34 strange food combinations you won't believe actually taste GOOD

It really shouldn't work, but...

The thought of cooking chicken with Nutella, dipping fries in a milkshake or serving white chocolate with caviar might not instantly appeal, but hear us out. There's often a simple, scientific reason to explain why these weird and wonderful combinations are, in fact, delicious. From steak and strawberries to bananas and mayonnaise, here we reveal the strange food combinations that must be tasted to be believed.

Read on to discover the most unusual food combos enjoyed around the world, counting down to the most bizarre (but brilliant) of all. 

We've based our ranking on how unusual yet tasty each combination is, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.​

34. Fresh fruit, lime, salt and chilli

A popular street food snack enjoyed across Mexico, this zingy combination is a match made in heaven. Adding lime juice, chilli and salt to tropical fruit completely transforms the flavour. Acidity brings out the natural sweetness of the likes of mango, pineapple, papaya and watermelon and intensifies their flavours.

33. Nutella and chicken

Nutella and chicken make for an unexpected pairing, but a chocolate-hazelnut marinade can give chicken a rich, nutty finish, which stands up well against strong spices. In fact, in 2019, a takeaway spot in the UK even went as far as serving Nutella-marinated chicken kebabs flavoured with cumin, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Meanwhile in South American cuisine, chicken mole plays on similar flavours.

32. Rice and ketchup

Rice with ketchup is convenience food at its finest. Plain rice can be bland, but adding ketchup provides tangy sweetness and extra flavour. Try frying leftover rice with onion, carrots and peas and a squeeze of ketchup, or take the dish up a notch by adding a fried egg, kimchi and soy sauce.

31. Peanut butter and raw onion

Although it sounds odd, peanut butter and raw onion work wonderfully together in a sandwich, as the nutty spread needs something sharp, fresh or crunchy to cut through its rich thickness (this is also why jam and raw apple slices make a perfect match). A popular combo during the American Great Depression, the flavour of the raw onion is tamed by the peanut butter and is nowhere near as potent as it would be if eaten alone.

30. Oreo cookies and orange juice

If you're a fan of Oreos with milk and you like orange-flavoured chocolate, this unusual combination might be just for you. Like milk, the orange juice softens the cookie, while infusing the dark chocolate disc with a fresh, sweet, citrussy note.

29. Peanut butter, banana and bacon

The combination of peanut butter, banana and bacon sounds like it shouldn’t work. However, in a sandwich, sweet banana enhances the savoury notes of peanut butter, while rashers of crisp bacon provide an extra layer of salty, crunchy, meaty decadence. It’s otherwise known as an Elvis sandwich, supposedly the King of Rock and Roll’s favourite dish (he ate his deep fried).

28. Banana and mayonnaise

On a similar note, this is a creamy combination you’ll either love or hate. Banana and mayonnaise sandwiches are a speciality in Southern states across the US. This soft sandwich features sliced bread with a thick layer of mayonnaise and fresh banana slices. Thanks to the sweetness from the fruit and tangy, rich saltiness from the spread, it’s another sweet and savoury pairing that oddly works.

27. Chocolate milk and salt

Chocolate milk and salt pair together perfectly, largely because salt enhances and intensifies the flavour of the chocolate. The combination has the classic sweet-salty dynamic and the salt also makes the drink seriously moreish, just like salty fries, peanuts and crisps. Give it a go by adding a pinch of salt to your chocolate milk, or rim a glass of chocolate milk with salt.

26. Chocolate and vinegar

Chocolate and vinegar is a pairing that works in two ways. Firstly, chocolate-infused balsamic vinegar has a pleasing cocoa aroma, boasting a hint of sweetness and slight bitterness. As a result, it’s delicious used as a marinade for fresh fruit, drizzled over chocolatey desserts or trickled over ice cream. Vinegar is also used in many eggless chocolate cake recipes; it's an acid which reacts with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide, which makes cakes rise.

25. Peanut butter and pickles

This combo is one you really shouldn't knock until you've tried it. This strange-sounding sandwich filler works as the juicy, crisp pickles cut through the claggy, heavy peanut butter. This unlikely sweet-sour pairing was popular during the Great Depression and used to be served up at delis across the US. Give it a try for yourself and opt for plain bread with sweet and sour pickles and hot sauce.

