Classic Flavour Combos
Discovering flavours that complement, balance and enhance each other is the key to cooking dishes that taste vibrant and interesting.
Tried, tested and timeless, there are certain flavour combinations that taste like they were simply made to be put together.
Whether it’s a savoury combination of spices or something more adventurous like fruit and meat (turkey and cranberry, duck and plum, ham and pineapple…) certain flavour combos are classics for a reason!
From unexpected pairings to delicious, natural flavour companions, we’ve rounded up some recipes that feature our favourite flavour combos.
Savoury flavour combos
When it comes to tasty lunches and dinners, a classic flavour combination can elevate your easy midweek meal, making it something to look forward to.
From light snacks to slimming friendly Fakeaways, pairing up certain ingredients will transform your meals and delight your taste buds.
Cheese and onion
We all know cheese and onion are a match made in heaven – and it’s perfect for lunch or dinner!
Why not give your basic cheese toastie an upgrade and try your hand at this Caramelised Onion Cheese Toastie?
Thin slices of red onion are gently fried with balsamic vinegar until they’re velvety soft, sweet and caramelised.
The sweetness cuts through the creaminess of the low fat Cheddar (or whatever cheese you feel like using), taking the flavour to the next level.
We love this combo so much we’ve featured it again in our Caramelised Onion Quiche.
Packed with protein and lower in carbs, this crustless quiche is only 164 calories per serving.
Serve up a slice for lunch with a fresh green salad, for a meal that’s healthy, filling and full of goodness.
Sharp cheese and sweet onions, a dream combination!
For dinner, it’s hard to beat a classic Cheese, Onion and Potato Pie.
This recipe uses brown onions rather than red, gently caramelising them in the pan to become super soft and sweet.
Cheesy mashed potatoes are the perfect companion, mixing with the cooked onions to create that classic, comforting flavour.
Served inside a crunchy filo pastry case, this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at dinnertime.
Cauliflower and cheese
It’s cheese again, but this time paired with cauliflower!
On its own, cauli might not be your favourite vegetable, but smother it in cheese and you’ve got a dreamy side dish for all occasions.
We love it in this Sneaky Mac and Cheese – it’s packed with veggies and pasta, but the cheese and cauliflower steal the show.
The mild-flavoured cauli is the perfect companion for a mature or sharp tasting cheese.
This dish is absolutely packed with goodness and filling enough to be a whole meal or served alongside a crisp salad.
For a twist on a traditional cauliflower cheese, you need to try our Cauli Mac ‘n’ Cheese.
Because the flavours of cauliflower and cheese mix so well, we’ve blended them up to make a cheese sauce that’s extra creamy, yet super slimming friendly.
With crispy bacon and a golden cheesy topping, you’d be forgiven for thinking this dish must be seriously indulgent.
But thanks to all that yummy cauliflower and a couple of clever swaps, each serving of this recipe is under 400 calories!
Chicken and lemon
Although they can sound unconventional, meat and fruit pairings are always a classic combo.
From that spoon of cranberry sauce with your Christmas turkey, to a dollop of apple sauce on your roast pork, there’s something about the sweetness of fruit that brings out the flavour of its companion.
One of the less obvious pairings is chicken and lemon, but we love this flavour partnership!
In fact, Lemon Chicken is one of our favourite Fakeaway recipes.
Our slimming friendly version has the same sweet, tangy sauce and tender chicken as a takeaway – with far fewer calories.
If you prefer the flavour to be a little more mellow, this Creamy Lemon Chicken is a total delight.
Instead of high calorie cream we’ve melted low fat cream cheese to create a lemon-infused sauce that’s far healthier than it tastes.
If you’re looking for inspiration to liven up your Sunday roasts, these Baked Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Cumin are ideal.
The zingy lemon cuts through the richness of the thigh meat, leaving you with zesty, melt-in-the-mouth chicken.
You can even throw in some veggies and potatoes and make your whole dinner in one pot, just like we’ve done in this Lemon and Garlic Chicken Tray Bake.
Just a few slices of lemon and a squeeze of the juice really brings this dish to life – perfect for an easy midweek meal.
Tomato and basil
Fresh and fragrant, there’s no mystery why tomato and basil always get paired together.
Whether you’re making a vibrant salad with some mozzarella, or cooking up an Italian-inspired pasta dish, these are essential ingredients.
The simplicity of the flavours means that it’s easy to whip up something tasty for dinner in no time at all, without needing lots of complicated ingredients.
