Why it works: Broccoli and cauliflower match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 127 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Sheila's Sweet Salad Dressing
Serves 7Ingredients
Directions
Step-by-step directions aren't available for this recipe. See the full recipe at the source →
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 10 of 11 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 10 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped (156g) | 55 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
| Spinach | 1 cup raw (30g) | 7 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salad | 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.
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.
-
Broccoli + cauliflowertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together127 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Clove + gingertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,038 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Garlic + broccolitop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,072 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Garlic + cauliflowertop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together124 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Garlic + gingertop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,402 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
Swap the ginger
The recipe marks ginger as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, vinegar, sauce, garlic, clove, broccoli, cauliflower):
- Capersfits better
- Turmericfits about as well
- Tarragonfits about as well
- Gingerthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, vinegar, sauce, garlic, clove, broccoli, cauliflower. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
