Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Tamari

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

Tamari immediately conjures the evocative embrace of glutamate and the kiss of protease, but beneath its umaminess lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as brine, seaweed, and hints of molasses that give it remarkable depth. And the culinary wizardry begins when we seek out pairings that allow these notes to truly sing, to harmonise in unexpected and delightful ways.

To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our findings reveal, for instance, how flat-leaf parsley's leafy tones can carry tamari, or how bay leaf's laurelled notes create an unexpectedly harmonious bridge with the savoury richness.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as maillard, earthy, or woody, 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 Art of Flavour Pairing

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 Glutamic Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between glutamate and bay leaf flavours. Since tamari has a distinct glutamic flavour, try pairing it with bay leaf flavours.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing tamari with bay leaf.

Harmonious Flavours Of Tamari

Just as our analysis revealed that glutamate and bay leaf flavours combine harmoniously, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour notes present in tamari. For instance, the fermented proteins notes of tamari are strongly associated with pea-ish and wheaty flavours.

The notes complementary to the various notes of tamari can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of flat-leaf parsley offers many of the aroma accents complementary to tamari, including leafy and grassy notes. Because the flavour profile of flat-leaf parsley has many of the of the features that are complementary to tamari, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of flat-leaf parsley across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with tamari.

Recipes That Pair Tamari With Flat-leaf Parsley

Linked Flavour Notes

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

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

What To Drink With Tamari

The leafy notes in kale juice make it a perfect pairing with tamari. Likewise, the bay leaf flavours in carmenere create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of tamari below.

Which Fruit Go With Tamari?

Choose fruit that lift its salinity or anchor its fermented aroma. Avocado offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Kiwi add a gentle, oniony brightness, while apple introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with tamari's savoriness. The addition of pear, with its subtle laurelled notes, can complement the glutamate beautifully. Lemon bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while lingonberry lends a fresh leafiness.

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