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 ↓
Potato Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the potatoes and onions
Pare and boil two pounds of potatoes in the ordinary way.
Peel and shred finely two good-sized onions, and simmer slowly in a little water.
Make the soup
When the potatoes and onions are cooked, rub them through a sieve, and mix smoothly with milk to the consistency of cream, adding two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter; pepper and salt to taste.
Place a scrupulously clean saucepan on the fire, with two quarts of milk.
Bring it to a boil, stir in the potatoes slowly and smoothly, allowing it to boil for fifteen or twenty minutes.
If flavoring is liked, a little finely chopped parsley or mint may be added a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| 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.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Milk + buttertop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Potato + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,305 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + milktop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,611 recipes
Shared aroma: (e,z)-2,6-nonadienal (cucumber, melon).
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Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 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
- Potatoes
- Form the body of the soup, thickening it as they break down when sieved.
- Milk
- Provides the liquid base and creamy texture of the soup.
- Onions
- Add savory sweetness and aroma as they soften in simmering water.
- Butter
- Adds richness and a smooth, rounded mouthfeel to the soup.
The step that matters
Stirring the potatoes into the boiling milk. Adding the potato purée slowly and smoothly keeps it from clumping or scorching on the bottom of the pan. Gentle stirring helps it blend evenly into the milk.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, milk, butter, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Asparagusfits about as well
- Tomatofits about as well
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against potato, milk, butter, pepper. 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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