Flavor Profiles that Pair Well in Recipes (+PDF)
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When you are creating in the kitchen, every dish we make is inspired by flavor. When we truly understand the essence of our ingredients, and what comprises their function and taste, the more successful our dishes will be.
Pairing for Success
Knowing how to pair spices along with fresh, whole foods relies heavily on understanding their individual qualities and freshness. Take produce as an example: knowing if something is ripe or not will significantly impact how you “season” a dish.
Spices and herbs should never overtake a dish. They are there to enhance and support the main ingredients. Use a light hand when first adding them in, even when following another person’s recipe. We all have unique taste receptors, and flavors need to be tailored appropriately.
Good cooking is an Art
I read a quote that spoke to me, and I hope it does to you as well. “Good cooking is an art, as well as a form of intense pleasure… A recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.” ~ Madame Jehane Benoit
Never be afraid to take a recipe and transform it with new and exciting flavors. The guide below will help you.
I have a few other posts that you might find helpful when preparing foods. When working with fresh ingredients and spices, it is essential to taste test as you build a recipe. Learn why (here). I also did a post on Flavor Balancing and How to Fix a Recipe. I hope you find these just as helpful. Enjoy. Blessings, amie sue
01/11/19 – I wrangled together a PDF that you can download with everything listed below. Click NouveauRaw – (pre)Pairing for Success, print, and tape to the inside of your kitchen cabinet. Enjoy, amie sue
Allspice
- Pairs well with: apples, beets, cabbage, caramel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, juniper, mace, mustard, nuts, nutmeg, onions, pears, pumpkin, root vegetables, yams.
Almond
- Pairs well with: apple, apricot, banana, caramel, cherry, coffee, fig, honey, orange, peach, pear, plum
Anice
- Pairs well with: apples, beets, caramel, carrots, chocolate, citrus, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cranberry, fennel, figs, fish, garlic, peaches, pomegranates, pumpkin
Apple
- Pairs well with: caramel, cardamom, chestnut, cinnamon, cranberry, currant, ginger, hazelnut, mango, maple, rosemary, walnut
Apricot
- Pairs well with: almond, black pepper, caramel, cardamom, ginger, hazelnut, honey, orange, peach, vanilla, plum
Asian Pear
- Pairs well with: almond, apple, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, honey, macadamia, nutmeg, raisin, vanilla
Banana
- Pairs well with: caramel, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, ginger, hazelnut, honey, lime, mango, molasses, papaya
Basil
- Pairs well with: capers, chives, cilantro, garlic, marjoram, oregano, mint, onion, parsley, rosemary, thyme, artichokes, eggplant, green vegetables, mushrooms, olives, Sweet Basil is the best basil for pesto and tomato salads.
Bay leaf
- Pairs well with: artichokes, beans, garlic, grains, juniper, lentils, marjoram, mushrooms, nuts, oregano, parsley, potatoes, sage, savory, thyme and tomatoes
Beets
- Pair well with: apples, basil, beef, butter, cabbage, caraway seeds, carrots, cheese, chives, dill, hard-boiled eggs, garlic, honey, horseradish, lemon, mint, mustard, olive oil, onions, orange, pepper, pistachios, salt
Blackberry
- Pairs well with: apricot, black pepper, cinnamon, citrus, hazelnut, lemon, other berries, peach, plum
Blood Orange
- Pairs well with: almond, cardamom, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, fig, ginger, honey, other citrus
Blueberry
- Pairs well with: other berries, cardamom, mango, lemon, hazelnut, ginger, fig, lavender, other citrus
Butternut Squash
- Pairs well with: sage and rosemary, either of which can be used fresh or in dried form. The warm “pie spices” of nutmeg and ginger are a good match for butternut squash, both underlining and balancing its sweetness. For a savory approach, consider cumin. Chili provides a sweet-and-spicy flavor combination. The naturally sweet taste of butternut squash is enhanced when paired with fruit, such as fresh and dried apples, fresh pear, orange juice, and dried cranberries.
Caraway
- Pairs well with: apples, beets, broccoli, cabbage, pears, sauerkraut, allspice, almonds, cardamom, chili, cinnamon, coriander, dill, fennel seed, juniper berry, onion, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme.