Our Tomato and Basil Chicken, for example, needs only a handful of ingredients and in less than half an hour you’ve got a dish that’s packed with flavour.
The juicy sweetness of roasted tomatoes and herby freshness of basil are a dreamy combination.
Serve this chicken with some veggies, potatoes or rice for a dinner that’s filling and flavourful.
For a light lunch, buffet or even just a fancy snack, we love these Tomato and Basil Tarts.
They’re filled with creamy cheese, infused with plenty of basil and topped with sweet cherry tomatoes.
The light filo pastry cases add a delightful crunch that make these tarts so irresistible – you’ll be reaching for a second…and maybe a third!
At just 53 calories each you can pop a couple of these on your plate and still stay on track.
Sweet flavour combos
If you’ve got a sweet tooth you probably already know that there are certain flavour combos that make your favourite desserts even better.
Chocolate is especially perfect for pairing up with other flavours that add another level of sweetness, or enhance the creamy taste.
From mint chocolate to chocolate and caramel, there are so many options.
Chocolate and orange
One of the all-time classic flavour combos has got to be chocolate and orange – and for good reason.
The zestiness of orange is the perfect companion for rich, sweet chocolate.
Too good to be saved for puddings, we’ve used this pairing to add some zing to breakfast time.
These Chocolate Orange Baked Oats are the best way to start any day.
Grated orange zest is mixed in with the porridge oats, adding that delicious burst of fruity freshness.
To keep this recipe slimming friendly, rather than high calorie chocolate we’ve used a chocolate orange flavoured Choc Shot.
This sugar free sauce is a really handy alternative when you are counting calories.
Inspired by the classic chocolate orange treat, we’re also obsessed with our version of Jaffa Cakes.
Much lighter than the shop bought ones, these are easier to make than you might expect!
We’ve paired zingy orange jelly with a drizzle of indulgent dark chocolate and a light sponge base for a sweet treat that’s delicious with a cuppa.
Have you tried these yet?
Chocolate and coffee
For anyone that loves coffee, a coffee-infused dessert is always the dream.
The only thing that makes it better? Chocolate!
This classic pairing is probably best known for being used to create a delicious tiramisu – coffee soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone and a good dusting of chocolate on top.
Super indulgent, it’s not exactly slimming friendly, but those flavours are too good to be saved for special occasions.
That’s why we came up with this incredible Tiramisu Swiss Roll.
The bitter coffee drizzle and rich chocolate cake are a match made in heaven – and a slice of this is just 102 calories!
If you’re not much of a baker, you might prefer this Banoffee Tiramisu.
Along with the combo of coffee and chocolate, it’s got hints of banana and caramel – another classic flavour pairing!
At 257 calories, this is a little more indulgent, but still far lighter than a traditional tiramisu.
These are the perfect end to any meal, and they look fancy enough that they’re sure to impress your guests at a dinner party or special occasion.
Lemon and blueberry
If you like your desserts light and lemony, you’ll love the combination of lemon and blueberries.
You can’t go wrong with pairing these sweet and sharp elements – they balance each other beautifully to create some of our ultimate favourite recipes.
These Lemon and Blueberry Tarts are the perfect example.
Sweet yet refreshing, they have crisp filo pastry cases filled with a luxurious lemon and blueberry curd.
Not only do they look incredible, they taste it too – and all for 49 calories each.
This flavour combo is definitely not just for dessert.
Get your day off to the right start with these Lemon and Blueberry Waffles.
There’s lemon zest and juice in the oat-based waffle batter, infusing them with that citrusy goodness.
Serve with a good handful of blueberries on top to really make the most of those complementary flavours. Delish!
Chocolate and more chocolate
Double chocolate anything is always a winner.
Whether you pair milk and dark chocolate, or throw in some white chocolate, adding more chocolate is guaranteed to make any recipe an instant hit.
These Chocolate Rice Crispy Bites have triple chocolate goodness thanks to Coco Pops, funsize Mars Bars and white chocolate chips.
They’re so easy to make, and even the kids can get involved.
Best of all, they taste incredible and the bite size pieces are just 30 calories.
If you can’t resist a biscuit with your afternoon cuppa, you need to try these Double Choc Chip Cookies.
The cocoa powder gives the cookies that rich chocolate taste, with real chocolate chips adding luxurious sweetness.
When you need a hit of chocolate, these are hard to beat!
What’s your all-time favourite flavour combination? Tell us over in the Facebook Group, where there are almost 1 million other members ready to share support and motivation for your slimming journey.