Why it works: Apple and cider are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,238 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-one, which smells mushroom, metallic. The science ↓
Broccoli Salad
Serves 12Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together.
Combine and chill
Mix remaining ingredients and combine completely in a large bowl.
Cool in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 11 of 13 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 11 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sunflower Seed | 1 oz (28g) hulled | 165 |
| Apple | 1 medium (182g) | 95 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped (156g) | 55 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Pecan | 1 half (4g) | 20 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Cider | 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.
-
Apple + cidertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,238 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
-
Broccoli + oniontop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,294 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Apple + raisintop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,920 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Raisin + sugartop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,481 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Broccoli + appletop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together289 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Mayonnaise
- Provides creamy fat and moisture that coats the broccoli and binds the salad.
- Granulated sugar
- Adds sweetness that balances the sharpness of the vinegar and onion.
- Bacon
- Adds salty, smoky flavour and crisp texture from its rendered fat.
- Raisins
- Add chewy sweetness, and plumping them in boiling water keeps them moist.
The step that matters
Cool in the refrigerator overnight. Resting lets the dressing soak into the broccoli and the flavours blend. Serving too soon leaves the salad bland and the broccoli stiff and watery-tasting.
Swap the apple
The recipe marks apple as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (broccoli, onion, raisin, sugar, pecans, cider):
- Figfits better
- Applethe original
- Pumpkinfits about as well
- Cherryfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against broccoli, onion, raisin, sugar, pecans, cider. 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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