Cardamom
- Pairs well with: apples, bananas, beans, caramel, citrus fruit, coconut, ice creams, nuts, mango, allspice, almond, cardamom, chili, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, curry, dates, fennel seed, ginger, mustard, paprika, pears, pepper, star anise, turmeric, saffron
Carrot
- Pairs well with: anise, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, walnut
Celery
- Pairs well with: cabbage, cilantro, cucumber, cumin, garlic, ginger, mustard, onion, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, tomatoes, thyme
Celery Seed
- Pairs well with: tomatoes, allspice, black pepper, caraway, chili, cinnamon coriander, cumin, fennel seed, ginger, sage, turmeric
Cherry
- Pairs well with: apricot, black pepper, chocolate, citrus, nectarine, peach, plum, vanilla
Chestnut
- Pairs well with: apple, caramel, chocolate, coffee, pear, vanilla
Chives
- Pairs well with: asparagus, basil, cheese, cilantro, dill, fennel, green vegetables, horseradish, mushrooms, olives, paprika, pasta, parsley, tarragon
Chocolate
- Pairs well with: oranges, nuts, allspice, almond, aniseed, cinnamon, clove, curry leaf, fennel seed, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, mint, nutmeg, onion, vanilla
Cilantro (coriander)
- pairs well with: apples, apricot, avocados, berries, cherries, citrus, coconut, nectarine, peach, plum, tropical fruit, allspice, Cardamom, clove, cumin, curry, dates, fennel seed, garlic, ginger, mint, sun-dried tomato, turmeric, tomatoes.
Cinnamon
- Pairs well with: allspice, apples, bananas, cantaloupe, caraway, cardamom, clove, cacao, chili, caramel, cauliflower, chocolate, corn, curries, coffee, coriander, cranberry, cumin, dates, figs, ginger, mint, nutmeg, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, winter squash, star anise, sun-dried tomatoes, tamarind, turmeric, vanilla
Chervil
- Pairs well with: artichokes, asparagus, carrots, chives, citrus, grains, green beans, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, onions, parsley, tarragon, thyme, and vinegar
Clove
- Pairs well with: allspice, apples, beets, bay leaf, cakes, cardamom, cacao, carrots, chocolate, citrus, coriander, cumin, curry, fennel, ginger, mace, nutmeg, orange, peaches, pineapple, pumpkin, red cabbage, star anise, tamarind, turmeric, vanilla
Coconut
- Pairs well with: allspice, banana, basil, black pepper, Brazil nut, caramel, chocolate, citrus, cumin, curry leaf, garlic, ginger, guava, lemongrass, passionfruit, pineapple, sun-dried, tomato, turmeric, vanilla
Coriander
- Pairs well with: allspice, apples, bananas, beans, chili, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, cloves, cumin, curry, fennel, fish, garlic, ginger, mace, mint, mushrooms, nutmeg, onion, parsley
Cranberry
- Pairs well with: apple, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, mango, mint, pear
Cumin
- Pairs well with: allspice, anise, avocados, bay leaf, beans, cabbage, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, coconut, coriander, cucumber, curry, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, lentils, mace, onion, nutmeg, parsley, tomatoes
Currants, Black and Red
- Pairs well with: cassis, chocolate, citrus
Dill
- Pairs well with: anise, basil, cabbage, capers, caraway, carrots, chives, coriander, cucumbers, cumin, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, mint, mustard, oregano, onion, paprika, parsley
Elderberry
- Pairs well with: apricot, fig, honey, lemon, mandarin, other berries, peach, plum
Fennel
- Pairs well with: anise, artichokes, basil, beans, cabbage, cheese, cilantro, cinnamon, cucumber, cumin, dill, eggplant, fenugreek, figs, garlic, lemon balm, lentils, mint, olives, onion, oregano, parsley, pork, thyme, tomatoes
Fig
- Pairs well with: almond, black pepper, cinnamon, citrus, hazelnut, pear, vanilla
Garlic
- Pairs well with: basil, caraway, chili, coriander, cumin, curry leaf, marjoram, mint, mustard seed, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sun-dried tomato, thyme
Ginger
- Pairs well with: allspice, almond, anise, apple, apricot, banana, basil, berries, Brazil nut, caramel, carrots, chives, chocolate, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, cloves, coconut, coriander, cranberry, cumin, curry, dates, fennel, grape, hazelnut, passion fruit, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, nutmeg, onion, peaches, pears, pepper, pumpkin, raisins, turmeric, vanilla
Gooseberry
- Pairs well with: citrus, hazelnut, honey, other berries, white chocolate
Grape
- Pairs well with: chocolate, citrus, fig, honey, ginger, raisin
Grapefruit
- Pairs well with: basil, black pepper, caramel, citrus, mint, rosemary, thyme, tropical fruit, vanilla
Guava
- Pairs well with: citrus, lime, coconut, huckleberry, kaffir leaf, pineapple, strawberry, tropical fruit
Hazelnut
- Pairs well with: apple, apricot, banana, berries, caramel, cherry, chocolate, citrus, fig, mandarin, peach, pear, plum
Jicama
- Pairs well with: acidic fruits and juices such as lime, lemon, and orange juice. Red pepper and hot pepper sauce, avocado, cilantro, cucumber, and grapefruit.
