Why it works: Mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 271 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Burrito Pizza
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the pan
Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Spray a 12‑inch pizza pan or screen with nonstick cooking spray.
Fit the pizza dough into the pan, stretching to fit.
Layer the toppings
Spread the beans across the dough to cover.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the beans.
Sprinkle chicken, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, jalapeño slices, and sliced olives in layers over the pizza's surface.
Bake and serve
Bake the pizza for 8 to 9 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is crisp.
Remove to a cutting surface and slice.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Olive | 1 large (4g) | 4 |
| 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.
-
Mozzarella cheese + cheddar cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together271 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Tomato + olivetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,539 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Mozzarella cheese + olivetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,773 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
-
Mozzarella cheese + tomatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,577 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 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
- Pizza dough
- Forms the crust that holds the toppings and becomes crisp in the hot oven.
- Black beans
- Add body and a soft, hearty layer under the cheese.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Melts and binds the toppings together while turning bubbly and stretchy.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts into the topping, adding sharper flavor and extra gooey texture.
- Chicken
- Provides the main protein and savory, meaty substance across the pizza.
The step that matters
Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is crisp. The dough must bake long enough to crisp and brown while the cheese melts. Because the toppings are moist, a crust that is pulled too early can stay soggy in the middle.
Swap the jalapeno
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (mozzarella cheese, chicken, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, olive):
- Garlicfits better
- Basilfits better
- Oreganofits better
- Jalapenothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against mozzarella cheese, chicken, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, olive. 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
The 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.
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Chicken Broth257 recipes
Chicken Soup156 recipes
Cream of Tomato Soup107 recipes