Too salty? How to fix over-salted food and save your dinner New
We have all been there. You are busy in the kitchen, chatting away or listening to the radio, and your hand slips. Suddenly, a mountain of salt pours into your simmering pot. Or perhaps you followed a recipe perfectly, but the stock you used was much saltier than the one the recipe writer used.
Panic sets in. You taste it, and it feels like you have just swallowed a mouthful of seawater. Your first instinct might be to tip the whole thing into the bin and order a takeaway. Stop! Put the phone down.
Before you give up on your meal, take a deep breath. Most of the time, an over-salted food can be rescued. You do not need to be a professional chef to fix it, either. With a few simple ingredients from your cupboard or fridge, you can balance out that salty taste and serve a meal that is still delicious.
Here is a guide on how to fix over-salted food, along with some tips to stop it from happening again.
1. Dilution
The most effective way to fix over-salted food is to change the ratio of salt to food. You cannot take the salt out once it is in there, but you can spread it out so it tastes less intense.
Add more liquid
If you are making a soup, stew, or curry, the easiest fix is to add more liquid. You can pour in some cold water or unsalted stock. If you use standard stock cubes, be careful, as adding more salty stock will only make the problem worse.
Once you have added the liquid, bring the dish back to a simmer. You might find that adding water dilutes the flavour of your spices or herbs, so have a taste. You may need to add more pepper, garlic, or paprika to bring the flavour back to life.
Add more solid ingredients
If you have made a casserole or a pasta sauce that is too salty, try adding more of the main ingredients. If you have extra chopped vegetables, cooked meat, or cooked beans, throw them in.
For example, if you are making a chilli, tossing in another tin of kidney beans or tomatoes can work wonders. This spreads the salt across a larger amount of food, making each mouthful less salty.
2. The Acid Trick
If dilution is not an option, maybe you are making a dish that cannot be watery, you need to trick your tongue. Your taste buds perceive salt differently when other strong flavours are present. Acid is brilliant at cutting through saltiness and rescuing over-salted food.
Lemon and Lime
A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice can brighten up a dish and mask the salt. This works especially well with fish, chicken dishes, or roasted vegetables. Start with a small squeeze, stir it in, and taste. You want to neutralise the salt, not make the dinner taste like a fruit salad.
Vinegar
If citrus does not fit the flavour profile of your meal, try vinegar. White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even a splash of balsamic can help. Balsamic works well in rich, meaty stews, while white vinegar is better for lighter sauces.
According to food experts like Martha Stewart, adding an acidic ingredient is a classic way to neutralise saltiness without actually removing any sodium.
3. Sweeten the dish
Just as acid can counteract salt, sweetness can too. Think about salted caramel, the two flavours balance each other out. You can use this principle to save your over-salted food.
You do not need much. A pinch of brown sugar, a drizzle of honey, or a teaspoon of maple syrup might be all you need. This method works particularly well for tomato-based sauces, which can often taste acidic and salty at the same time. The sweetness rounds off the sharp edges.
If you are cooking a spicy curry or chilli, a spoonful of apricot jam or mango chutney can also do the trick. It adds a depth of flavour while hiding your salty mistake.
4. Make it creamy
Dairy is excellent for fixing over-salted food. Fat coats the tongue and dulls your perception of salt.
If you have over-salted a soup or sauce, try stirring in:
- Double cream
- Crème fraîche
- Plain yoghurt
- Coconut milk (great for curries)
- A knob of unsalted butter
If you are making a tomato pasta sauce that has gone wrong, turning it into a creamy tomato sauce with a splash of cream or mascarpone can save the day. Just remember to add dairy right at the end of cooking so it does not curdle.
5. Add a starch
Starchy foods are inherently bland, making them perfect for soaking up strong flavours. While they will not technically “remove” salt, serving your over-salted food with something bland can balance the whole meal.
If your stew is too salty, serve it over a large portion of plain, unseasoned rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes. When you eat them together, the bland starch mixes with the salty sauce in your mouth, making it palatable.
You can also add cooked pasta, potatoes, or quinoa directly into the pot. This increases the dish’s volume (like the dilution method) and changes its texture, helping distribute the salt more evenly.
The Potato Myth: Does it actually work?
You might have heard an old wives’ tale about adding a raw potato to the pot. The idea is that you peel a potato, throw it into your salty soup, and it acts like a magnet, sucking the salt out of the liquid. Then you throw the potato away, and your soup is fixed.
