Why it works: Parsley and nutmeg match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,062 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Crockpot Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Spray the inside of the slow cooker with flavored cooking spray.
Mix
In a bowl, combine the water, soup, mushrooms with liquid, and pimiento.
Stir in the turkey, cheese, onion, parsley, and nutmeg.
Add broken up spaghetti.
Stir to combine and pour into the crockpot.
Cook and serve
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, until spaghetti is tender.
Mix before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 10 ingredients. The other 3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Soup | not in our table | 0 |
| Pimento | 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 + nutmegtop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,062 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Onion + parsleytop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,843 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Mushroom + cheddar cheesetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together705 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
-
Mushroom + oniontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,626 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Mushroom + turkeytop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together205 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Spaghetti
- Provides the starch base that softens and absorbs liquid to form the body of the dish.
- Cream of chicken soup
- Forms the creamy sauce that binds the pasta and turkey together.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts into the sauce, adding richness and a savory, slightly sharp flavor.
- Cooked turkey
- Supplies the main protein and substance of the dish.
- Mushrooms
- Add earthy flavor and moisture, with their liquid adding to the sauce.
The step that matters
Cover and cook on low until spaghetti is tender. Uncooked dry pasta must absorb the liquid and soften during slow cooking. Lifting the lid releases heat and moisture, which can leave the pasta firm or uneven, so keep it covered until the time is up.
Swap the parsley
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cream, mushroom, turkey, cheddar cheese, onion, nutmeg):
- Thymefits better
- Garlicfits better
- Celeryfits better
- Parsleythe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cream, mushroom, turkey, cheddar cheese, onion, nutmeg. 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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