Why it works: Beef and cream are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 26% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,128 recipes. Both carry delta-dodecalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓
Tater Tot Casserole
Serves 6Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Brown hamburger and drain.
Assemble
Mix in cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup.
Put mixture in casserole dish and cover the top with one layer of tater tots.
Bake
Bake at 350 °F (177 °C) for 1 hour or until done.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 5 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Soup | 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.
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Beef + creamtop 26% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,128 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ground beef
- Provides the savory meat base and fat that carries the flavor of the casserole.
- Cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup
- Binds the meat into a creamy, moist filling that holds together when baked.
- Tater tots
- Form a crisp, browned top layer as they bake over the filling.
The step that matters
Draining the browned beef. Excess fat and liquid left in the meat thin the soup mixture and can make the casserole greasy and watery. Draining before adding the soup keeps the filling thick and the topping crisp.
“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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