Easy 2 Ingredient Lemon Salt
Lemon Salt is a zesty and versatile seasoning that adds a burst of tangy flavor to recipes. Made by combining lemon zest with salt, this condiment offers a delightful balance between citrusy brightness and savory salinity.
Pin Lemon Salt to make later or for gift giving
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can use it in so many ways.
- It’s easy to make.
- It’s great for gift-giving to friends and neighbors.
- Only 2 ingredients.
You’ll need a citrus zester for this recipe. This is a handy tool to have in the kitchen and is the best way to zest citrus.
Not only can you use it to zest fruit with it, but you can also grate chocolate, ginger, garlic, and more.
What is Lemon Salt?
Lemon salt is a mixture of lemon zest and sea salt. A coarse salt works well but if you don’t have coarse, use a finer version.
Ingredients
As you can see from the photo, you need only 2 ingredients – sea salt and lemons for this lemon salt recipe. You can have this ready in a matter of minutes and just in time to use in recipes when you make dinner.
Why you should make lemon salt
Professional kitchens have a lot of tricks in their bag to take their restaurant dishes up a level. Ingredients like this lemon salt will make a difference in your cooking when used effectively.
What type of lemons do you use in the salt?
Meyer lemons are my first choice because they are a bit milder than Eureka lemons. Meyer lemons are a hybrid of mandarin orange and a lemon, making them sweeter with a floral aroma.
Eureka lemons are the most common type of lemon found in most grocery stores. They are perfectly fine to use and have a much stronger lemon flavor. I used Eureka for this recipe.
Can I substitute table salt for sea salt?
Absolutely! I love using coarse sea salt in my cooking, but table salt and even Kosher salt are suitable substitutions for this salt blend. You could also use Maldon sea salt flakes.
How to use Lemon Salt
I have used lemon salt in a variety of ways. These are some of my favorites:
- Use as a finishing salt for various fish dishes.
- Rim a margarita glass.
- Use in baking when a recipe calls for salt, especially in a complementary recipe like my blueberry lemon bars with shortbread crust.
- Use it as the salt in brine for chicken.
More recipes to use Lemon Salt
- Lemon Scones – add it for extra lemon flavor.
- Best Blueberry Pancakes – use it in both the blueberry sauce and the pancakes.
- Lemon Meltaway Cookies – a lemony twist on a favorite classic cookie.
- Roasted Potatoes with Lemon and Garlic – A sprinkle of lemon salt as a finishing salt will elevate the dish.
Citrus Salt Variations
Lemon salt is truly wonderful, but you can also make other citrus salts. Instead of using lemon zest, substitute lime, orange, or grapefruit zest.
A combination of lemon and lime salt would be delicious too, especially on fish.
By adding a herb, like rosemary, dill, or thyme, you add another layer of flavor. Make a trio of salts for gift giving.
If you buy the sea salt in bulk, then you can make a more than one type of salt mixture for holiday gift giving. It would be nice to gift a lemon, lime, and orange salt as a package of three to friends or as a hostess gift.
How long can you keep citrus salt?
Store the lemon, or citrus, salt in a tightly sealed container with your other seasonings, at room temperature, for about 2 weeks. I like to keep it on the counter so I remember to use it. Once you zest the lemons, you can still juice them, so don’t toss them before doing so.
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Lemon Salt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sea salt
- Zest from one medium lemon
Instructions
- Measure salt and place it into a bowl.
- Add lemon zest and add to the salt in the bowl.
- Stir to combine and pour into a container to store.
I’m trying this for the 1st time.
I’m a little concerned about the shelf life. Have you had luck extending its usefulness in the fridge or freezer?
You can store salt in the refrigerator but it must be in an airtight container otherwise you risk moisture getting into it. I have not tried refrigerating this lemon salt but a better option may be to make a reduced quantity. I would also worry the lemon salt may take on other (unwanted) flavors in the refrigerator. If you do try refrigerating it, please let me know your results!
So simple yet so many uses!! Rim glasses, as a finishing salt, add to baked goods. I have lemons in the fridge. Now I need some salt!