add diced bacon and cook until crisp and light brown.
In a bowl, beat the eggs along with the Parmesan cheese and pepper.
Add parsley and stir.
Combine and serve
Add cooked pasta to the pan with the bacon mixture.
Turn the heat very low and add the egg/cheese mixture, stirring constantly for a couple minutes until the eggs are heated through.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| 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.
-
Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Butter + parmesan cheesetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,163 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Parmesan cheese + peppertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,322 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Butter + saucetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together15,338 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Butter + parsleytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together28,563 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
Butter and sauce barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 15,338 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Bacon
- Renders fat that flavours the pan and adds savoury, crisp texture.
- Eggs
- Thicken into a creamy sauce when gently heated, coating the pasta.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds salty, savoury depth and helps bind the sauce.
- Spaghetti
- Provides the starchy base that the sauce clings to.
The step that matters
Turn the heat very low when adding the egg mixture. Eggs thicken into a smooth sauce at gentle heat; too much heat scrambles them into curds instead of a creamy coating.
Swap the parsley
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, egg, parmesan cheese, pepper, sauce):
- Parsleythe original
- Capersfits about as well
- Tarragonfits less well
- Nutmegfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, egg, parmesan cheese, pepper, sauce. 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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