Ina Garten's Hack To Avoid Over-Salting Dishes

Ina Garten is known and loved for many things. Her beloved Food Network show and books, "The Barefoot Contessa." Her comforting, sophisticated, coastal grandmother vibe. And of course, that huge cosmopolitan glass that fueled so many pandemic-era memes. The indisputable culinary queen of the Hamptons is no stranger to singing the praises of salt, going as far as to state she feels it's the single most important ingredient in a dish. 

While salt makes dishes sing, we've all experienced the horrors of an overly salted dish. Luckily, Garten has a foolproof hack for ensuring each dish has just the right amount, but never too much. She advises scooping out a small side portion of whatever you're cooking (like a pasta sauce, soup, or the like), and salting that sample before adding salt to the entire dish. Salt, as we all know, is a must-have seasoning in the kitchen; most foods — sweet or savory — benefit from at least a dash. Whichever form of the mineral you stock your pantry with (flaky sea salt, kosher, iodized, etc.), salt adds the required flavor to so many dishes from eggs to bread to pasta water. It livens up even unexpected dishes like gooey chocolate chip cookies, margaritas, and depending on who you ask, juicy watermelon.

Ever had a loaf of bread, cookies, or popcorn without salt? Then you understand the vital importance of salt as much as Garten.

Next time you're cooking a pot of something delicious over the stove, take a beat before you grab the salt shaker and start liberally shaking salt into the dish. Remember, you can always add more but it's nearly impossible to recuse an overly salty dish once you've added too much. And we've all made that mistake at least once.

Do as Ina Garten would do, and siphon off a small scoop or few spoonfuls of whatever you're making in a dish and set it off to the side to sample it. A few tastes will clue you into the starting point and help you calculate exactly how much salt your dish needs, taking into consideration its inherent saltiness before you blindly season away. Once you've perfectly seasoned your small sample, you'll know how to proceed with the rest of the dish. Garten explained to The Kitchn that this method allows her to "add salt slowly and carefully without ruining the whole dish." 

When mastering the delicate art of sodium just like The Barefoot Contessa, keep in mind that it's not just quantity, but quality that matters. She's repeatedly sung the praises of kosher sea salt as her seasoning of choice and the premium option for adding just the right amount of flavor to your cooking, with a softer quality than harsher iodized salt.