Watercress Salad

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. Watercress + horseradishtop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together66 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

2. Watercress + lemontop 3% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together579 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

3. Onion + horseradishtop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,784 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

4. Horseradish + lemontop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,155 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

5. Watercress + oniontop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together533 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

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

What each ingredient does

Watercress

Provides the fresh, peppery leaves that form the bulk of the salad.

Green onion

Adds a mild, sharp allium flavor that complements the greens.

Ground horseradish

Contributes a sharp, pungent heat that gives the dressing its bite.

Lemon juice

Adds acidity that brightens the flavors and balances the oil.

Oil

Carries flavor and coats the leaves, adding a smooth, rich mouthfeel.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (watercress, horseradish, lemon):

1. Shallotfits better
2. Mustardfits better
3. Beetrootfits better
4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against watercress, horseradish, lemon. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.