Salt is an essential ingredient when making just about any soup—without it, your bulalo or chicken noodle soup is bound to turn out bland and unappetizing. Add a few too many pinches into the pot, though, and you risk serving an inedible brine for dinner.
But oversalting happens even to the best of us, and it’s far from the end of the world! Here are a few tried and tested remedies for this salty situation.
Dilute It!
You can easily lessen the saltiness of any soup by adding more of a neutral liquid, such as water or an unsalted broth, to lower the concentration of sodium in the overall mixture (science!). Add the extra liquid gradually, a cup at a time or so, and taste as you go along to ensure the flavors stay balanced.
If you find that the soup becomes too thin or watery in the process, you can add body by thickening with a roux, beurre manié (kneaded butter and flour), or a flour or cornstarch slurry.
Drizzle in Dairy
Depending on the recipe you’re preparing, you have the option of adding dairy—try milk if you like it leaner, heavy cream for richness, or sour cream for a hint of tang. You could also try soy or coconut milk as non-dairy options if it suits your recipe, e.g. if you’re preparing a Filipino or Japanese soup. The added liquid will help dilute your soup, and the added fat contributes creaminess that can help mask the saltiness.
Balance It Out With Other Flavors
A good remedy to any over-salting situation is to balance it out with another taste profile, which offsets how much of the saltiness you perceive even if the actual amount of salt stays the same.
Acidity or tang, for example, cuts through the salty sensation while brightening the flavors in the dish overall; consider squeezing in the juice of a citrus or stirring in a small amount of vinegar into your pot. You can also counter saltiness with sweetness—try stirring in a small amount of sugar or honey, or adding diced or grated carrots or sweet potatoes.
Do be mindful of the amounts you’re adding, and taste as you go along; you don’t want to accidentally make it overly sour, or enter dessert territory.
Consider Solids
Adding solid ingredients that heat up and cook in the soup can help absorb some of the salty liquid while retaining the overall soup’s volume. Depending on the recipe being prepared, you can add starchy ingredients like potatoes, rice, pasta, lentils, or beans; or try diced-up veggies like carrots, celery, or leeks. These ingredients act like a sponge, leaving you with less of the salty liquid—which you can then dilute. In the case of the diced-up veg, you get a bit of a flavor boost, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can reduce saltiness by adding water, unsalted broth, dairy, starches, or balancing flavors with acidity and sweetness.
Potatoes absorb some of the liquid in the soup, which can help reduce the perception of saltiness, especially when combined with dilution.
Yes. Cream, milk, coconut milk, and other dairy products can dilute the soup while adding richness that balances salty flavors.
Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, calamansi, and vinegar can help balance salty flavors. Small amounts of sweetness may also help.
Usually not. Most soups can be rescued through dilution, balancing flavors, or adding additional ingredients.
