-teaspoon salt

Salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) is a crystalline mineral compound essential to cuisine and human physiology, sourced from evaporated seawater, salt mines, or brines. The most common culinary salt is table salt, which is refined and often iodized; sea salt and kosher salt are less processed variants with larger crystals and distinct mineral compositions. Salt's flavor profile is purely salty, though mineral-rich salts (such as Himalayan pink salt or fleur de sel) may contain trace minerals that impart subtle nuances.

Fine table salt, coarse kosher salt, and larger-grained sea salt each possess different densities and dissolving rates, making them functionally distinct in cooking despite their identical chemical composition.

Salt is fundamental to virtually all savory cooking, functioning as a flavor enhancer that suppresses bitterness and heightens other taste perceptions. It is used in seasoning during cooking, in finishing dishes at the table, and in preservation techniques such as curing, brining, and fermentation. Beyond seasoning, salt regulates gluten development in bread doughs, draws moisture from vegetables, and balances sweetness in desserts. Different salt types serve specific roles: kosher salt for its larger crystals and less dense packing, sea salt for finishing dishes, and table salt for baking where consistent granule size matters.