Why it works: Thyme and tarragon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 528 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Creamy Yogurt Cheese with Spring Herbs and Olive Oil
Ingredients
Directions
Strain the yogurt
Line a strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth.
Spoon the yogurt into the strainer and let it drain, suspended over a bowl, for at least 2 hours.
Discard the drained liquid.
If you desire a thicker spread, drain the yogurt overnight in the refrigerator.
Season and rest
In a small bowl, whisk the strained yogurt with the olive oil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, chives, thyme, tarragon, and basil.
Let stand for 15 minutes for flavors to meld.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 10 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Tarragon | 1 tsp dried (0.5g) | 2 |
| Chives | 1 tbsp (3g) | 1 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Thyme + tarragontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together528 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Lemon + thymetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,973 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Chive + tarragontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together589 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Lemon + tarragontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,137 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Lemon + peppertop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together27,047 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Whole milk yogurt
- Straining removes whey, leaving a thick, spreadable cheese-like texture.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Adds fat and smooth richness that carries the herb and lemon flavors.
- Lemon zest
- Adds bright aromatic oils that cut through the richness of the yogurt.
- Fresh tarragon
- Contributes a distinct anise-like aroma that flavors the spread.
The step that matters
Drain the yogurt long enough. Whey must drain out for the yogurt to thicken into a spread. Draining too briefly leaves it loose and watery, so the texture and flavor stay weak.
Swap the chive
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (milk, yogurt, olive, lemon, pepper, thyme, tarragon):
- Tomatofits about as well
- Capsicumfits about as well
- Shallotfits about as well
- Chivethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against milk, yogurt, olive, lemon, pepper, thyme, tarragon. 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
Lemon Sauce236 recipes
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Brown Bread461 recipes
Mutton Broth292 recipesThe 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.