Why it works: Plum and tomato are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,480 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Turkey Club Quesadillas with Bacon and Cheese
Ingredients
Directions
Assemble
Place 4 tortillas on a work surface.
Top each tortilla with turkey, chile, sour cream, tomatoes, bacon, cheese, and lettuce.
Place a second tortilla on top of each.
Cook
Place 1 quesadilla in a skillet and heat until browned on one side; flip and cook the second side until the tortilla is browned and the cheese melted.
Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.
Serve
Let the quesadillas sit for 2 minutes before cutting each into 4 wedges.
Serve with guacamole and salsa.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 10 of 11 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 10 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Tortilla | 1 medium flour (45g) | 140 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Plum | 1 medium (66g) | 30 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Lettuce | 1 cup shredded (36g) | 5 |
| 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.
-
Plum + tomatotop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,480 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Tomato + lettucetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,655 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Sauce + creamtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,787 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Plum + lettucetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together79 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Flour + lettucetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,236 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Flour tortillas
- Form the crisp, browned outer shell that holds the filling together.
- Monterey jack cheese
- Melts into a stretchy binder that holds the filling together when cut.
- Sour cream
- Adds moisture and richness that keeps the filling from drying out in the heat.
- Bacon
- Adds salty, smoky fat that flavors the filling.
- Smoked turkey
- Provides the main protein and a smoky, savory flavor.
- Plum tomatoes
- Add juiciness and acidity that balance the rich cheese and meats.
The step that matters
Cook the quesadillas over moderate heat until browned and the cheese melted. Heat that is too high browns the tortilla before the cheese melts, while low heat leaves the tortilla pale and soft. Turning once, at moderate heat, gives an even golden shell and a fully melted filling.
Swap the plum
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (flour, turkey, sauce, cream, tomato, cheese, lettuce):
- Avocadofits better
- Figfits about as well
- Plumthe original
- Cherryfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against flour, turkey, sauce, cream, tomato, cheese, lettuce. 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.
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Cream of Tomato Soup107 recipes
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes
Turkey Soup71 recipes