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Ina Garten’s Essential Cooking Salts: A Complete Review and Guide

Explore why Ina Garten swears by three essential salts and how each transforms both everyday and special-occasion dishes.

By Medha deb

Created on Jun 26, 2025

Explore why Ina Garten swears by three essential salts and how each transforms both everyday and special-occasion dishes.

Ina Garten’s 3 Favorite Salts, Reviewed (and When to Use Them)

For many home cooks and culinary enthusiasts, Ina Garten’s kitchen recommendations are practically culinary law. Her insights go beyond recipes; she elevates pantry staples to must-have essentials. Of particular note are the three types of salt she always keeps on hand—each with unique properties and indispensable uses in both sweet and savory cooking.

Why Trust Ina Garten’s Salt Picks?

Ina Garten, affectionately known as the Barefoot Contessa, has built a reputation for quality, simplicity, and reliability in the kitchen. In various interviews, including a New York Times kitchen tour and a feature in Bon Appétit, Garten emphasizes the importance of choosing the right salt for the right purpose. Her recommendations are not arbitrary; they are grounded in decades of cooking experience and a passion for flavor.

Kosher Salt: Preferred for everyday cooking and seasoning throughout the process.
Fleur de Sel: Chosen for its complexity and briny finish—used for special finishing touches.
Flaky Salt (Maldon): The go-to for crunch and dramatic presentation, especially in baking.

The Essential Salt Trio: Overview

The three salts Ina Garten can’t live without—Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Le Saunier de Camargue Fleur de Sel, and Maldon Flaky Salt—each serve a unique function in the kitchen. Let’s break down what makes each one special.

Salt Type	Brand (Ina’s Pick)	Main Culinary Use	Texture	Flavor Profile
Kosher Salt	Diamond Crystal	General cooking, seasoning during prep	Fine crystals, melts quickly	Clean, pure saltiness
Fleur de Sel	Le Saunier de Camargue	Finishing dishes, delicate recipes	Fine, glittery, fluffy yet crunchy	Complex, briny, minerally
Flaky Salt	Maldon	Finishing, garnish, texture (esp. baking)	Large, flat, crunchy flakes	Bright, pronounced saltiness

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: The Chef’s Everyday Ally

Kosher salt is the workhorse of the professional kitchen—and for Ina Garten, Diamond Crystal is non-negotiable. Compared to other brands, it’s less dense and produces a gentler, cleaner saltiness in food. The crystals are large enough for easy pinching and sprinkling, yet they dissolve quickly for smooth incorporation into any dish.

Non-iodized, pure sodium chloride: No metallic or bitter aftertaste.
Unique texture: The small, pyramidal crystals melt nearly instantly, making them ideal for seasoning in layers.
Versatility: Use for brining, marinating, pickling, and canning in addition to everyday seasoning.

Ina consistently reminds us: “The one ingredient that most people use wrong is salt. You have to use the right one for the right occasion. For cooking, I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, and it’s always perfect.”

Best Uses for Kosher Salt

Because of its clean flavor and dissolvability, kosher salt is ideal throughout the cooking process. It seasons without overpowering—perfect for both sweet and savory recipes.

Salting pasta water
Seasoning chicken or meats before roasting
Mixing into doughs or batters for even seasoning
Marinades and brines
Pickling and canning vegetables

Ina’s Favorite Recipes Featuring Kosher Salt

Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Hot Honey Glazed Salmon
Scallion Oil Bucatini with Runny Eggs

Fleur de Sel: Culinary Luxury for Special Finishes

Fleur de sel, meaning “flower of salt,” is the caviar of salts. Harvested from salt ponds in coastal France, it is prized for its delicate, complex, and slightly briny flavor. Ina Garten’s preferred brand is Le Saunier de Camargue, a mainstay in high-end kitchens for its purity and appearance.

Presentation: Its glittering, snowy flakes offer an elegant visual appeal for finishing dishes.
Crisp yet tender crunch: Despite its fine appearance, it offers surprising texture upon tasting.
Complex minerals: The higher mineral content brings depth beyond ordinary salty bite.

Due to its delicate nature and cost, fleur de sel is best reserved for a final touch—a finishing flourish rather than an ingredient to be mixed in or cooked.

When to Use Fleur de Sel

Sprinkled atop roasted meats just before serving
On chocolates, caramels, or baked goods for contrast
As a garnish for special vegetable dishes or fresh salads
Over ripe tomatoes or summer stone fruit
To finish labor-intensive recipes worthy of a premium touch

Notable Recipes Featuring Fleur de Sel

Lemongrass-Ginger Coconut Grilled Steak
Dorie Greenspan’s Potato-Parm Tart
Hot Chocolate with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream

Maldon Flaky Salt: Crunch and Drama for Every Bite

Maldon flaky sea salt is another fixture in Ina Garten’s pantry. Its distinctive, gem-like flakes deliver a dramatic, crystalline crunch that enhances both taste and presentation. While saltier than kosher salt, its large flakes make it ideal for finishing dishes or adding punchy bursts to desserts.

