Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Lemon Balm
Top flavour pairings and recipes for lemon balm, according to analysis of thousands of recipes.
Lemon balm conjures the evocative embrace of mint and the bracing kiss of cedar, but beneath its sweetness lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as citric acid, eucalyptus, and hints of blossom that contribute remarkable depth. The key to a remarkable harmony lies in knowing how these accents interact and harmonise.
To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our findings reveal, for instance, how hazelnut oil's noisette tones can resonate with lemon balm, or how pea shoots's hexenal notes create an unexpectedly harmonious bridge with the cooling sensation.
Flavour Profile Of Lemon Balm Across 150 Dimensions Of Flavour
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Lemon balm: Menthol, Cedar, Citric, Eucalyptol, Blossom, Camphor, Ginger, Lavender, Allspice, Bergamot, Hibiscus, Elderflower, Basil, Sage, Bay leaf, Cucumber, Jasmine, Tea-Like, Grapefruit, Rose, Neroli, Chlorophyll, Grassy, Chamomile, Rosemary, Spinach, Coriander seed, Resinous
An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like herbal, floral, and vegetal, combined with its unique aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim to include a broad variety of core characteristics for a balanced dish. And choose aroma notes that complement each other for a harmonious combination.
Flavour Pairing Method
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 Menthol Notes
Strength of Association Between Flavours
The flavours most associated with menthol notes are: Melon, Grassy, Olive, Pea, Leafy, Acetic, Saline, Spinach, Oyster, Violet, Chamomile, Peach, Seaweed, Fatty, Rose.
Our analysis shows that the flavour of mint is strongly associated with the flavour of grass. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a grassy flavour, such as pea shoots, when pairing with the menthol aromas of lemon balm.
The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing lemon balm with pea shoots.
Harmonious Flavours Of Lemon Balm
Just as our analysis found that mint and melony notes frequently pair together, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour accents present in lemon balm. E.g. the cedar flavours of lemon balm are often used with seedy and mustardy flavours.
The notes complementing the various notes of lemon balm can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.
Flavour Profile Of Lemon Balm And Its Complementary Flavour Notes
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Lemon balm: Menthol, Cedar, Citric, Eucalyptol, Blossom, Camphor, Ginger, Lavender, Allspice, Bergamot, Hibiscus, Elderflower, Basil, Sage, Bay leaf, Cucumber, Jasmine, Tea-Like, Grapefruit, Rose, Neroli, Chlorophyll, Grassy, Chamomile, Rosemary, Spinach, Coriander seed, Resinous
Matching Flavour Profiles
The flavour profile of hazelnut oil offers many of the aromas complementary to lemon balm, including hazelnut and almond aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of hazelnut oil has many of the of the features that are complementary to lemon balm, they are likely to pair very well together.
Prominent Flavour Notes Of Hazelnut Oil Are Represented By Longer Bars
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Hazelnut oil: Hazelnut, Walnut, Almond, Ovine, Parsnip, Porcini, Mouldy, Olivey, Buttery, Asparagus, Spinach, Mustard, Rice, Cocoa, Tomatoey, Coconut, Burnt, Oleic, Maple, Coffee, Fungus, Grassy, Capsaicin, Oxidized, Celery, Fishy, Plum
The chart above shows the unique profile of hazelnut oil across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with lemon balm.
Recipes That Pair Lemon Balm With Hazelnut Oil
Linked Flavour Notes
Looking at the aroma accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of lemon balm, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.
Lemon Balm's Harmonious Flavours And Complementary Ingredients
Lemon balm's Strongest Flavours
Complementary Flavours
Ingredients with Complementary Flavours
Flavour groups:
Nectarous
Acidic
Floral
Herbal
Spice
Vegetal
Maillard
Carnal
The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of lemon balm, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the notes complementary to lemon balm.
What To Drink With Lemon Balm
The ovine notes in oat milk make it a perfect pairing with lemon balm. Likewise, the ovine flavours in pecorino create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of lemon balm below.
Which Fruit Go With Lemon Balm?
Choose fruit that resonate with its pungency or embrace its medicinal aroma. Avocado offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Kiwi add a gentle, oniony brightness, while grape introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.
Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with lemon balm's coolness. The addition of honeycrisp apple, with its subtle cucumis notes, can complement the mint beautifully. Persimmon bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while strawberry purée lends a refreshing sweetness.
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., Lemon balm), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.
Explore More
Discover more ingredient profiles and expand your culinary knowledge. Each ingredient page offers detailed analysis of flavour profiles, pairing insights, and culinary applications.
The content on our analysis blog is semi-automated. All of the words were manually written by a human, but the content is updated dynamically based on the data.