Over-salting a dish is a cook’s worst nightmare, and it happens to all of us. Here you’ll learn how to fix over-salted foods and save face!
How to Fix Over-Salted Foods
In my many years of cooking, I have occasionally been a bit too heavy-handed with the salt shaker, particularly with soups and stews. There’s nothing more frustrating than making a beautiful French Onion Soup or Irish American Guinness Stew, only to realize you’ve over-salted it. But there’s help and no, it’s not adding a raw potato (read on for that discussion.)
Step 1: Add More Liquid: Dilute
Adding more liquid to a soup or stew can minimize the salty flavor of the dish. Add a low-sodium broth or stock, or plain water, which is best. However, if you find that simply adding more liquid causes your dish to be too thin, then add a thickening slurry.
Step 2: Create a Slurry: Dilute then 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. A slurry is generally a 1:1 ratio; equal parts of liquid and starch.
The starch used in the slurry determines the thick/thinness of the soup/stew not because of the type of starch, but due to the temperature of the starch/slurry.
Types of Slurries and When to Add Them
If you use a slurry to thicken your dish, add it near the end of the cooking time. Prolonged cooking times result in the breakdown of the molecules and then, the slurry fails to thicken.
Once you’ve diluted your soup, if you find it’s too thin, you can add a slurry to thicken it. A root-based slurry, (arrowroot, tapioca, potato), will thicken at a lower temperature–so add the slurry to warm soup near the end of the cooking time if you want to thicken the soup; if not, bring the heat up and add the root-based slurry. Note: Arrowroot is not recommended to use with dairy-based soup; it tends to clump and cling, producing an unappetizing soup.
If you make a slurry using a cereal-based starch (corn, wheat or flour), add the slurry when the soup is at a higher temperature to thicken the soup ( cereal-based starches thicken at higher temperatures.)
For example, you have a Cream of Broccoli Cheese soup that is too salty, but you are pleased with the consistency, texture and color. You added more liquid and your soup is now too thin so, mix a slurry of water and cornstarch in a measuring cup, reduce the heat of the soup to low, stir in the slurry and stir a bit, then serve immediately. If you allow the soup to get too hot and/or cook the slurry too long, it will dissipate and not thicken the soup.
Type of Starch Used in Slurry
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 transluscent 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 this doesn’t resolve the salt issue, then you can either lower the heat and add a root based slurry, or bring the heat up and add a cereal based 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
Can I Add a Potato to Fix Over-Salted Foods?
Many a cook has 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 salt.
The best alternative to reduce sodium is to first, dilute it with water. Then, consider the texture and thicken the soup with a slurry. Once the texture is how you want it, if the soup is still too salty, add sugar. If it’s still too salty, add acid. You’ll find that dilution is usually the best alternative to remedy over-salted soups and stews!
How to Fix Over-Salted Soups and Stews
Ingredients
- 2 cups water or low sodium broth/stock; to add to soup
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour for slurry
- ½ cup water for slurry
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon acid vinegar, lemon/lime juice, wine
Instructions
- Add water, one cup at a time to reduce saltiness; taste; add more water if necessaryIf this reduces the sodium to suit you, serve the soup/stew
- If, after adding water, the flavor is good but the soup is too thin, then make a slurry
- In a 2 cup measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour and ½ cup of water; combine well
- Add slurry to soup (see recipe notes about the temperature of the soup and when to add the slurry)
- If the soup tastes right and is at the right consistency, serve immediately
- If the soup is still too salty, add 1 tablespoon of sugar or acid (vinegar, lemon/lime juice, wine)
Notes
- First, add water. If this resolves the sodium issue, but thins the soup too much, make a slurry.
Types of Slurries and When to Add Them
If you use a slurry to thicken your dish, add it near the end of the cooking time. Prolonged cooking times result in the breakdown of the molecules and then, the slurry fails to thicken. Once you've diluted your soup, if you find it's too thin, you can add a slurry to thicken it. A root-based slurry, (arrowroot, tapioca, potato), will thicken at a lower temperature--so add the slurry to warm soup near the end of the cooking time if you want to thicken the soup; if not, bring the heat up and add the root-based slurry. Note: Arrowroot is not recommended to use with dairy-based soup; it tends to clump and cling, producing an unappetizing soup. If you make a slurry using a cereal-based starch (corn, wheat or flour), add the slurry when the soup is at a higher temperature to thicken the soup ( cereal-based starches thicken at higher temperatures.) For example, you have a Cream of Broccoli Cheese soup that is too salty, but you are pleased with the consistency, texture and color. You added more liquid and your soup is now too thin so, mix a slurry of water and cornstarch in a measuring cup, reduce the heat of the soup to low, stir in the slurry and stir a bit, then serve immediately. If you allow the soup to get too hot and/or cook the slurry too long, it will dissipate and not thicken the soup. If the addition of water and a slurry doesn't resolve the sodium issue, add sugar or acid. Note: Slurries, sugar and acid should be added near the end of the cooking time If you continue to cook the soup/stew after adding slurry, sugar and/or acid, it will break down and begin to thin.
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