Oil Pickles

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. Mustard + celerytop 2% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together4,169 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

2. Cucumber + mustardtop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,281 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

3. Cucumber + olivetop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together3,611 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).

4. Vinegar + mustardtop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together14,067 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

5. Olive + mustardtop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together5,950 recipes

   Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).

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

What each ingredient does

Cucumbers

Provide the main bulk and crisp, watery texture of the pickles.

Vinegar

Adds acidity that sharpens flavour and helps preserve the pickles.

Olive oil

Adds fat and a smooth, rich mouthfeel to the pickles.

Mustard

Contributes sharp, pungent flavour that balances the sweetness and acidity.

Swap the celery

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

1. Capersfits better
2. Tarragonfits better
3. Dillfits better
4. Celerythe original

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