Why it works: Olive and onion are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 29,779 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Two-onion Pizza
Ingredients
Directions
Make the onions
Heat the oil in a large skillet.
Add the onions and saute slowly, covered, until translucent.
Uncover and continue to saute until they are nicely golden (but not browned), stirring often.
Assemble and bake
Arrange the onions on the pizza crust, then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the onions.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Cut into wedges and serve at once.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 5 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Pizza | 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.
-
Olive + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,779 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Olive + cheddar cheesetop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,783 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
-
Onion + cheddar cheesetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,669 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Red onion
- Provides sweetness and flavor that deepens as the onions cook down slowly.
- White or yellow onion
- Adds sweetness and savory body once softened and golden in the skillet.
- Mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- Melts over the onions to add richness, moisture and savory flavor.
- Olive oil
- Carries heat into the onions and adds fat for gentle, even softening and browning.
The step that matters
Sauté the onions slowly until golden, not browned. Slow cooking softens the onions and converts their sugars into sweetness. High heat or over-browning can turn them bitter and scorch the sugars, so stir often and watch the color.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, cheddar cheese):
- Tomatofits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, cheddar cheese. 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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