Does it work? Well, sort of, but not in the way you might hope.
According to tests by The Kitchn, potatoes absorb liquid. Since the liquid is salty, the potato absorbs its salt. However, the potato does not have a special ability to pull salt out while leaving the water behind.
If you add a potato, it will soak up some salty stock. But you will then need to top up the pan with more water to replace what the potato absorbed. It is really the act of adding more fresh water that fixes the soup, not the magic potato itself.
So, while you can try it, simply diluting the over-salted food with water or stock is usually faster and more effective.
How to rinse off the salt
Sometimes the problem isn’t a sauce, but a solid piece of food. Maybe you salted your steak too heavily, or you boiled vegetables in water that was far too salty.
In this case, a quick rinse under the tap can work. If you have over-salted food green beans or broccoli that taste inedible, put them in a colander and rinse them with hot water. It might wash away some of the butter or oil you used, but you can always add that back later.
For meat, you can pat it dry with a damp paper towel to remove excess surface salt.
How to stop it from happening again
Fixing over-salted food is great, but preventing it is even better. Here are a few habits to help you avoid the salt trap in the future.
1. Taste as you go
This is the golden rule of cooking. Do not wait until the very end to taste your food. Taste it after you add the stock, after the vegetables have softened, and again before you serve. If you taste regularly, you will notice if it is getting too salty before it is too late.
2. Be careful with salty ingredients
Remember that many ingredients already contain salt. Soy sauce, stock cubes, bacon, cheese, capers, anchovies, and olives are all high in salt. If a recipe includes these, you probably won’t need to add much extra salt from the shaker.
3. Season from a height
It might look a bit chef-y, but sprinkling salt from high up helps it spread evenly over the food. If you shake it close to the pan, it tends to land in one big clump, causing over-salted food.
4. Use your hands
Instead of shaking directly from a pot, pour some salt into your hand or use a pinch pot. This lets you feel exactly how much you are using. It is much harder to accidentally dump a tablespoon of salt when using your fingers.
5. Check your labels
Sodium hides in places you wouldn’t expect. If you are trying to be generally healthier, check out my guide on how to reduce salt in your diet. It covers hidden salts in bread, cereals, and sauces.
Why does salt matter?
Aside from ruining your dinner, eating too much salt isn’t good for your health. The NHS recommends that adults eat no more than 6g of salt a day, that is about one teaspoon.
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. It can also make you feel bloated and puffy. If you want to learn more about cooking healthier meals at home, have a look at my tips for the keen home cook.
Using less salt doesn’t mean your food has to be boring. Using fresh herbs, spices, garlic, and onions can add massive flavour without a sodium spike.
FAQ
Can I fix over-salted gravy?
Yes. The best way to fix salty gravy is to add more liquid (water or unsalted stock) to dilute it. Because this will make the gravy thin, you will need to thicken it again using a cornflour slurry (cornflour mixed with a little cold water). You can also add a splash of cream or a teaspoon of redcurrant jelly to balance the flavour.
Does the potato trick work for dry dishes like stir-fry?
No. The potato trick relies on liquid being absorbed. If you have over-salted food like a stir-fry, adding a raw potato won’t help. Instead, try adding more plain vegetables or noodles, or stir in a little sugar and lime juice to balance the taste.
What if I don’t have cream or lemons?
Check your fridge for alternatives. No lemon? Try vinegar. No cream? Try a spoonful of cream cheese or even a splash of milk. No sugar? Try honey or ketchup (which is sweet and acidic).
Can I just add more water to everything?
Be careful. Adding water fixes the salt but dilutes the flavour. If you add water, make sure you taste the dish and add other seasonings (like pepper, herbs, or spices) to stop it tasting watery and bland.
Don’t bin it, fix it!
Cooking disasters happen to the best of us. Whether you were distracted by the kids or the lid just fell off the salt shaker, it is not the end of the world.
Next time you taste a spoonful of something that makes your eyes water, remember these tips for over-salted food. Dilute it, distract with acid or sugar, or bulk it up with bland ingredients. Most of the time, your dinner can be saved, and no one at the table will be any the wiser.
Cooking at home is all about learning, and learning how to fix mistakes is just as important as following a recipe. So, grab that lemon or that jug of water, and rescue your over-salted food!
