• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sweet Cayenne
  • ABOUT
    • Work With Me
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • RECIPES BY CATEGORY
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Main Entree
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • How-To Guides
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • NEWSLETTER
    • CONTACT
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home > How-To Guides

    Sodium Swaps - Tips for Seasoning With Less Salt

    Published: Mar 1, 2016 · Modified: Mar 26, 2020 by Whitney Reist · This post may contain affiliate links |

    Today's post is a special "FYI" post on Sodium Swaps - we all can benefit from inspiration on seasoning with less salt!

    My top tips for cutting back on salt when seasoning your food - get loads of flavor with less sodium with these simple tricks!

    Salt is big deal in the cooking world. It's a prized and beloved ingredient for many - from fancy Himalayan pink salts for top chefs, to fleur de sel for bakers, to flavored sea salts for foodies like me! I love salty foods just as much as anyone else, but sometimes it's good to do a check up on the amount of sodium in my diet and get back to focusing on ways to build flavor in my food without adding salt. Read on for some tips that I'm using in my kitchen right now to swap out sodium for other flavor powerhouse ingredients!

    Fresh aromatics add a great base of flavor to dishes and much more powerful flavoring agents than their dried counterparts.

    Aromatics - aromatics are what I like to call the building blocks of flavor in food. This includes produce like onions, leeks, scallions, shallots, celery, ginger and garlic. Choosing the fresh versions of these foods as opposed to their dried counterparts yields major payoff in the flavor department. Use them as the base of flavor in soups, sauces, marinades, and dips. You can also caramelized onions or shallots for sandwich fillings and pizza toppings - or roast garlic cloves and use them for a flavorful spread! I love using my microplane to grate ginger or garlic into a fine paste I can add to salad dressings or a big pan of stir-fried vegetables.

    Dried and ground chilis add an explosion of flavor to dishes - also try chili pastes like harissa!

    Dried chiles - whether whole or ground - can add depth of flavor and smokiness to a dish without necessarily adding spiciness. Grind whole chiles in a spice grinder and use them as the base of marinades and rubs for a kick of flavor. My favored dried and ground chile flavorings to add notes of smokiness to dishes (without adding heat) include dried ancho chile powder and smoked paprika. Also consider chile pastes, such as harissa, for adding flavor to egg dishes, roasted vegetables, sauces, and salad dressings. The chile pastes may contain a bit of sodium, but will pack so much concentrated flavor into a dish that you will not need to add extra salt!

    Fresh herbs really brighten the flavor of a dish and can provide a great pop of color.

    Fresh herbs are my favorite flavor vehicles when spring comes around - I love adding tender herbs like basil, mint, tarragon, and chervil to already-cooked dishes to brighten the flavor and add a pop of color. Fresh herbs are key to making powerfully-flavored sauces, salad dressings, and salsas. They can also be the special finishing touch you need to add "wow factor" to salads, soups, smoothies, or even baked goods. This handy herb mill is an easy way to add finely chopped herbs to your plate or whatever you may be cooking. And since fresh herbs cost more than dried, extend their shelf life and the time you have to use them up by storing them in an herb keeper.

    Adding a spritz of citrus to a finished dish can trick your tastebuds into thinking the food tastes saltier. Try it!

    Fresh citrus juice may be the best kept secret of health-conscious cooks for adding flavor without salt. A spritz of lemon juice on finished meats, vegetables, grains, and sauces can trick your taste buds into thinking a food is saltier than it really is! Get adventurous and try adding a squeeze of lime juice to your grilled chicken or steak you make for fajitas. Or add meyer lemon juice to homemade salad dressings and skip the salt. A flavorful grapefruit salsa makes a delicious, salt-free topping for fish and chicken. Citrus zest will add depth of flavor to salt-free marinades. I plan on getting one of these citrus spritzers to add a splash of fresh citrus to my salads instead of seasoning the greens with salt and pepper!

    What are your favorite ways to season without salt? Leave a comment below because I would love to hear about it!

    Don't miss these recipes!

    • Three chicken tacos with mango salsa on a wood cutting board.
      Cookbook Club: Super Simple Cookbook Review
    • A collage of girls holding dishes they have made for a cookbook club
      Sweet Cayenne Cookbook Club | Tips for Planning and Hosting
    • An overhead shot of a black iron platter filled with items for a holiday charcuterie board.
      Styling a Festive Charcuterie Board
    • A flat lay of fruits and vegetables for a salad bar on a white marble surface.
      Salad 101 - How to Make a Great Salad

    Want more?

    Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get exclusive content (like menus, cooking downloads, and more!), blog recaps, and a chance to connect or be featured!

    Affiliate Disclosure

    Many of the links in my posts are affiliate links, which means I can get a small commission for any click or purchases made through the links. I am also an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello there!

    I'm Whitney, the chef, photographer, dietitian, and blogger-extraordinaire behind Sweet Cayenne. Welcome to my online kitchen!

    About Whitney & Sweet Cayenne

    What's In Season

    • A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.
      Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach
    • A cinnamon roll on a white rimmed plate.
      Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
    • A cinnamon apple cake with two slices cut out on a piece of parchment paper with a navy blue background.
      15+ Healthy Apple Recipes
    • Bell Pepper Nachos
    • An up-close shot of a white bowl of Southern-style pasta e Fagioli.
      Southern-Style Pasta e Fagioli
    • Two Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders on a blue ceramic plate with a baking dish of sliders and blue napkin in the background.
      Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

    Free cookbook and menu planners!

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter & receive a free e-cookbook of my 25 best recipes along with menu planning sheets!

    Cozy Cooking:

    A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.

    Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach

    An overhead shot of a white soup ramekin filled with ribolita soup and topped with crusty bread on black background.

    Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Ribolita (Italian Bread Soup)

    A gray plate of red beans and rice with a gingham dish towel and a glass of water on the side.

    Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

    An overhead shot of a white bowl filled with turkey and drop biscuit dumplings.

    Turkey and Drop Biscuit Dumplings (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

    A white bowl of soup filled with posole verde and garnished with avocado and cilantro.

    Instant Pot Chicken Posole Verde

    An overhead shot of a wicker charger with parchment paper and Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos with a side of mojo sauce and avocado ranch on the side.

    Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos

    Travel Here Next:

    • The product wall of skincare items at Lemon Laine Oil Bar in Nashville, TN.
      Nashville Finds: Lemon Laine Oil Bar
    • A girl standing on a beach in Positano, Italy.
      Positano, Italy: Budget-Friendly Travel Guide
    • A photo of Civita di Bagnoregio in Italy
      The Best Tuscan Road Trip Itinerary + Tips on Driving in Italy
    • A traveling foodie's guide to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy - including what to taste in Parma, Modena, and Bologna! European travel guide and itinerary.
      A Foodie's Guide to Emilia-Romagna, Italy

    Cooking Guides

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Photography Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 SweetCayenne