Tomato Pickle

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.

1. Clove + allspicetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together7,874 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

2. Mustard + allspicetop 2% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,928 recipes

   Shared aroma: methyleugenol (clove, spice).

3. Pepper + clovetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

4. Pepper + allspicetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together6,395 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

5. Onion + mustardtop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together9,259 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

Green tomatoes

Form the bulk of the pickle and, once salted and drained, give a firm, tangy texture.

Onions

Add savory bulk and sweetness that mellows during the long simmer in vinegar.

Coarse sea salt

Draws moisture out of the tomatoes and onions overnight, firming them for pickling.

Vinegar

Provides the acidity that preserves the vegetables and gives the pickle its sharp flavor.

Yellow mustard seed

Contributes pungent, slightly bitter flavor that deepens as the spices steep in the vinegar.

The step that matters

Swap the tomato

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, mustard, pepper, clove, allspice, vinegar):

1. Horseradishfits better
2. Shallotfits better
3. Capsicumfits better
4. Tomatothe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, mustard, pepper, clove, allspice, vinegar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.