Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Penne

Top flavour pairings and penne recipes, revealed through the hidden methmatics of flavour.

Penne is marked by the unmistakable flavours of wheat and starch, but beneath its sweet surface lies a nuanced symphony of subtle flavour notes: toast, malt, and even hints of grass. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. And the artistry of the kitchen begins when we seek out pairings that allow these notes to truly sing, to harmonise in unexpected and delightful ways.

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 analysis reveals, for example, how oregano's thymic tones awaken penne, and how sage's rosmarinic notes create a surprising synergy with its grainy sweetness.

An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like maillard, acidic, and spice, 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.

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 Wheat Notes

Our analysis shows that the flavour of wheat is strongly associated with the flavour of rosemary. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a rosemary flavour, such as sage, when pairing with the wheaty aromas of penne.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing penne with sage.

Harmonious Flavours Of Penne

Just as our analysis revealed that wheat and rosemary flavour notes are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in penne. For instance, the starchy flavours of penne are strongly associated with buttery and milky notes.

The aromas complementary to the various aroma accents of penne can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of oregano offers many of the aromas complementary to penne, including thyme and rosemary notes. Because the flavour profile of oregano has many of the of the features that are complementary to penne, they are likely to pair very well together.

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

Recipes That Pair Penne With Oregano

Linked Flavour Notes

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

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

What To Drink With Penne

The rosemary notes in pays d’oc make it a perfect pairing with penne. Likewise, the rosemary flavours in côtes catalanes create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of penne below.

Which Vegetables Go With Penne?

Choose vegetables that enrich its starchiness or enrich its warm aroma. Red chilli offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Red pepper add a gentle, oniony brightness, while pepperoncini introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace vegetables that harmonise with penne's toastiness. The addition of green olive, with its subtle oily notes, can complement the malt beautifully. Cabbage bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while purple sprouting broccoli lends a creamy tanginess.

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