Can Water Fix Over-Salted Food?
Insufficient or incorrect use of seasonings is one of the most common pitfalls of cooking. From salt to more obscure flavors, seasonings can breathe life into whatever you're preparing. However, per Cookist, seasoning alone can't fix an improperly prepared dish made with low-quality ingredients. In fact, ingredients that are of a higher standard need less seasoning and fewer added flavors, because their intrinsic qualities stand on their own.
Then, of course, you have to know which seasonings to use. Cook's Illustrated reported that skilled chefs know how to complement flavors with other ingredients. For example, acidic foods dull bitter flavors and enliven the taste of a dish overall. Finally, home chefs have to learn the difference between balanced seasoning and seasoning too much. One of the most common mistakes that cooks make is using too much salt. Thankfully, over-salting food doesn't have to be the demise of your dish, and there ways to correct this error.
Water can make your dish less salty, but you may need to add a thickener, too
When it comes to seasonings, it's best to take a slow approach. You can always add more flair to your dish, but subtracting a flavor can be tricky — particularly if it's salt. Fortunately, if you do make the all too human mistake of misusing salt by sprinkling it a little too enthusiastically, there are a few rescue measures you can attempt before you toss your dish into the garbage.
If your liquid-based dish (like a soup) is too salty, the simplest solution is to include more water or unsalted stock, SheKnows reported. This will simply dilute what you're cooking. However, beware that this method may throw off the consistency of your dish. If it comes out too watery, you'll want to prepare something to thicken it, such as "a roux or cornstarch slurry."
If adding lots of liquid isn't an option for your dish, one foolproof way to dial back the sodium is through the addition of acid, as chef Curtis Stone told the "Rachael Ray Show." Next time your overly salted pasta or salad has you reaching for a glass of water, opt for a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to mask the salinity. And if that won't work, MasterClass recommends adding a sweet element, such as brown sugar, or something cool and fatty, like heavy cream or ricotta.