Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Nut Butter

Unlock the perfect flavour pairings for nut butter according to data science. Explore unique recipes and discover the hidden mathematics of flavour.

Rich creaminess and caramel notes are at the forefront of nut butter's flavour profile, but identifying its perfect partner requires exploring its subtle nuances. We need to study the complex interplay of notes that reside within its bouquet, such as almond, toast, and hints of hazelnut, and understand how the notes affect each other and which notes they go well with.

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 findings reveal, for instance, how red chilli's capsicum tones can infuse with nut butter, or how cauliflower's brassica notes create an unexpectedly harmonious bridge with the warm sweetness.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as maillard, vegetal, or earthy, 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 Secret Language of Flavour

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 Caramel Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between caramel and cabbage flavours. Since nut butter has a distinct caramel flavour, try pairing it with the cabbagy flavours of cauliflower.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing nut butter with cauliflower.

Harmonious Flavours Of Nut Butter

Just as our analysis revealed that caramel and cabbagy flavours combine harmoniously, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour accents present in nut butter. For instance, the buttery notes of nut butter are strongly associated with plum-like and coffee-like flavours.

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

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of red chilli offers many of the aromas complementary to nut butter, including capsicum and capsaicin aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of red chilli has many of the of the features that are complementary to nut butter, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of red chilli across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with nut butter.

Recipes That Pair Nut Butter With Red Chilli

Linked Flavour Notes

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

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of nut butter, 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 nut butter.

What To Drink With Nut Butter

The astringent notes in cranberry juice make it a perfect pairing with nut butter. Likewise, the plum flavours in marcillac create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of nut butter below.

Which Fruit Go With Nut Butter?

Choose fruit that cut through its creaminess or infuse with its nutty aroma. Kumquat offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Blueberry add a gentle, oniony brightness, while blackcurrant purée introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with nut butter's nuttiness. The addition of red bell pepper, with its subtle saccharine notes, can complement the hazelnut beautifully. Green grape bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while mixed berries lends a clean 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., Nut butter), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.