Kaffir Leaf
- Pairs well with: banana, citrus, coconut, lemongrass, tropical fruit, watermelon
Kiwi
- Pairs well with: apple, banana, berries, cherry, citrus, coconut, mango, tropical fruit
Kumquat
- Pairs well with: berries, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, persimmon, plum
Lavender
- Pairs well with: chocolate, lemon, blueberries, vanilla, thyme
Lemon
- Pairs well with: apricot, berries, black pepper, cardamom, cherry, citrus, ginger, nectarine, peach, plum, prickly pear, tropical fruit
Lemongrass
- Pairs well with: cherry, berries, citrus, coconut, ginger, guava, kaffir leaf, coconut, tropical fruit, vanilla
Lime
- Pairs well with: apple, berries, cherry, ginger, papaya, plum, strawberry, tropical fruit
Lychee
- Pairs well with: citrus, ginger, gooseberry, tropical fruit, vanilla
Mace
- Pairs well with: allspice, asparagus, beans, cabbage, carrots, cheese, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, cranberries, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, peaches, pumpkin, potatoes, vanilla,
Mandarin
- Pairs well with: cardamom, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, fig, ginger, nutmeg, tropical fruits, vanilla, star anise
Mango
- Pairs well with: apple, banana, berries, caramel, citrus, coconut, melon, tropical fruits, vanilla, cinnamon
Marjoram
- Pairs well with: artichokes, basil, cinnamon, cumin, eggplant, fennel, garlic, mushrooms, onion, oregano, parsley, thyme
Melon
- Pairs well with: berries, citrus, lemongrass, lemon verbena
Nutmeg
- Pairs well with: allspice, asparagus, cabbage, cardamom, carrots, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, coriander, cranberries, cumin, ginger, mace, onion, peaches, pumpkin, thyme, vanilla
Orange
- Pairs well with: almonds, basil, berries, brandy, cherry, chocolate, cilantro, cinnamon, coffee, cranberry, fig, ginger, grape, hazelnut, mint, nutmeg, persimmon, pineapple, vanilla
Oregano
- Pairs well with: basil, cinnamon, cumin, eggplant, fennel, garlic, marjoram, mushrooms, onion, parsley, thyme, tomatoes
Paprika
- Pairs well with: allspice, caraway, cardamom, garlic, ginger, legumes, oregano, parsley, rosemary, saffron, thyme, turmeric, vegetables
Papaya
- Pairs well with: citrus, black pepper, lime, mango, tropical fruit
Parsley
- Pairs well with: basil, bay leaf, chives, dill, garlic, marjoram, mushrooms, grains, onion, oregano, thyme, tomatoes
Peach
- Pairs well with: cinnamon, orange, lemon, lime, cloves, dried apricots, dried cherries, ginger (both fresh and ground), maple syrup, nutmeg, nuts (pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and almonds), star anise, vanilla
Pear
- Pairs well with: almond, apple, caramel, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, ginger, hazelnut, vanilla, walnut
Peppermint
- Pairs well with: basil, black pepper, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, marjoram, rosemary, chocolate
Persimmon
- Pairs well with: apple, black pepper, cinnamon, citrus, kumquat, pear
Pineapple
- Pairs well with: basil, caramel, cilantro, coconut, macadamia, rosemary, tropical fruit
Plum
- Pairs well with: almond, cinnamon, citrus, chestnut, black pepper, hazelnut, honey, vanilla
Pomegranate
- Pairs well with: apple, citrus, cucumber, mint, tropical fruit
Prickly Pear
- Pairs well with: citrus, lime, tomatillo, tropical fruit
Pumpkin
- Pairs well with: allspice, anise, cinnamon, chili powder, clove, sage, rosemary, mace, nutmeg, ginger, cumin, dried apples, fresh pear, orange juice and dried cranberries, vanilla.
