Name: Tarragon Mayonnaise
Ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise; 1½ tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon; 1 tbsp finely chopped white onion; 2 tsp fresh lemon juice; pinch of cayenne pepper; sea salt to taste

Why it works: Tarragon and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,137 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓

Tarragon Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Directions

Whisk together all ingredients and serve in small dipping bowls.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

144Calories

8 gProtein

6 gFat

16 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 6 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Lemon	juice of 1 lemon (48ml)	12
Chili	1 tsp (2.7g)	8
Tarragon	1 tsp dried (0.5g)	2
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.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

Tarragon + lemontop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together1,137 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Lemon + peppertop 3% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together27,047 recipes

Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
Tarragon + peppertop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together2,399 recipes

Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together68,474 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Tarragon + oniontop 12% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,568 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Mayonnaise: Provides the creamy base, with fat giving the sauce its richness and body.
Fresh tarragon: Adds the herbal, slightly anise-like aroma that defines the sauce.
Fresh lemon juice: Adds acidity that brightens the rich mayonnaise and balances its fat.
White onion: Contributes a sharp, pungent bite and savory aroma.