Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Runner Bean

Unlock the perfect flavour pairings for runner bean according to data science. Explore unique recipes and discover the hidden mathematics of flavour.
Runner bean immediately conjures the embrace of grass and the kiss of pea, but beneath its bitterness lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as bean, spinach, and hints of starch. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. The gastronomic enchantment unfolds when we pair runner bean with ingredients that let these nuances sing.
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 salt's saline tones ground runner bean, and how anchovy's saline notes create a surprising synergy with its fresh aroma.
Flavour Profile Of Runner Bean Across 150 Dimensions Of Flavour
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Runner bean: Grassy, Pea, Spinach, Bean, Starch, Limestone, Chlorophyll
An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like vegetal, herbal, and floral, 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 Grassy Notes
Strength of Association Between Flavours
The flavours most associated with grassy notes are: Saline, Glutamic, Acetic, Oceanic, Proteolytic, Fishy, Seaweed, Lactic, Wheat, Starch, Oyster, Smoky, Fatty, Toast, Yeasty.
Our analysis shows that the flavour of grass is strongly associated with the flavour of brine. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a briney flavour, such as anchovy, when pairing with the grassy aroma notes of runner bean.
The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing runner bean with anchovy.
Harmonious Flavours Of Runner Bean
Just as our analysis showed that grass and briney flavours harmonise, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in runner bean. Similarly, the pea-ish notes of runner bean frequently pair with linalool and celery-like notes.
The aromas associated with the various aromas of runner bean can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.
Flavour Profile Of Runner Bean And Its Complementary Flavour Notes
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Runner bean: Grassy, Pea, Spinach, Bean, Starch, Limestone, Chlorophyll
Matching Flavour Profiles
The flavour profile of salt offers many of the accents complementary to runner bean, including saline and glutamic aromas. Because the flavour profile of salt has many of the of the features that are complementary to runner bean, they are likely to pair very well together.
Prominent Flavour Notes Of Salt Are Represented By Longer Bars
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Salt: Saline, Oceanic, Glutamic, Limestone
The chart above shows the unique profile of salt across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with runner bean.
Recipes That Pair Runner Bean With Salt
Linked Flavour Notes
Looking at the aromas that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of runner bean, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.
Runner Bean's Harmonious Flavours And Complementary Ingredients
Runner bean's Strongest Flavours
Complementary Flavours
Ingredients with Complementary Flavours
Flavour groups:
Nectarous
Acidic
Floral
Herbal
Spice
Vegetal
Maillard
Earthy
Woody
Carnal
The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of runner bean, 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 runner bean.
What To Drink With Runner Bean
The saline notes in pecorino make it a perfect pairing with runner bean. Likewise, the celery flavours in virgin mary create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of runner bean below.
Which Spices Go With Runner Bean?
Choose spices that enrich its starchiness or awaken its fresh aroma. Red curry paste offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Chilli powder add a gentle, oniony brightness, while paprika introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.
Alternatively, embrace spices that harmonise with runner bean's starchiness. The addition of pepper, with its subtle piperine notes, can complement the starch beautifully. Sichuan pepper bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while black pepper lends a sharp 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., Runner bean), 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.