Raspberry
- Pairs well with: apricot, cinnamon, citrus, ginger, lemon, nectarine, other berries, peach, plum, rhubarb, thyme, vanilla
Rosewater
- Pairs well with: saffron, cardamom, jasmine, almonds, pistachios, coconuts
Rosemary
- Pairs well with: apples, asparagus, basil, citrus, cranberry, fennel, garlic, grains, mushrooms, marjoram, onion, oregano, parsley, thyme, tomatoes
Rhubarb
- Pairs well with: apple, apricot, berries, black pepper, citrus, ginger, nectarine, peach, plum, strawberry
Saffron
- Pairs well with: almond, apples, basil, some citrus fruits, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, garlic, honey, pistachio, rose water, rosemary, thyme, tomatoes
Sage
- Pairs well with: apples, bay leaf, capers, caraway, celery, citrus, garlic, ginger, marjoram, onions, paprika, parsley, rosemary, thyme, tomatoes
Sesame
- Pairs well with: citrus, garlic, ginger, thyme
Sorrel
- Pairs well with: chives, beans, leafy greens, oregano, parsley, thyme, squash
Strawberry
- Pairs well with: apple, black pepper, chocolate, citrus, coriander, mint, rhubarb, vanilla
Sweet Potato
- Pairs well with: Allspice, anise, cinnamon, chili powder, clove, sage, rosemary, mace, nutmeg, ginger, cumin, dried apples, fresh pear, orange juice and dried cranberries, vanilla.
Thyme
- Pairs well with: bananas, basil, bay leaf, beans, carrots, citrus, dill, garlic, mint, mushrooms, onion, oregano, parsley, sage
Tomatillo
- Pairs well with: berries, citrus, mango, prickly pear, tropical fruit
Vanilla
- Pairs well with: allspice, almonds, apples, all berries, chocolate, cinnamon, chestnut, cherry, cloves, coconut, creams, figs, fruit, ginger, honey, ice creams, nutmeg, orange, peach, pumpkin, sweet potato
Walnut
- Pairs well with: apple, apricot, banana, caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, rum
© AmieSue.com
What a wonderful chart! I, too, often puzzle over what will work well together of the various things I happen to have on hand. And I like how this goes both sweet and savory . You are good… ;-)
Thanks Annie, I love this chart. It comes in real handy! I hope to one day have it committed to memory! :) For me, it really opened up my eyes and possibilities! Love and hugs, amie sue
This is excellent and will prove very helpful. I found your site because I was looking for a pairing to go into my plum jam.
Again, thank you for putting this together.
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
I have to make shakes from time to time for demonstrations to show how good my company’s products are and this chart comes in handy when I decide to pair a shake with some fruit =D It’s a health company and the shakes are the best so adding fruit just makes it crazy good. It would be neat to be able to click on any of the fruit listed in the categories, for instance when it says cranberry and then lists the pairings it would be cool to be able to click on one of the pairings and get more in depth info on it. Like chocolate is savory and sweet and can be melted ect. Would have me on here for days looking at all the things this offers >_<
Yes Emily, that would be neat…maybe in time I ca do that. Great idea. :)
This is wonderful! May I suggest adding cinnamon to mango’s pairings? While growing up in Uganda, we always made mango cobbler with cinnamon; it was somehow similar to peach cobbler and was so good.
Thanks for the great ideas!
Hello Rebekah, Thank you for the suggestion. Sounds wonderful. I added it to the list :)
Hi-
Wow what a great list you’ve put together! I just came across your list while searching for ingredients that pair well with guava…may I suggest lime and coconut as a pairing? Thanks!
