Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Refried Beans

Analysing hundreds of thousands of recipes uncovers refried beans's optimal flavour pairings.

Refried beans are defined by the unmistakable flavours of bean and glutamate, but beneath its umaminess lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as starch, caramel, and onion, that give it remarkable depth. The key to finding the perfect pairing for refried beans is understanding how these notes 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 analysis reveals, for example, how blue cheese's mouldy tones ground refried beans, and how tomato's violic notes create a surprising synergy with its starchy aroma.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. maillard, earthy, and herbal) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

The Art of Flavour Pairing

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

Our analysis shows that the flavour of bean is strongly associated with the flavour of violet. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a violic flavour, such as tomato, when pairing with the beany aromas of refried beans.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing refried beans with tomato.

Harmonious Flavours Of Refried Beans

Just as our ingredient analysis revealed that bean and pencil-lead notes are commonly paired, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour accents present in refried beans. For instance, the glutamic flavours of refried beans are strongly associated with basil-like and grassy notes.

The accents linked to the various aroma accents of refried beans can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of blue cheese offers many of the accents complementary to refried beans, including penicillium and butyric aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of blue cheese has many of the of the features that are complementary to refried beans, they are likely to pair very well together.

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

Recipes That Pair Refried Beans With Blue Cheese

Linked Flavour Notes

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

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of refried beans, 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 refried beans.

What To Drink With Refried Beans

The lactic notes in yoghurt drink make it a perfect pairing with refried beans. Likewise, the proteolytic flavours in pecorino create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of refried beans below.