We’ve all been there: You’re hard at work whipping up a delicious soup or stew and salting it to taste. But things quickly take a turn for the worse. Suddenly, you’ve over salted your meal, making it borderline inedible. Don’t fret! Even the best chefs make this mistake. But before you lose hope and throw all that hard work in the trash, know that there are a variety of simple tricks you can use to save your meal and make food less salty. Our favorite method involves just one item you might already have on hand: a potato! Here’s how to easily fix over-salted food, like soups and stews.
Watch the video above to learnhow to fix over salted food with just one item.
How to fix over-salted food
Supplies:
- 1 potato
- 1 pot of over-salted food, such as soup or stew
- Water or broth (as needed
Instructions:
- Peel the potato. Any type of potato will work, but a starchy potato like a russet potato will work best.
- Place the peeled potato in the pot of over-salted food. This method works best on soups or stews.
- Cook the potato until it is tender, about 15-20 minutes or more for larger potatoes. The potato will absorb extra salt and liquid.
- Remove the potato from the pot.
- Taste the food. If the saltiness is still too much, you can add water or broth to dilute it. Start with a small amount and add more as needed.
Other ways to remove salt from food
- In addition to potatoes, you can use other starchy vegetables like carrots or parsnips to absorb excess salt.
- Dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream can help balance out the saltiness of a soup or stew. The fat and protein in dairy products can help to coat your tongue and reduce the perception of saltiness.
- Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme can help to mask the saltiness of soup, too. Add a small amount of fresh herbs to the soup and stir until well combined.
- Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes can also help to reduce the saltiness of soup. Add a small amount of acid to the soup and stir until well combined.
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FAQs
Dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream can help balance out the saltiness of a soup or stew. The fat and protein in dairy products can help to coat your tongue and reduce the perception of saltiness. Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme can help to mask the saltiness of soup, too.
How do you fix over salted soup? ›
Dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream can help balance out the saltiness of a soup or stew. The fat and protein in dairy products can help to coat your tongue and reduce the perception of saltiness. Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme can help to mask the saltiness of soup, too.
Can you fix a recipe that is too salty? ›
Add an Acidic Ingredient
It won't reduce the sodium level of your dish, but adding an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or even a tomato product, can neutralize the saltiness of a dish. Start with a dash or a squeeze, stir well to combine, and give it a taste before adding any more.
How to counteract too much salt? ›
How to Neutralize Salt in Food
- Add an acid. You can add lemon juice, lime juice, or apple cider vinegar to salty food to help neutralize the saltiness. ...
- Add condiments. ...
- Add dairy. ...
- Add raw potatoes. ...
- Add sugar.
If your soup is just a little bit too salty, balance out the flavor with a small amount of sugar. This will help take the edge off the saltiness. Make sure to add a little at a time and taste as you go. You can also try a dash of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup if you prefer.
Does sugar fix salty food? ›
Depending on the type of recipe, adding a little sugar or alternatives such as maple syrup or honey can help to balance the saltiness of the dish. This works wonderfully in Asian cuisines or any tomato-based dish. Start by adding very small amounts, stir well and taste constantly before deciding to add more.
What cuts down salt flavor? ›
Squeeze some lemon juice or orange juice over your dish. The sour flavor provides a new layer of complexity to the meal and should mellow out the salt. Drizzle in a mild vinegar like all-purpose vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar to help mask the salt with acidity by distracting the taste buds.
What to do if everything tastes salty? ›
Home remedies
- drinking water.
- practicing daily oral hygiene.
- rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash.
- chewing sugar-free gum.
- drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
- reducing alcohol or tobacco consumption.
- avoiding greasy or spicy foods.
Lemon Juice
The juice has a strong presence of acidity that allows it to cut through the saltiness of most meals and as such, a balance is created. This method of reduction works best when the meal does not have too much sodium.
Can you reverse the effects of too much salt? ›
Sodium is essential for many body functions, but too much of it can be problematic and cause serious health concerns. If you're feeling bloated, puffy or like you've eaten too much salt, try increasing your water intake, adding more potassium to your daily diet, increasing physical activity and reducing added salt.
Your body fluid levels will usually return to normal within a few days after eating lots of salt.
How to get rid of salty taste in sauce? ›
Just Add Acid
Use an acidic ingredient, like vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, or fresh tomatoes or unsalted tomato sauce, to cut the saltiness of soups, sauces, meat dishes, pastas, salads, and more. A splash should be all it takes to dial back the taste of saltiness.
What kills salt in soup? ›
A squeeze of lemon can balance out a mildly oversalted soup with its acidic flavor. A splash of vinegar can also do wonders for taming the salty flavor.
Does potato absorb salt? ›
Well, potatoes don't pull salt out of anything. They do absorb water, though—and if that water happens to be salty, they'll absorb salty water. But they're not absorbing salt in particular. Potatoes are amazing, but they're not capable of reverse osmosis.
What happens when salt is put into soup? ›
Adding some salt while cooking brings out flavors in the food without making it taste “salty”. Adding salt at the end makes it taste saltier. If not enough salt is added during cooking, some salt or lemon juice/vinegar is needed at the end to balance the flavors.
How to make hot and sour soup less salty? ›
First of all, adding starches such as rice or noodles to your soup, or pureeing some rice to add as a thickener to your stew will help balance out the salt. Lemon or vinegar and some sweetener will mask saltiness, too.
Does adding potatoes reduce salt? ›
Potatoes are amazing, but they're not capable of reverse osmosis. It's more like using a sponge to soak up a spill. So in theory, if you added enough potatoes to absorb all the water in your super-salty sauce, then removed the potatoes and added more water, you'd end up with a sauce that wasn't too salty.
How to remove excess salt from gravy? ›
Milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half: Stir in 2 tsp of one of these dairy products to the gravy to reduce its saltiness. Yogurt: Add 1 tsp of plain yogurt to salty gravy. Sour cream: A dollop of sour cream can help balance the flavor of over-salted gravy.
What are the effects of too much salt? ›
Health risks
Eating too much sodium can increase your blood pressure and your risk for heart disease and stroke. Together, heart disease and stroke kill more Americans each year than any other cause.