Thank you SamCyn, I added lime to the guava, thank you!! Have a great day, amie sue
Thanks for this, i am playing around with pomegranates, basil and chocolate today….wanting to a do a simple little recipe for my newsletter..and came across this list thankyou so very much great work and lovely website
blessings
Shakti x
i LOVE vanilla have this great new guinea stuff and lavender is one of my all time faves i use it in raw chocolate, cooked cakes, raw balls.. with vanilla…and on its own, rosemary lavender and honey are great…for me at least
Great to hear from you Shakti. :) It’s really amazing to learn all the neat complimenting flavorings… It’s a list that will forever grow! Your combo sounds wonderful. Have a blessed day, amie sue
Thanks for the handy info! I used it just now to pair almonds with orange.
I also wanted to tell you that “Profiles” is misspelled on the tab title.
Oops, thank you Megan, I will go fix that now. :)
There is a book called The Flavor Bible that you should check out sometime.
I have it KalDraken, just need to take some time and dive into it! Thank you for sharing though, amie sue
This list is fantastic! I keep coming back to it while playing with jam flavors. Thank you!
I am glad that you find it to be a helpful resource, I use it too. :) amie sue
You’ve given me so many ideas and saved me days (literally) of trial and error.
Fantastic resource, thank you!
Thank you Andrew. I appreciate you sharing that. amie sue :)
thank you…..
Can you get some flavors that go with rosewater?
Hello Kirsten,
You bet. Rose water pairs well with saffron, cardamom,jasmine, almonds, pistachios and coconuts. I will add that to the list. Thank you! amie sue
I also like pairing rose water with strawberries in a sorbet, it’s a superb complementary flavor :)
Thanks for sharing Fede :) Sounds good. hehe
fresh watermelon with rose syrup and vanilla ice-cream – great combo!
That sure sounds like a great combo. Thank you K.R. :)
I just want to thank you for posting this, I’ve been working on creative flavour pairings for a baking competition I have coming up and this chart was something I referred to multiple times!
You are welcome Jenn… I am thrilled that you find use in it! Thanks for letting me know. Have a great evening, amie sue
Thanks!
lychee goes well with star anise
hi, thank you for posting this. it’s very handy. I already save it to my favorites ;) however, I’m looking for fruits that go well with mint and noticed that you don’t have it listed. any suggestion pls other than strawberry?
Hello Miss,
Mint is especially good with pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, citrus, and watermelon, even cantaloupe. Have a great day, amie sue
Hi Amie Sue! Thank you for this list! I’m a barista who is always looking for new flavor combos for coffee and smoothies. Had a DELICIOUS banana, mango, and cinnamon smoothie this morning. Cinnamon helps reduce blood sugar so it’s great in a sugary drink, for my body anyway. Thank you again. Have a great day! – Amanda
You are welcome Amanda… so happy that you find it helpful. I can imagine in your line of talent of being a barista. Bob and I always admire the art that you all can do within a small mug of coffee. hehe Have a blessed weekend, amie sue
Hi Amie Sue,
Thanks for putting together this great chart! I’m giving your blog mention in my Tuesday Tidbits this week with a link and credit back to you, of course.
Love this!
Your welcome Robyn. I hope your readers find it helpful as well. Have a wonderful week! amie sue
Wow, this is a wonderful chart. Thank you so much!
Your welcome. I find it useful myself. :) Have a blessed and happy day Cranberry. :)
What about lavender ?
I added some ideas Pam :)
Lychee pairs well with strawberries as well
Thanks Karen. We don’t have lychee where we live so I have no idea what it even tastes like. :)
It tastes similar to a plum. I found it canned at walmart. Who knew!
Oh wow… good to know. :) Have a blessed weekend! amie sue
I am a baker by trade and was looking for fruit pairings for my scones. I hit the jackpot with your list. Today I baked lime and toasted coconut scones and lemon ginger scones. What a hit! The possibilities are endless. Thank you!
That is awesome to hear Michelle. And those scones sound amazing! Have a great week. amie sue
This is such an excellent resource! I open it up pretty much every time I happen to need some flavour inspiration for a new dish. Thank you for putting this together :)
Your welcome Terje…. I refer to it a lot myself and I am always adding as I discover new things. :) Thanks for letting me know. Have a blessed day, amie sue
Thanks this was very helpful! What pairs with saffron though? I didn’t see it mentioned. I’ve paired it with cumin and thyme, but what else?
