Why it works: Corn and tomato match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,099 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Corn Bread Taco Bake
Ingredients
Directions
Make the filling
Brown the meat; drain.
Stir in the next five ingredients.
Pour into an 8x12 inch baking dish.
Top and bake
Prepare the corn muffin mix according to package directions, adding 1/2 can of French fried onions.
Spoon the mixture around the outer edge of the casserole.
Bake, uncovered, at 400 °F for 20 minutes.
Top with the remaining onions and cheese.
Bake for 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 8 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Taco | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | 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.
-
Corn + tomatotop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,099 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Beef + oniontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,092 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Beef + tomatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,448 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).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ground beef
- Provides the main meaty body and savory flavor of the filling.
- Corn muffin mix
- Forms the cornbread topping that sets and browns in the oven.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts over the top and adds fat, richness and browning.
- French fried onions
- Add crisp texture and toasty flavor to the topping.
- Tomato sauce
- Adds moisture and acidity that carries the taco seasoning through the filling.
The step that matters
Spoon the mixture around the outer edge of the casserole. Spreading the cornbread batter around the edge rather than dropping it in the center lets it spread into an even layer as it rises and bakes, so the topping cooks through without sinking into the filling.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, corn, pepper, tomato, sauce, cheddar cheese):
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Carrotfits about as well
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, corn, pepper, tomato, sauce, 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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