Texture: Flat, irregular, and satisfyingly brittle—perfect for garnishes.
Visual appeal: Adds sparkle and contrast to the surface of any dish.
Flavor intensity: Because of the size, a few flakes offer satisfying salty hits without overwhelming.

Ina’s favorite uses: “When I’m brushing the top of a potpie with egg wash, a little sprinkle of that flaky salt gives it a little crunch. It’s absolutely delicious.”

Recommended Uses for Flaky Salt

Garnishing baked goods (cookies, brownies, pie crusts)
Topping caramel sauces or candies
Adding crunch to roasted or grilled meats
Sprinkling over roasted vegetables for texture
Perfect substitute for coarse salt on homemade pretzels

How These Salts Differ in the Kitchen

Choosing the right salt can fundamentally shape the outcome of a dish. Here are the standout differences between the three favorites:

Kosher Salt: Melts fast; best for general cooking and seasoning throughout the process. Mild flavor prevents accidental oversalting.
Fleur de Sel: Delicate and complex; meant for finishing. Elevates special dishes and desserts with a sophisticated crunch and minerality.
Flaky Salt: Bold, irregular, and crunchy; amazing for garnishing or providing dramatic texture to the final dish.

When to Use Each Salt: Functional Cheat Sheet

Salt Type	Best For	Do Not Use For	Alternatives Available?
Kosher Salt	All cooking and seasoning; brining, marinating	Baking where grain size affects texture or measurement	Can substitute with other kosher salts (watch salinity)
Fleur de Sel	Finishing meats, vegetables, chocolate desserts	Mixing into doughs (loses finesse), boiling	Some sea salts, but none match its delicacy
Flaky Salt	Finishing, baking, dramatic presentation	Cooking/melting (texture is lost)	Other flaked sea salts; Maldon is the gold standard

Frequently Asked Questions About Ina Garten’s Favorite Salts

Q: Why does Ina Garten use different salts for different dishes?

A: Each salt has unique properties—texture, flavor, mineral content—that affect the outcome of a dish. Using the right salt enhances rather than overwhelms, providing either depth, brightness, or drama as needed.

Q: What’s so special about Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt?

A: Diamond Crystal’s process creates lighter, flakier crystals that dissolve easily and distribute evenly, making it forgiving and reliable for all-purpose cooking. Many chefs, not just Ina, swear by its predictable salinity.

Q: Is fleur de sel worth the higher price?

A: For finishing special dishes or as a luxurious treat, fleur de sel offers unmatched visual and flavor appeal. Its mineral-rich, briny complexity and delicate texture elevate simple ingredients to something extraordinary.

Q: Can Maldon flaky salt replace kosher salt?

A: Maldon’s flakes are much larger and saltier. It’s best used for finishing or garnishing, not for cooking or mixing, as its texture and flavor are more intense.

Q: How long do specialty salts last? Do they go bad?

A: Salt is a mineral and doesn’t spoil, but it can pick up moisture or odors. Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place to maintain quality and flow.

Smart Storage and Buying Tips

Store away from humidity and light. Moisture is salt’s enemy. Use well-sealed containers or jars.
Avoid cross-contamination. Don’t use the same container or spoon for flavored or infused salts and pure finishing salts.
Buy in bulk when you find a good price. Salt lasts indefinitely and doesn’t lose potency.
Consider aesthetics. Pour finishing salts into small bowls or decorative dishes for easy table or counter use.

Beyond the Salt: Ina’s Other Kitchen Essentials

Ina Garten’s kitchen features more than just standout salts. She favors practical, well-made basics: timers, kitchen scales, large mixing bowls, and her beloved homemade vanilla extract (spoiler: made by steeping vanilla beans in vodka for months!). Her philosophy centers around finding joy in small, delicious pleasures and celebrating everyday moments with quality ingredients.

Final Thoughts: Cooking with Intention

Salt is far more than a flavor enhancer; in the hands of cooks like Ina Garten, it is a tool for crafting depth, balance, and delight in every bite. Whether you are new to these specialty salts or have always kept them in your larder, knowing how to use them—when to reach for kosher, when to treat yourself to fleur de sel, and when to crown a dish with Maldon—transforms both everyday meals and special occasions. As Ina reminds us, embracing these small details is what turns ordinary food into something truly memorable.