Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Lavender

Discover the best flavour pairings for lavender based on data analysis of thousands of recipes. Find perfect ingredient matches & delicious recipes.

Lavender is defined by the unmistakable twin signatures of linalool and camphor, but beneath its sweet surface lies a nuanced symphony of subtle flavour notes: rosemary, thyme, and even hints of blossom contribute remarkable depth. The key to an exceptional pairing lies in recognising how these elements harmonise and interact.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the grassy, fatty hexanal in pork rind can enrich lavender, and how clove's eugenolic notes forge a beautiful synergy with its piney floralness.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as floral, herbal, or woody, combined with layers of subtle flavour notes (outer bars). For a balanced dish, pair ingredients with a variety of core flavours, and choose complementary aroma notes for harmony.

The Flavour Code

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Lavender Notes

Our analysis shows that the flavour of lavender is strongly associated with the flavour of clove. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a clove-like flavour, such as clove, when pairing with the linalool aromas of lavender.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing lavender with clove.

Harmonious Flavours Of Lavender

Just as our statistical analysis showed that lavender and clove-like flavour accents are often combined, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the notes present in lavender. Similarly, the camphor notes of lavender frequently pair with lamby and fatty accents.

The aroma notes associated with the various aroma notes of lavender can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of pork rind offers many of the aroma accents complementary to lavender, including porcine and fatty aromas. Because the flavour profile of pork rind has many of the of the features that are complementary to lavender, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of pork rind across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with lavender.

Recipes That Pair Lavender With Pork Rind

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of lavender, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of lavender, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma accents complementary to lavender.

What To Drink With Lavender

The ovine notes in pecorino make it a perfect pairing with lavender. Likewise, the ginger flavours in ginger beer create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of lavender below.

Which Fruit Go With Lavender?

Choose fruit that carry its floralness or resonate with its pungent aroma. Grape and mixed fruit offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Fruit add a gentle, oniony brightness, while fig introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with lavender's herbalness. The addition of plum, with its subtle asparagus notes, can complement the rosemary beautifully, while rhubarb lends a green vegetal notes.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Lavender), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.