Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Parmesan

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

Parmesan is defined by the unmistakable accents of protease and butyric acid. But look beneath its obvious umaminess and you'll discover a captivating symphony of softer notes, a whisper of butter, a hint of glutamate, and subtle accents reminiscent of porcini that contribute remarkable depth. The key to finding the perfect pairing for Parmesan is understanding how these notes harmonise.

To chart these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, each deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, pinpointing the notes that best complement this ingredient’s profile. Our findings reveal, for instance, how rainbow chard's spinacea tones can carry Parmesan, or how spinach's cis-3-hexen-1-ol notes create an unexpectedly harmonious bridge with the fermented aroma.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as maillard, woody, 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 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 Proteolytic Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between protease and spinach flavours. Since Parmesan has a distinct fermented proteins flavour, try pairing it with spinachy flavours.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing Parmesan with spinach.

Harmonious Flavours Of Parmesan

Just as our analysis highlighted that protease and spinachy flavour accents are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in Parmesan. For instance, the butyric notes of Parmesan are strongly associated with plum-like and almond notes.

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

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of rainbow chard offers many of the accents complementary to Parmesan, including spinach and cucumber aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of rainbow chard has many of the of the features that are complementary to Parmesan, they are likely to pair very well together.

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

Recipes That Pair Parmesan With Rainbow Chard

Linked Flavour Notes

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

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

What To Drink With Parmesan

The rice notes in genmaicha tea make it a perfect pairing with parmesan. Likewise, the spinach flavours in kale juice create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of parmesan below.

Which Fruit Go With Parmesan?

Choose fruit that cut through its savoriness or anchor its fermented aroma. Avocado offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Red bell pepper add a gentle, oniony brightness, while orange bell pepper introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with Parmesan's pungency. The addition of pumpkin, with its subtle amygdaline notes, can complement the butyric acid beautifully. Cherry bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while strawberry lends a fresh aroma.

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., Parmesan), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.