Salt is one of the most known seasonings used to give a salty flavor to many different dishes. Nowadays, there are different types of salt. And they all have their unique flavor and texture.
Sea salt is a type of salt that is usually used in cooking, preserving food, and cosmetics. It is believed that sea salt is healthier than the other types of salt because it is less processed and contains traces of nutrients.
Depending on the way and the region where it is produced sea salt can have a different flavor, color, and texture. Sea salt has a strong and less salty flavor than regular table salt. Therefore, it gives better flavor to the food.
However, if you don’t have sea salt, you can use Himalayan pink salt, rock salt, Hawaiian red salt, celery salt, kosher salt, table salt, Celtic sea salt, or flake salt in your recipes.
Let’s learn more about these substitutes below!
Best Substitutes for Sea Salt
Each type of salt has its flavor and texture and is used to enhance the flavor of many different dishes. You can use some of these salts as a substitute for sea salt and see which one works best for you.
1. Himalayan pink salt
Himalayan pink salt is extracted from one of the biggest and oldest mines for salt in the world located in Pakistan. It is minimally processed and has a specific pink color due to the presence of iron oxide in its content.
Himalayan pink salt contains more than 84 minerals and has lower sodium content than sea salt. It is used the same as sea salt in cooking; therefore, it is a good sea salt substitute.
You can use Himalayan pink salt in a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for sea salt in your recipes.
2. Rock salt
Rock salt is also known as Halite and is produced from the sedimentary rocks, which are formed due to the evaporation of salty water from seas and salty lakes.
This mineral is mined from salt mines. It usually has white color or is colorless. However, you can also find it in red, pink, purple, blue, gray, yellow, or orange color depending on the chemical substances found in this mineral.
The purest rock salt is the colorless salt because it doesn’t contain any impurities like the other types of rock salt. Himalayan pink salt is a type of rock salt. Rock salt has a coarser texture than sea salt so you will have to grind it to get a texture similar to sea salt.
Always buy rock salt that is labeled as safe to consume and use rock salt in a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for sea salt.
3. Hawaiian red salt
Hawaiian red salt is traditional salt also known as Alaea salt.
This salt has a characteristic red color due to the content of the volcanic clay, Alaea which gives the salt a nice, smooth, mellow flavor and enriches it with iron oxide.
Hawaiian red salt is rich in minerals. It is often used as an ingredient in meat rubs, salads, grilled and roasted meats, vegetables, and fish.
As a substitute for sea salt, you can use it in a 1:1 ratio.
4. Celery salt
Celery salt is aromatic and flavorful salt made with two parts of table salt and one part of ground dry celery seeds or dry celery leaves.
You can even make it at home and use it in salads, soups, vegetables, stews, and rice. Celery salt will give a nice grassy and slightly bitter celery flavor to your dishes.
You can use it instead of sea salt in a 1:1 ratio.
5. Kosher salt
Kosher salt is produced in the same way as other types of salt like sea salt and table salt. But it is different from them because it has larger crystals, doesn’t have additives, and adds lighter, flavor to the recipes.
Kosher salt is non-iodized salt and is usually used in the meat koshering process. However, it is also used in cooking, spice rubs, brines, marinades, and pickling.
Because of its coarse texture if you want to use kosher salt as a substitute for sea salt you will have to use more.
For 1 teaspoon of sea salt use 1 teaspoon + ¼ of a teaspoon kosher salt in your recipes.
6. Table salt
Table salt is one of the most used salts in cooking. It can be found as iodized and plain. This salt is processed salt and all the minerals are removed.
This salt has a white color, stronger salty, and slightly bitter flavor. It also has a finer texture than sea salt and is used in cooking and baking.
You can substitute 1 teaspoon of sea salt with 1 teaspoon of table salt in your recipes.
7. Celtic Seasalt
Celtic Seasalt is a popular brand of sea salt with a strong flavor and coarse texture. It has a light gray color and higher moisture content than the other types of salt.
Celtic sea salt is harvested by hand in Frances’s region Brittany and it contains more trace minerals than the other types of salt.
Depending on the size of the grain, this salt is used in cooking and as a finishing salt in salads, roasted vegetables, fish, and meat.
Use this salt as a substitute for sea salt in a 1:1 ratio to give a lovely flavor to your dishes.
8. Flake salt
Flake salt is sea salt with larger flat crystals that have an irregular shape.
It has a low mineral content and intense salty flavor. Flake salt is usually used as a finishing salt, to boost the flavor and give a nice, crunchy texture to food. You can sprinkle flake salt on meats, salads, baked goods, and sweets.
Substitute 1 teaspoon of sea salt with 1 teaspoon of flake salt.
Substitute For Sea Salt In Baking
Salts with fine texture are best to use as a substitute for sea salt in baking.
You can use table salt because it dissolves quickly and more evenly than coarse salts. It is highly important to use the right amount of salt in your baked goods because they can easily become too salty or don’t rise properly.
Sea Salt To Table Salt Conversion
Sea salt to table salt conversion is in a 1:1 ratio.
However, if your recipe calls for larger amounts you will have to use more sea salt because table salt has a finer texture.
1 cup of table salt can be substituted with 1 cup +1 teaspoon of fine sea salt. 1/2 cup of table salt with ½ cup +1 teaspoon of fine sea salt whereas for ¼ of a cup of table salt you will need ¼ cup +1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt.
Related Questions
Can regular salt be substituted for sea salt?
Regular salt can be substituted for sea salt in a 1:1 ratio because they have similar nutritional value.
Can I use kosher salt in place of sea salt?
You can use kosher salt in place of sea salt.
However, kosher salt has a coarse texture. Therefore, you will have to add more. To substitute 1 teaspoon of sea salt, you will need 1 teaspoon + ¼ of a teaspoon kosher salt.
How much sea salt equals salt?
One teaspoon of sea salt equals one teaspoon of salt.
Is plain salt the same as sea salt?
Plain salt is not the same as sea salt.
Sea salt is minimally processed, while plain salt is processed and doesn’t have trace minerals like sea salt. Sea salt and plain salt have different flavors and textures. And they are made differently.
Final Notes
There are many types of salts with different texture colors and prices. Which one you are going to use depends on your recipe and the flavor and texture you want to achieve.
Make sure you always use the right amount of salt to get the best final results and use the salt you like the most.