Name: Garlic and Tarragon Dressing
Ingredients: ¼ cup (60 ml ) vinegar; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp garlic salt; 2 tsp sugar (optional); ½ tsp dried tarragon

Why it works: Olive and garlic are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 25,665 recipes. Both carry linalool, which smells floral, citrus. The science ↓

Garlic and Tarragon Dressing

Ingredients

Directions

Combine vinegar, olive oil, garlic salt, sugar (if using), and dried tarragon in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Pour the dressing over lettuce or cabbage salads.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

173Calories

0 gProtein

14 gFat

13 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 5 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Sugar	1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated	49
Vinegar	1 tbsp (15ml) distilled	3
Tarragon	1 tsp dried (0.5g)	2
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.

Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together25,665 recipes

Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
Vinegar + tarragontop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together2,547 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Garlic + tarragontop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together884 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Olive + tarragontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together1,323 recipes

Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
Vinegar + olivetop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together12,297 recipes

Shared aroma: isoamyl acetate (banana, fruity).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Vinegar: Provides the sharp acidity that balances the oil and sugar in the dressing.
Olive oil: Adds fat and body, giving the dressing a smooth mouthfeel and carrying the herb flavour.
Garlic salt: Seasons the dressing with salt and garlic flavour.
Sugar: Adds sweetness that softens the vinegar's sharpness.
Dried tarragon: Contributes an aromatic, slightly anise-like herbal flavour.

Swap the tarragon

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, olive, garlic, sugar):

Basilfits about as well
Rosemaryfits about as well
Corianderfits about as well
Tarragonthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, olive, garlic, sugar. 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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Garlic and Tarragon Dressing