24. Tuna and cocoa powder

Fish and chocolate may not sound overly appealing, but try tuna with cocoa powder and you might just be converted. To taste this combination at its best, you’ll want to top a sliced baguette with tuna belly, a drizzle of olive oil and some grated 100% cacao. The chocolate provides bitter, nutty notes and the olive oil brings the dish together.

23. Coffee and duck

Coffee makes a brilliant marinade for red meats like duck. Coffee is acidic which helps tenderise meat, and its rich flavour pairs well with the savoury ingredient. To try the idea out, mix coffee grounds with spices like cinnamon and pepper to make a heady, aromatic rub; if you then barbecue the meat or sear over a high heat, the rub will caramelise, forming a sweet, savoury and slightly bitter crust that helps lock in moisture.

22. Steak and strawberries

The contrast between soft, sweet strawberries and rich, succulent steak is an absolute winner. You'll likely have seen this match appearing on menus in varying forms, from carpaccio with pickled strawberries to steak with strawberry sauce. If you fancy trying it at home, toss strawberries in a little balsamic vinegar and spoon over your steak – the tart, sweet notes will really cut through the richness of the meat.

21. Avocado and chocolate

Avocado and chocolate seem an unlikely pairing but, when they’re blitzed together, they make a deliciously decadent dessert. Avocado is naturally creamy and mild in flavour, acting as a blank canvas for cocoa powder. Once they’re blended, you really can’t taste the avocado and you can then sweeten the mix with honey, maple syrup or sugar for a gluten-free chocolate mousse.

20. Marmite, pasta and cheese

Marmite (yeast extract spread), pasta and cheese might sound like a dish cash-strapped students make, but it’s actually inspired by prolific food writer Anna del Conte’s ‘day-after-the-roast pasta’, with even food writer and TV personality Nigella Lawson a fan. Marmite acts like an umami-packed stock cube when melted in butter and a little cooking water from the spaghetti, making a savoury sauce that's fantastic stirred through pasta and served with plenty of grated Parmesan on top.

19. Dark chocolate and beetroot

Beetroot adds an earthy complexity to rich chocolate cakes and brownies. The overwhelming taste is still that of chocolate, but there are subtle notes of beetroot, too. The purple-hued vegetable also does wonders for a bake's texture and colour, making chocolate cakes wonderfully moist and dark and brownies dense and gooey.

18. Watermelon and feta

While this might look unconventional on the surface, fruit and cheese combos are quite common. A refreshing pairing enjoyed across Greece, watermelon and feta work well together as the juiciness from the fruit balances out the saltiness from the cheese. Make this tasty salad at home by mixing chopped watermelon, fresh mint or basil leaves and crumbled feta.

17. Blackberry and rosemary

Although you might commonly associate rosemary with savoury dishes like soups, stews and roasted meats, the herb complements tart berries beautifully, too. The earthy rosemary helps highlight the sweetness of the berry and creates an interesting finish. Use this winning combination in desserts, jams and flavour-packed drinks.

16. Strawberries and basil

Strawberries pair well with basil because the herb has an aromatic, peppery flavour that complements, but doesn’t overpower, the sweet berry. The colourful combination works well in light, summery dishes such as sorbets, lemonade, fruity drinks and cakes, or you can even try a twist on a classic caprese salad, complete with strawberries, basil and mozzarella.

15. Honey and pizza

Sweet and savoury is a tried and tested combination, think sweet and salty popcorn, peanut butter and jelly, ham and pineapple. But honey and pizza is a relatively new match that's becoming increasingly popular at pizzerias across the globe. Sweet honey balances out strong flavours from tangy cheeses, salty meats and spicy toppings.

14. Marmite and avocado

Marmite (yeast extract spread) and avocado are both delicious on toast, but have you ever thought about eating them together? If not, your really should. Marmite pairs well with anything creamy, from butter to cheese, so adding in an avocado isn't that different. The green-hued fruit, meanwhile, can be bland on its own, so it needs something salty and high in flavour like Marmite to give it a bit of zing. The opposites come together to make a balanced and satisfying toast topper.

13. Miso and ice cream

Miso is a tangy, fermented soybean paste you’re probably used to seeing in savoury dishes such as ramen. And while it adds a delicious depth to broths and soups, its salty, umami flavour enhances sweet foods like chocolate and caramel too. For exactly this reason, golden-hued miso ice cream is fast becoming a favourite at parlours around the world – think of it as a more complex take on the salted caramel phenomenon.