Hello Adam, well, it’s about time I get that one added to the list! :) Saffron pairs with almond, apples, basil, some citrus fruits, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, garlic, honey, pistachio, rose water, rosemary, thyme, tomatoes, for starters!
What an amazing resource. Thanks for the info. As they say “I’ll be back.” Already got you bookmarked. Gail
Come back anytime Gail :) Glad you stopped by. Have a wonderful weekend, amie sue
I would suggest adding lime to the banana flavors, the two blend fantastically. Thanks for putting this up. This kind of thing really helps with improvising new recipes.
Will do! Thanks for the flavor combo :) amie sue
I love this page, it’s so useful :) What would pair with peppermint?
Hello Veronique….
Just to name a few….Peppermint pairs well with; basil, black pepper, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, marjoram, rosemary, chocolate. Have a wonderful weekend! amie sue
Great List, Thank You…
How Bout Peach?
Good morning Mark…. I updated the list. Thanks for asking so I can keep this list growing! Have a great day, amie sue
What a fab’lous site. Have bought some caramel shortcake to use as a dessert base and wanted to find pairings and combos to top up a ramekin. This should do it! Thank You :)
Thank you Pete and your welcome :) Have a glorious day, amie sue
Very nice chart.
You have to try a tomato rice (like a risotto) with coriander and lime. This 3 flavors paire very well
I also use this in savoury mini-cakes.
Anyway well done again
Thank you Joe, that combo does sound divine. Thank you for sharing and have a blessed holiday weekend. amie sue
This is the most WONDERFUL list I have ever ran across. Thank you and may God Bless You!!!
Thank you Deborah. Many blessings to you too! amie sue
Hi Amie-sue,what goes with pumpkin please? Also sweet potato ? Thanks in advance. Regards Christine
Truly, you could all the following spices for both pumpkin and sweet potato… Allspice, anise, cinnamon, chili powder, clove, sage, rosemary ,mace, nutmeg, ginger, cumin, dried apples, fresh pear, orange juice and dried cranberries, vanilla.
I hope this gives you some inspiration :) I added this to the grand poobah list of flavor pairing. hehe amie sue
Handy dandy. Thanks! Just found this. Must have taken you quite a bit of time.
Thanks Gayle… it has grown over the years. I keep adding as I learn. :)
Wow! This website is a life saver!! It’s definitely gonna make my baking totally awesome! Thankyou SO much!
Your welcome Junior Baker and thank you for the kind words. :) Blessings, amie sue
Any recommendations for vanilla?…
Thanks for bringing Vanilla to the “table”…. I constantly work on this list, adding as I learn, so I will do that now with vanilla! Blessings, amie sue
The list is missing one of the very best flavour combinations: beets and sage. They blend together like magic.
Other great ones: mango + cardamom, blueberry + pomegranate, fig + anise (a true classic), rhubarb + fig, basil + lemon (also for desserts), lemongrass + mint, tarragon + lemon and lime + rosewater.
One of the best chocolates I ever tasted was orange & thyme flavored!
Thank you Maija! Have a great day, amie sue
When making gooseberry jam I add a spice bag of cloves.
Also, triple sec with blueberries
Hi! As useful as this, I do find it to be a little incomplete. I don’t mean that in a bad way: It would take a VERY long time if one person all by herself tried to figure out all possible good flavor pairings.
I can add, though, that pineapple and mango go well together; a jasmine-green tea pineapple mango smoothie is my go-to smoothie, and I’ve managed to tweak the recipe such that it always comes out perfectly smooth.
I have also tried lavender + sage tea before, and it was quite excellent, so that flavor pairing works as well.
I once had lavender, thyme, mint, lemongrass water that was also very good, so I would add lemongrass + thyme, lavender + lemongrass, lavender + mint, and lemongrass + mint.
I was also wondering if you could add a few more flavors as well, like honey, chamomile, jasmine, hibiscus, green tea, and violets.
Honey pairs well with cinnamon, lemon, lavender, melon, raspberry, apple, pear, strawberry, peach, lime, blackberry, grapefruit.
Green tea pairs well with honey, lemon, dark chocolate, mango, pineapple, orange, chamomile, pomegranate, blackberry, raspberry, jasmine.
