Seasoning to Taste: Salt, Acid and Balance

Taste as you go

Keep a small cup of clean spoons next to the stove and taste at every stage: after the aromatics soften, after the liquid goes in, and before serving. Flavors change as food cooks and reduces. A soup that tastes perfectly seasoned at the beginning may be too salty after an hour of simmering.

Salt: when and how much

Salt does more than make food taste salty; it makes flavors seem brighter and reduces bitterness. Seasoning early lets salt penetrate. A steak or chicken salted a few hours or a day ahead is seasoned all the way through, not just on the surface. Pasta water should taste pleasantly salty. Vegetables for roasting benefit from salt before they go into the oven.

Different salts measure differently. A teaspoon of fine table salt is roughly twice as salty as a teaspoon of flaky kosher salt, because the fine grains pack more densely. Recipes on this site use Diamond Crystal-style kosher salt unless stated; if you use table salt, start with about half.

Acid: the forgotten seasoning

When a dish tastes flat or heavy but adding more salt does not help, it often needs acid. A squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a spoon of yogurt or a few chopped pickles can wake it up. Add acid at the end of cooking, a little at a time, and taste after each addition.

• Lemon or lime juice: soups, grains, roasted vegetables, fish
• Red or white wine vinegar: salads, stews, braises, pan sauces
• Sherry vinegar: gazpacho, onion soup, brown butter
• Rice vinegar: dipping sauces, quick pickles, slaws
• Yogurt or buttermilk: dressings, marinades, cakes

Fat, sweetness and heat

Fat carries flavor and adds richness; a final drizzle of olive oil or a knob of butter rounds out a sharp sauce. A small pinch of sugar or a little honey can balance excessive acidity or bitterness, especially in tomato dishes. Heat from chili flakes or black pepper adds liveliness, but use it to support the other flavors, not overwhelm them.

Fixing common problems

• Too salty: add more unsalted liquid or bulk, or balance with acid and a little fat
• Too sour: add a pinch of sugar or a little fat
• Too bitter: add salt, a touch of sweetness, or fat
• Too sweet: add acid or a pinch of salt
• Too spicy: add dairy, fat, sweetness or more of the base ingredients

Season for the way food is served

Cold food needs more seasoning than hot food, because cold dulls our sense of taste. That is why a chilled soup like gazpacho, or a potato salad, should taste slightly over-seasoned at room temperature. Always taste once more right before serving.

General cooking information only. Follow food-safety guidance for your area and the instructions for your equipment.