Updated 28 July 2026 · Written by Daniel Wright
To fix soup that is too salty, dilute it with unsalted broth or water, add bulk like extra vegetables or cooked grains, or balance the salt with a splash of acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. Adding a raw potato is a popular trick, but it removes very little salt and mostly just soaks up salty liquid.
Too-salty soup fix: dilute with unsalted liquid, add bulk (veg, potato, rice), or balance with acid or a pinch of sugar. The raw-potato trick barely helps.
What Actually Works
- Dilute: stir in more unsalted broth, water or cream to lower the salt concentration.
- Add bulk: extra vegetables, cooked rice, pasta or beans absorb and spread out the seasoning.
- Balance: a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar or a pinch of sugar offsets the salty taste.
- Add dairy: a little cream or a dollop of yogurt softens saltiness in creamy soups.
The Potato Myth
You may have heard that a raw potato absorbs excess salt. In reality it soaks up some salty liquid but does not meaningfully lower the overall salt concentration, so the effect is small. Diluting and adding bulk work far better. Cook and reheat soups in a heavy Dutch oven or saucepan for even results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a potato remove salt from soup?
Only slightly. A raw potato absorbs some salty liquid but does not remove much actual salt, so diluting the soup or adding more unsalted ingredients works far better.
How do you counteract too much salt?
Dilute with unsalted liquid, add more bulk, or balance the flavor with acid like lemon juice or a small amount of sugar.
