Name: Bean and Bacon Bake
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 ea . (10–12 oz / 280–340 g ) medium potato; 6 strips bacon , cooked until crisp, or microwave ready fully cooked bacon; 1 can (28 oz / 790 g) green beans; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ⅛ cup (15 g / 0.53 oz) sliced almonds

Why it works: Potato and onion are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,023 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓

Bean and Bacon Bake

Serves 8

Time5 minutes, stir, then 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 ea . (10–12 oz / 280–340 g ) medium potato
6 strips bacon , cooked until crisp, or microwave ready fully cooked bacon
1 can (28 oz / 790 g) green beans
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ cup (15 g / 0.53 oz) sliced almonds

Directions

Prepare

Peel and dice the potato.
Crumble crisp bacon into small pieces.
Drain green beans, keeping ½ cup of the liquid.

Cook

Put beans, bean juice, bacon, and potato in a microwave-safe baking dish.
Sprinkle onion powder and salt on top.
Cover with clear wrap.
Cook in microwave oven 5 minutes, stir, and cook another 5 minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes.

Finish

Garnish with sliced almonds.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

286Calories

10 gProtein

4 gFat

53 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 6 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Potato	1 medium (173g) baked	161
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Bacon	1 slice cooked (8g)	43
Bell Pepper	1 medium (119g)	31
Almond	1 almond (1.2g)	7
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 Wikibooks Cookbook.

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.

Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together9,023 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Potato + green beanstop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together81 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).
Green beans + almondtop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together19 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).
Potato + almondtop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together337 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Green beans + oniontop 13% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together334 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

Potato: Adds starch and body, becoming soft and tender as it cooks in the dish.
Bacon: Contributes fat and smoky savoury flavour that seasons the beans and potato.
Green beans: Form the main bulk of the bake and provide the vegetable base.
Sliced almonds: Add a crunchy texture as a garnish on the finished dish.