11 Best Kosher Salt Substitutes

The coarse texture and pure flavor of kosher salt can bring a nice touch to your recipe. But what if you don’t have any at hand? Do not worry! We will help you. 

This article recommends the 11 best kosher salt substitute ideas. You can also learn how to use it in your food. Now, let’s read on to discover! 

What Is Kosher Salt?

Kitchen salt, also known as cooking salt, is coarse culinary salt that does not contain additives like iodine.

People use it to substitute table salt in the kitchen because it doesn’t include metallic and bitter-tasting additives. 

• Origin: In North America, the word “kosher salt” refers to the salt used in the Jewish tradition of drying brining meats. 
• Appearance: Kosher salt is flakey. Its appearance also depends on its harvest method. Hence, it can be crystal flat or hollow, small pyramids.
• Taste: The salt has a clean taste because of its sodium chloride. 

You can learn more about this seasoning right here:

Kosher Salt Substitute 

There are many types of salt. When you don’t have one, others can work as a substitute. Yet, the quantity differs because of the taste each type offers. 

1. Table salt

Table salt is the most common choice to replace kosher salt because of its similar benefits and wide availability. 

Please note that this kind of salt is saltier than the kosher. One tablespoon of kosher salt equals ¾ or ½ teaspoon of table salt, and the right amount may vary depending on the flake size.

2. Sea salt

Sea salt is also a popular seasoning in households. It even outweighs table salt in terms of health benefits. 

Indeed, sea salt has coarse particles, so replacing it with kosher salt will require using an equal amount.

To avoid oversalting your cuisine, be careful to use the proper amount. The quantity could vary due to the grain size.

3. Pickling salt

Pickling salt has a wide application. It can suit many different recipes, making it a great choice for substituting kosher salt. 

Typically, people use pickling salt to prepare pickles because it has no anti-caking additives. You can find these fine granules in your local store easily. 

Pickling salt is slightly less salty. Hence, if the recipe needs one teaspoon of kosher salt, you will need 1 ¼ or 1 ½ teaspoon of pickling salt.

4. Himalayan pink salt

These big grains will give the same sense of crispiness as kosher salt. Since seasoning food is actually its primary role, you can substitute one for the other.

The Himalayan pink salt is a healthy alternative. It can also dissolve in the same manner as kosher salt. So, add an equal quantity of kosher salt to your food. 

5. Maldon sea salt

This type of seasoning is a flaky, soft-textured salt that can be an excellent substitute for kosher salt. It is generally less bitter and salty than the other options and sometimes even a little sweet.

Based on the ingredient’s traits, you need to add more of it than necessary for the kosher salt. Then, you will have the same saltiness. 

6. Coarse sea salt

Coarse sea salt comes with big crystals. Its size is much larger than other types, so you can easily distinguish it. 

The seawater evaporation process crystallizes the salt, enhancing its flavor and your food’s taste. It does a good job of making the dish salty and crusty. 

When trying, you can feel that the taste of kosher salt and coarse sea salt are pretty similar. But, the coarse one needs more time to dissolve in the water because of its large size. 

So how can you use coarse sea salt? The formula is that one teaspoon of this seasoning equals 1 ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt.

7. Iodized salt 

Iodized salt is a great replacement for kosher, especially when it comes to the health aspect. This seasoning is available at many shops.

You might already have some in your kitchen that is always ready for use.

Some people have tried to use it in recipes that call for kosher; all experiments are successful. You can also have a nice experience with the new recipes. 

The rule of thumb is to use ¼ teaspoon of this salt to replace one teaspoon of kosher. You can change the ratio as long as you feel satisfied with the final taste. 

8. Rock salt

Rock salt, or Sendha namak, is another excellent alternative to kosher salt because it is salty and free of flavor-altering additives.

According to research, this seasoning contains mineral traces that are beneficial to your health; moreover, the grains are bigger. So, you don’t need to use it a lot when cooking.

The two types of salt appear to be relatively similar and will dissolve in the same manner; however, please remember it’s bigger. When you use it to substitute kosher, add a smaller quantity.

9. Celery salt

The primary ingredient for this salt is celery seeds. People grind and dry the seeds to make the salt. Hence, the final product is abundant in potassium and offers other health benefits. 

You can use this kind of seasoning in many recipes, such as stews, salads, chicken, and anyone that needs kosher.

All you have to do is use the same amount of salt in your food, and there you go. 

10. Hawaiian red salt

Hawaiian red salt, often called Alaea salt, comes with a lot of the iron oxide that Hawaii’s volcanic soil has. This feature makes it red. 

Many people like the natural saltiness of Hawaiian red salt. It complements the taste of pork, seafood, and many kinds of meat that require more seasoning. 

Aside from the flavor, this seasoning is also famous for its health benefits.

However, it’s not available in every grocery or supermarket. Yet, once you find it, your food will taste amazing without kosher salt. 

When substituting ingredients in recipes, follow a 1:1 ratio and avoid using more as you might boost the sodium levels. Keep in mind that it has bigger particles. 

11. Flake salt

Compared to kosher salt, flake salt has bigger grains. It looks good and gives a distinctive appearance when used for decoration. 

People make this type of salt using solar evaporation. In this case, the natural process evaporates water under the wind and sun.

Hence, the flake salt’s shape can be different due to the evaporation action. 

Because this seasoning doesn’t have minerals, it may make your food saltier.

There aren’t any additives or iodine either. Hence, using only a small quantity of flake salt in your food would be best. 

Conclusion

Kosher can enrich the taste of your recipe. Yet, when you run out of it, other salt varieties, such as sea salt or table salt, can work as excellent alternatives.

Hopefully, you will find this article helpful. For any further information, please feel free to ask. Thank you for reading!