Name: Salmon Salad
Ingredients: 1 can salmon; 1 head of cabbage, chopped fine; 2 large pickles, chopped; 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped; 1 bunch of celery, chopped; boiled dressing

Why it works: Cabbage and celery are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,840 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓

Salmon Salad

Ingredients

Directions

Pull apart the salmon and remove the bones.
In a large bowl, combine the salmon, chopped cabbage, pickles, hard boiled eggs, and celery.
Serve with boiled dressing.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

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.

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.

Cabbage + celerytop 6% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,840 recipes

Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Salmon + eggtop 16% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together3,485 recipes

Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Salmon + celerytop 26% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together658 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Salmon + cabbagetop 30% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together94 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Cabbage + eggtop 32% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,391 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-octenal (fatty, green).

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

What each ingredient does

Salmon: Provides the main protein and flaky texture of the salad.
Cabbage: Adds crunch and bulk, staying crisp when cold and mixed with dressing.
Hard boiled eggs: Add richness and a soft, creamy texture that binds the mixture.
Pickles: Add acidity and tang that brightens the salad.
Celery: Adds crisp texture and a fresh, mild bite.
Boiled dressing: Adds moisture and fat that bind and season the salad.