Why it works: Orange and avocado work together. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and 171 recipes mention both. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
The recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the tomatillos, jalapeños, lime and orange juices, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon or two of ice water in a blender or food processor.
Purée until smooth.
Add the avocados and purée briefly, just until smooth.
Add orange juice to thin if necessary.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
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 aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Orange + avocadotop 9% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together171 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
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Lime + avocadotop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together1,117 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
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Lime + peppertop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together3,491 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Lime + orangetop 3% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together937 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Orange + peppertop 5% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together2,402 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tomatillos
- Provide the tart, bright body that forms the base of the salsa.
- Avocados
- Add creamy richness and smooth texture to the salsa.
- Lime juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor and balances the fruit.
- Orange juice
- Adds sweetness and acidity, and thins the salsa when needed.
- Jalapeño chiles
- Provide heat and a fresh, vegetal aroma.
The step that matters
Purée the avocados briefly. Avocado flesh oxidizes and darkens with prolonged blending and air exposure, and over-processing can make it gummy or dull in color. Blend only until smooth, then serve promptly.
“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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