Why it works: Cream cheese and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 13% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,393 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Hot Crab Spread
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Thoroughly combine cream cheese, milk and Worcestershire sauce.
Drain and flake crabmeat then add to cream cheese mixture along with onions.
Bake
Turn into greased pie plate and top with almonds.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cream Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 99 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
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.
-
Cream cheese + milktop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,393 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Onion + almondtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,769 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Milk + almondtop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,800 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Cream cheese + almondtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together243 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-heptanol (bitter, floral).
-
Sauce + oniontop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together10,474 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Sauce and onion barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 10,474 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
- Cream cheese
- Provides the creamy base and body that holds the spread together.
- Crabmeat
- Supplies the main flavor and tender, flaky texture of the spread.
- Slivered almonds
- Add crunch on top and brown lightly in the oven.
- Milk
- Thins the cream cheese so it mixes smoothly with the other ingredients.
Swap the almond
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cream cheese, milk, sauce, onion):
- Peanutfits better
- Sesamefits better
- Beansfits better
- Almondthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cream cheese, milk, sauce, onion. 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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