Name: Pizza Casserole
Ingredients: 1½ lb. hamburger; 1½ cup cooked macaroni; 1 can pizza sauce; 1 large package shredded cheddar cheese; 1 large package shredded mozzarella cheese

Why it works: Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 271 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓

Pizza Casserole

Oven350°F

Ingredients

1½ lb. hamburger
1½ cup cooked macaroni
1 can pizza sauce
1 large package shredded cheddar cheese
1 large package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Fry and drain hamburger.
Mix hamburger, macaroni and pizza sauce together.

Layer and bake

Place half of the hamburger mixture in the bottom of casserole dish.
Place ½ package of both cheeses over the top.
Place remainder of hamburger mixture over cheese and top with remaining cheeses.
Bake until bubbling and cheese is melted.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

448Calories

39 gProtein

31 gFat

1 gCarbs

Counts 3 of 6 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 3 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Beef	100g cooked	250
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz (28g)	113
Mozzarella Cheese	1 oz (28g)	85
Macaroni	not in our table	0
Pizza	not in our table	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.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

Cheddar cheese + mozzarella cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together271 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Sauce + mozzarella cheesetop 17% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together804 recipes

Shared aroma: decanoic acid (soapy, waxy).
Sauce + cheddar cheesetop 21% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together838 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Hamburger: Provides the meaty base and savory flavor that carries the dish.
Cooked macaroni: Adds bulk and a soft, starchy texture that holds the layers together.
Pizza sauce: Supplies moisture and tomato acidity that flavors the whole casserole.
Shredded cheddar cheese: Melts into the layers for richness, flavor and a stretchy, binding texture.
Shredded mozzarella cheese: Melts smoothly and stretches, giving the classic pizza-like cheese pull.

“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.