Weird food combinations that really WORK
Strawberries & parmesan? Crisps & Nutella? The food pairings that are so wrong they're right.
Here are the most wacky-sounding but wonderful-tasting modern day food combos we've found and why you HAVE to try them.
Peanut butter burger
Say goodbye to ketchup as peanut butter is the only condiment you should be adding from now on. Whether you like it smooth or crunchy, peanut butter adds just enough creamy sweetness to compliment any beef burger. Why not add a dollop of jam too?
Caviar and white chocolate
This combo can be attributed to Heston Blumenthal. Knowing that salt on white chocolate would enhance its flavour and soften its sweetness, he started experimenting with different pairings until he eventually found caviar resulted in the most delicious combination.
Honey-dipped fries
Pushing the sweet and savoury boundary, salty fries dipped in sweet honey is definitely a combo to try. If you’re looking to save on the calories, you can even use sweet potatoes instead of a normal spud, though this does make the dish as a whole significantly sweeter.
Ice cream-dipped fries
Another twist on classic fries is dipping them in ice cream. A particular favourite in the US, it doesn’t take much imagination to see how the salty, hot fries have found their perfect companion in creamy, cold ice cream.
Parmesan and strawberries
Forget chocolate-covered strawberries, for a real treat tuck into strawberries gloriously topped with parmesan shavings. It works because butyric acid in the cheese reacts with flavonoids in the strawberries for a heightened sweet and savoury combo.
Marmite pasta
Before you decide if you love it or hate it – try it! This combination may sound weird but the salty, tangy yeast taste of Marmite works brilliantly on the pasta, topped with regular parmesan.
Melted chocolate and cheese pizza
It’s nothing new to find chocolate as a dessert following a cheese board, but on the same pizza? Believe us, it’s something else. The creamy chocolate pairs beautifully with the cutting cheese, providing just enough sweetness for you not to miss your usual tomato base.
Popcorn and milk
Stuck for breakfast treat ideas? Try some freshly popped popcorn with milk, just as you would cereal. Whether you like it sweet, salty or somewhere in between, this cracking combination will be the best meal of your day.
Chilli chocolate
Controversial at the time it first emerged, chilli chocolate is now a permanent fixture in supermarkets alongside even more daring combinations such as wasabi, lavender and tobacco.
Crisps and Nutella
Is there anything Nutella doesn’t go with? Ditch the sweet stuff here and grab yourself a pack of salted crisps to scoop out everyone’s favorite chocolate dip. It will save you washing up the spoon!
Honey and avocado
Is it a starter? Is it a dessert? No, it’s honey-drenched avocado. Though a funny idea at first, the sweet, creamy outcome makes it easy to see how avocado can be slipped into sweet recipes as a substitute for butter in baking.
Vanilla ice cream and soy sauce
Not just for those who are a fan of oriental cuisine, this can be universally enjoyed as a sweet and salty classic. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for an extra twist.
Olives and chocolate
If you fancy making your own crazy chocolate combinations at home, try adding very finely sliced olives to chocolate truffles, cakes or desserts. The subtle flavor will have you hooked – just make sure you get plain olives without any extra flavouring! Not as brave? Try adding a dash of olive oil instead.
Bacon and vinegar
An unusual combo hailing from the Philippines where white vinegar is used as a dipping sauce for an array of salty meats from sausage, pork belly and ham to, of course, bacon. With salt and vinegar already being such an established combination, it shouldn’t be hard to sink your team into this idea.
Olive oil and ice cream
Made famous by Mario Batali at his New York restaurant Otto, olive oil gelato has been a surprising hit ever since. The oil brings a level of smoothness without overpowering the base flavour, which is usually vanilla, though it can be chocolate too.
Sweet nachos
Forgo chilli and cheese and replace with chocolate and beautifully, gooey melted mashmallows and you will not be disappointed. The one remaining ingredient? Tortilla chips – because whatever you have on top of nachos, you’ll need something to scoop it all up with!
Bacon and jam
Not only does this combination have the sweet and salty allure we lust after but the texture plays a huge part in making this so delicious. Its taste has inspired relishes and chunky chutneys with the smoky flavour of bacon enhanced with the sweet jam.
Chilli powder and fruit
This sweet and spicy combo is already popular around the world, with the chilli powder’s spice and heat increasing the fruit’s sweetness. You can try this yourself with a variety of fruits including watermelon, mango, pineapple, coconut, papaya, orange and cantaloupe. You can also vary your chilli from cayenne to ancho chilli to chipotle.
Do you have any unusual flavour combinations to share? Let us know in the Comments box below.
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