Chamomile pairs well with lavender, rose, green tea, honey, lemon, peppermint, lemongrass, hibiscus, blackberry, jasmine, vanilla, cinnamon.
Jasmine pairs well with green tea, pineapple, honey, chamomile, lavender, lemon, vanilla, spearmint, mango. (Sorry, that’s all I know from experience.)
Violets pair well with vanilla, and that’s all I know, but I would like to know more.
Hibiscus pairs well with licorice (I see them in teas together all the time), chamomile.
So, that’s my two cents, and I hope I’ve helped you make this an even more useful resource than it already is. :)
Hello Emmy,
I don’t really foresee this list ever being 100% complete, hehe. Flavor pairing is an on-going thing and very personalized! But I do appreciate all that you shared and will work on filtering them in over time as I work through them. Thank you! amie sue
I find that white chocolate pairs very nicely with the raspberries.
Yes indeed. I love strawberries dipped in white chocolate. :) amie sue
Why are coconut and cinnamon not tied together on this chart? Have you never had a Coquito before?
Because this list is and will always be a work in progress. Never heard of Coquito… I will have to Google it. :) Merry Christmas, amie sue
Any ideas as to what pairs well with cucumbers?
Hello Christine,
Let’s see… mint, chili’s, yogurts, salt, vinegar, tomato, pineapple… there’s a good start :) Have a wonderful day,amie sue
I’ve used pear and ginger,anything else?
I have a 3-ingredient ice cream recipe on my blog and have linked to your excellent list in the footnote, so people have an idea of how to pair herbs and spices with anything they might want to add to the ice cream. Thank you! The comments here are also helpful.
Good evening Shazzbot,
I am sorry that it took me a bit to respond to you. I have been on a “walk about” for the past 6 weeks (see blog posting). I am not fully integrating back into things but I wanted to start tackling some of the questions that have been collecting. :) All that to say, I appreciate your patience with me. :)
You are welcome. I use to be very afraid and intimidated by spices and herbs… so lists like this can really help those new to preparing food and to those who are well “seasoned”. hehe Have a great evening, amie sue
Greetings Amie Sue
This is a such a great resource. What an eye opener. As an avid vaper and planning a eliquid startup, your site has provided an amazing insight.
Was looking at your chocolate pairings, when cooking (not vaping) I’ve found chocolate pairs amazingly well with Chilli, tomatoe and coriander.
Coffee pairs very well in sauces that have tomatoe, it pairs as well with lime, oranges, lemon, raspberries, strawberries and coconut.
I also sometimes add sweet black tea with tomatoe, garlic when cooking and with toffee, caramel to cut the sweetness.
Hope this helps to add to your flavour pairings and profiles
Once again thanks for such an awesome resource, I’m going to suggest your list to other beginner eliquid producers who can use such a great resource. You are a star.💥
Thank you Heitor for the kind words and further suggestions. I am glad to hear that you have found this helpful… sounds like you enjoy cookings :) Have a blessed day! amie sue
What a wonderful resource! Thank you for pulling this together and sharing.
Can I suggest that for elderberry, clove and allspice both go really well. I’ve used them both in making elderberry cordial and it’s divine.
Thank you Vishwam. I just found out that we have an Elderberry tree growing along side our orchard. Sounds good. amie sue
I really echo what everyone else has commented, this is soooo useful. Recently I put coconut, cocoa and banana together and really didn’t like it – do you think that’s just a personal thing? Just really rich, that’s the best word I can think of to describe it… Would you say the above work just for pairing rather than putting together multiple flavours from each group?
I think it might be a personal thing Liesl. :) I love that combo of flavors. Maybe you need to play around with the ratios to create a more pleasant taste for yourself. This list is to be used to inspire and help people in knowing what flavors pair well with others. Not all ingredients need to be used in a recipe. Enjoy and have a blessed evening, amie sue
What a fabulous list!! So happy to of found you. Thank you for all the effort it took!
I was looking to find what would complement beauty berry…will be making some jelly n like to mix it up a bit. What would you suggest? Tia
Good day Gaylene,
I am so glad you found me as well. :) I must admit that I had never heard of a beautyberry until you brought it to my attention. I have no idea what they taste like and without that info, I am not sure how to advise you. But how fun that you can get your hands on some! I am sorry that I didn’t have an answer for you. Blessings, amie sue