How To Fix Over-Salted Foods

Here’s what to do when if soup is too salty:

Step 1: Dilute

• The first and best alternative to reduce sodium is to dilute it with water. Adding more liquid can minimize the salty flavor of the dish
• Or, add a low-sodium broth or stock
• Consider the texture. If the texture and thickness are okay after adding more water, then you’re good to go! If you find that adding more liquid causes your dish to be too thin, then add a thickening slurry.

Step 2: Create a Slurry: Thicken

Technically, a slurry is a combination of a starch and water that is added to thicken a dish; however, it will also lessen the sodium content to a degree.

Once you’ve added more liquid, you might find the soup too thin. In this case, you’ll want to add a thickening slurry which is generally a 1:1 ratio; equal parts of liquid and starch.

The starch used in the slurry determines the thick/thinness of the dish not because of the type of starch, but due to the temperature. 

Types of starch for slurries

Typical starches include arrowroot, cornstarch and flour. Arrowroot and cornstarch slurries will produce a transparent thickener where flour will create an opaque thickener.

Think of it this way: the clear, transparent sauce you get on your Lemon Chicken at your favorite Asian restaurant is made with cornstarch. The result is a translucent sauce.

The cream gravy you put on your mashed potatoes is white; thickened with flour, which results in an opaque sauce. Same goes for brown gravy or sauces.

Step 3: Add Sugar

A pinch of sugar may minimize saltiness of a dish, but note that high levels of sugar will prevent thickening. If you add sugar and find your soup too thin, add another thickening slurry.

Step 4: Add Acid

Adding an acid (vinegar, lemon, wine) to an over-salted dish acts the same way sugar does in that a little may adjust the salt, but too much acid will prevent thickening. Add acids at the end of the cooking period to avoid coagulation of any dairy products

Does adding a raw potato reduce salt?

Many a cook has been advised that adding a peeled, sliced potato to an over-salty soup or stew reduces the salt.  However, the potato actually absorbs more water than it reduces salt.

If you add raw potatoes to a high-sodium dish, the result is a big glob of salty mush because the raw potato extracts more liquid than it absorbs sodium.

Final analysis

• Add more liquid; taste; if needed, add a thickening slurry; taste
• If still too salty, add a pinch of sugar; taste
• If still too salty, add a little acid
• At this point, if it tastes right, but is too thin, add another thickening slurry

Related topics:

• How to Keep Green Vegetables Green
• Keep Cauliflower Bright White
• Prevent Eggplant from Turning Gray
• How to Properly Thaw Meat and Seafood

Soup Recipes you might like:

• Southwestern Navy Bean
• Wisconsin Beer Cheese 
• Traditional French Onion
• Heart-Healthy Lentil 
• No-Cream “Creamy” White Bean
• Texas Chili
• New Mexico Green Chile Chicken