12. Sriracha and peanut butter

You might grimace at the thought of drizzling sriracha over peanut butter to make a sandwich, but the smooth spread mellows the spicy sauce brilliantly. The flavours are loosely similar to those in Thai cooking, where many dishes contain chilli and peanuts. It’s easy to make a quick, Thai-inspired sauce at home by mixing peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha and a squeeze of lime juice.

11. Instant ramen and American cheese

Pairing instant ramen and American cheese shouldn’t work, but it really does. The hot broth melts the cheese to create a creamy noodle soup. It may not be traditional, but it is quick, comforting and surprisingly delicious. You can get creative by swapping in other cheeses like Cheddar, or by adding toppings such as sriracha, garlic, mushrooms and onion.

10. Black pepper and summer fruits

Chefs love to add black pepper to fruity desserts because it brings a subtle hint of spice to the dish, while also enhancing the fruit's flavour. The trick works well with acidic fruits such as strawberries, pineapples and tart plums. It’s also good in desserts where the fruit is caramelised as this mellows out the black pepper.

9. Bacon and jam

Bacon and jam aren’t two ingredients you'd immediately put together, but you should certainly give it a try. With this combo, the bacon needs to be cooked to a salty crisp, then combined with sugar, vinegar, onions and cayenne pepper to make a jam that’s thick and sticky. It’s like candied bacon, but in spread form.

8. Chocolate and chilli

Pairing cacao and chilli dates back to the Aztec era and many modern chefs still swear by adding a few squares of dark chocolate to dishes like chilli con carne. The chocolate gifts depth to the sauce and balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Alternatively, adding chilli to drinking chocolate is also a big thing; the creamy, sweet taste of chocolate works well against the subtle heat of chilli.

7. Fries and milkshake

Some fast food fans love dipping fries in their milkshake. For others, it's a horrifying thought. This combination actually works because of the sweet and salty, hot and cold dynamic. The contrasts balance each other and are exciting to the tastebuds in a similar way to fried ice cream and affogato (hot coffee poured over ice cream). The fries also become a useful tool for scooping up ice cream when it’s too thick to suck through a straw. In 2016, McDonald’s even approved the hack by asking its Facebook followers: “What’s your favourite flavour to dunk your fries in?"

6. Peanut butter and hamburgers

Peanut butter on hamburgers is a surprising combination, but when you think of satay sauce being used as a marinade, it makes more sense. The spread adds a nutty richness to the burger and goes especially well with chipotle, Cheddar and bacon. It also melts onto the hot patty, creating a gorgeous sticky sauce – just make sure you have a napkin on hand when you try this this one.

5. Apple, salt and pepper

Had enough of cinnamon-coated apples? Branch out from your usual breakfast combo and add a sprinkling of sea salt and cracked black pepper to your apple slices. The seasoning helps balance out the tartness of the apple, leaving you with a salty, spicy pairing that’s hard to knock.

4. Olives and cookies

You'll find this unlikely but brilliant pairing in a traditional Portuguese treat known simply as black olive cookies. Chopped, cured black olives are combined with orange zest to make slightly salty, slightly sweet, fragrant cookies. The flavour of the briny, earthy olives plays off against the zingy orange zest to create something really tasty. The cookies are usually eaten as an accompaniment to tea and often come served with lemon sorbet or vanilla ice cream.

3. Balsamic vinegar and strawberries

You might be sceptical about strawberries and balsamic vinegar, but this clever food pairing really lets strawberries shine. Strong, syrupy balsamic vinegar intensifies the flavour of the delicate fruit, making them taste even sweeter. By contrast, traditional pairings like chocolate and cream can actually mask a strawberry’s intricate berry notes.

2. Caviar and white chocolate

Salty caviar enhances the creamy flavours in white chocolate. This is an interesting combination, though, as both foods contain high levels of amines (a type of protein, similar to those found in meats and cheeses), helping to make this mix particularly moreish. Whipping up this snack will be expensive as you'll need proper caviar, but the taste of white chocolate melting away while it leaves caviar's intense flavours lingering behind is said to be worth it.

1. Olive oil, sea salt and ice cream

Olive oil, sea salt and ice cream combine to make an unexpectedly heavenly dessert. The grassy, fruity flavours of olive oil, plus a sprinkle of sea salt, heighten the richness of the ice cream. Try it at home by drizzling extra virgin olive oil on top of good-quality vanilla ice cream and finishing off with a pinch of flaky salt.

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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.