Ooops, that pinch of salt is a bit too much! Can you fix a salty soup and if so, how?
Let us save you the salty troubles – we’re bringing you the info on how to neutralize the salt from the soup.
Even though some people love adding salty layers, most of the time, saltiness is there by accident. Due to that, we decided to bring information on how to fix salty soup and tips to avoid making such a mistake in the future.
Can You Remove Salt From Soup?
Well, this depends on the way you look at the problem. The thing about the salt is that it can be absorbed by other ingredients or a bit neutralized with using liquid or perhaps spices and food. It can’t actually be removed but the saltiness can definitely be minimalized so the soup can be suitable for your preferences.
The problem that led to the too salty soup can be various – maybe you added one pinch of salt too many, you forgot you’re using already salty bacon, or perhaps too much water boiled off. No matter the cause, the final result is the same – too salty soup.
Even though some people do prefer more salty nuances in their soup, most of us simply don’t. Besides, too much salt isn’t good for your help either. So what can you do? How to fix a salty stew?
As we already mentioned, there are two methods of getting rid of saltiness – by absorbing the salt or by neutralizing it.
Potato Myth – Does It Work?
First things first – this is the most widespread myth about fixing up a salty soup. But can a potato really fix it?
Let’s go from the beginning. The theory says that a potato is a perfect ingredient that will absorb the excess salt. So, you’ll find many online sources telling you to throw a potato into the soup, simmer it for some time, and once you remove it, the salt will be absorbed, while your soup will be to-die-for-tasty. But does this actually work?
This myth definitely intrigued the gastronomy world and there were many testings and experiments to see if the potato is truly a miracle ingredient or – not. So to answer the most popular question – does potato really absorb the saltiness and make your soup a perfect meal – no. There are minimal changes regarding the saltiness so we have to say that this potato myth is definitely just a myth and fairytale.
How To Fix Over-Salted Soup
We already mentioned 2 possible methods of solving that salty mystery but let’s talk about specifics. Whether you wish to absorb the salt or simply neutralize it, there is a list of ingredients that will help you with the decision-making.
- The easiest way to evenly distribute the salt in the soup is by adding more water. But make sure to add water gradually. Keep tasting the soup while adding water to make its flavors a perfect match to your preferences. This is important because you don’t want your soup to end up being too bland.
- Adding creamy, dairy ingredients can mellow the salty flavors. You can add sour cream, yogurt, heavy cream, or a splash of milk. Unlike adding water, dairy ingredients retain the richness of the soup, as well as the flavors.
- Small amounts of acids such as lemon juice or vinegar, can cancel out some of the salty nuances. Acids actually trick your taste buds and distract them while eating too salty soup so you don’t feel too much saltiness.
- Starchy ingredients, for example, rice and noodles, can absorb the excess salt. If you add them to the soup, they will soak up the saltiness gradually as they’re cooking. Since starchy ingredients absorb both the liquid and the salt, you can add more water so you don’t end up with too little liquid.
- Sweetness can counteract salty soup, just add a pinch of sugar to it. This will help balance the flavors and take the edge off the saltiness.
What Works Best For …
Chicken Soup
How to fix salty chicken soup? The best way to neutralize the salty nuances in chicken soup is by adding acid. Squeeze lemon or add a bit of mild vinegar. The acid nuances will mask the aggressive salt.
Tomato Soup
This soup is meant to be creamy. And when your tomato soup is too salty, add some of the mentioned dairy ingredients like sour cream or heavy cream.
Vegetable Soup
This type of soup is actually good for any of the mentioned un-salting methods. To fix it, you can dilute the soup, add dairy ingredients, or acid. The best advice is the following – if your soup is based on creaminess, go with dairy ingredients. If it’s based on more liquid, go with other methods.
Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin soup has the same main factor as a tomato one – delicious creaminess. Due to that, if your pumpkin soup is too salty, use some dairy ingredients such as milk or heavy cream to neutralize the saltiness, as well as to contribute to the soup’s texture.
Pea and Ham Soup
Pea and ham soup is a favorite meal for a wide range of people. And in case you make it too salty, the solution is simple – heavy cream. Add some creaminess to it and neutralize the saltiness.
Canned Soup
The easiest way to make canned soup less salty is by adding more water or bone broth. Of course, add liquid gradually in order to find the perfect flavors and balance.
How To Avoid Over-Salting Soup
We offered you solutions when you overdo it with the salt, but how to avoid the too-salty final result in the first place? There are some rules, tips, and tricks that will help you avoid making salty soup. There are only 4 of the tips, but they surely are golden.
- Always add salt gradually. Keep tasting the soup while it’s cooking, your taste buds are the best partner-in-crime you need.
- Check the recipe ingredients before you start cooking just so you can adapt the amount of the salt. Why? Because sometimes you’ll use ham or bacon or some other ingredient that is already quite salty and that can be tricky – it will make your soup too salty. Once you checked the ingredients, adapt the amount of salt you’re using according to the ingredients.
- Besides salty ingredients and food, make sure to keep an eye on the spice blend that contains salt too.
- Don’t blindly follow the recipe. Perhaps the person who wrote it down has different preferences when it comes to the soup’s saltiness.
To Wrap It Up
Is your homemade soup too salty? Well, there is a solution or two – absorb the saltiness by adding other ingredients or neutralize the salty nuances by using water, dairy food, or vinegar. So whether your soup took the wrong turn to the salty town or you just wish to avoid getting in trouble, this article is your perfect reading material!
If you’re on your weight loss journey, you can check out the articles about the healthiest pasta sauces and top healthy and nutritious snacks.
