Why it works: Tomato and plum 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 ↓
Easy Garden Bake
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Heat oven to 400°F.
Spray an 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Sprinkle zucchini, tomato, onion, and cheese in pan.
Make and bake the batter
In a small bowl, stir the remaining ingredients until blended.
Pour the mixture over the vegetables and cheese.
Bake uncovered for about 33 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes.
High altitude
For high altitude (3500–6500 ft), increase Bisquick mix to 6 tablespoons.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Plum | 1 medium (66g) | 30 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| 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.
-
Tomato + plumtop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,480 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Tomato + peppertop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Tomato + parmesan cheesetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,490 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Plum + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,052 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Egg whites bind the batter and help set the custardy crumb as it bakes.
- Bisquick heart smart mix
- Provides flour and leavening so the batter sets into a sliceable loaf.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds savory flavor and browning at the surface as it bakes.
- Zucchini
- Adds moisture and tenderness to the loaf as it cooks.
The step that matters
Bake until a knife comes out clean. The loaf is set by heat, so pulling it too early leaves wet batter in the center, while overbaking dries the crumb. Checking the center with a knife confirms the egg and flour have fully set.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, plum, parmesan cheese, milk, egg, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Asparagusfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, plum, parmesan cheese, milk, egg, pepper. 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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