Some of my fondest memories are centered around shared meals. My fiancé and I host dinners at our home quite frequently, and we find that it’s the little extra efforts we put in that make people feel special and pampered during their visits. One fun thing I started to include on the table are colorful finishing salts. I love to bring the powers and vibrancy of herbs to the dinner table. Not only do finishing salts add fun flavors, but they are also a good conversation piece. Their uncommon beauty piques curiosity and allows me to share my love of herbs when my guests ask, “What’s in the shakers?”
Homemade finishing salts are easy to craft and make unique and functional gifts as well. Most everyone uses some degree of salt on their food, and these colorful homemade gifts are a great way to share herbs with more people. Here are a few of my favorite “flavors of the rainbow,” but the variations are endless!
I created these recipes in parts so you can scale up or down more easily. If you don't know how to use parts in cooking, this article may be helpful to you!
A good topping for savory dishes that feature protein. This includes fish, poultry, eggs, and tofu.
Ingredients
This vibrant salt is great on Asian and Indian dishes such as stir-fries, noodles, rice, curry, and more.
Ingredients
This salt is lovely for sweet and savory dishes. Sumac imparts a bright citrusy note while rose brings a delightful floral flavor. I love a pinch of this one on vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
Ideal for Asian-inspired dishes including noodles, tofu, tempeh, and other proteins of choice. I also enjoy this one on top of salads.
Ingredients
This finishing salt can be used for savory dishes like Mexican mole, but is also a lovely dessert finishing salt for ice cream, cookies, and pudding.
Ingredients
This finishing salt recipe is versatile and can be used on sweet and savory dishes alike. Butterfly pea has a subtle flavor and can be used for stir-fried veggies, baked root veggies, vanilla ice cream, and cookies.
Ingredients
A little goes a long way, you usually only need a pinch to add a pop of flavor and color.
When sharing herbs with others, it’s important to work with ones that are more culinary than “medicinal”. While some culinary herbs can be used to support wellness, they are generally milder and are less likely to have contraindications.
While salt is required to maintain health, too much can be harmful. If using finishing salts more regularly, it’s a good idea to reduce the amount you are adding while cooking to balance out your colorful topping!
You May Also Enjoy
Potato Gnocchi with Herbal Powders
DIY World Spice Blends
Mushroom Bouillon Powder and Paste + Homemade Seasoning Salt Recipe
Topics: Recipes, Herbalism, Tea & Herbal Drinks
Jessicka Nebesni is the Senior Marketing Strategist and Herbal Liaison for Mountain Rose Herbs. Her passion is to share the most educational, empowering, and useful resources with the Mountain Rose Herbs community and on her IG account @herbalasfolk. Having practiced Macrobiotic food preparations in California, beekeeping in Oregon, and making herbal crafts for local farmers markets in New Jersey, she has a wide variety of experiences and knowledge to share. Her passions include preserving food, gardening, practicing herbal wellness, making DIY skin and body care recipes, and living a lifestyle of minimal impact on the Earth.
Some of my fondest memories are centered around shared meals. My fiancé and I host dinners at our home quite frequently, and we find that it’s the little extra efforts we put in that make people feel special and pampered during their visits. One fun thing I started to include on the table are colorful finishing salts. I love to bring the powers and vibrancy of herbs to the dinner table. Not only do finishing salts add fun flavors, but they are also a good conversation piece. Their uncommon beauty piques curiosity and allows me to share my love of herbs when my guests ask, “What’s in the shakers?”
Homemade finishing salts are easy to craft and make unique and functional gifts as well. Most everyone uses some degree of salt on their food, and these colorful homemade gifts are a great way to share herbs with more people. Here are a few of my favorite “flavors of the rainbow,” but the variations are endless!
I created these recipes in parts so you can scale up or down more easily. If you don't know how to use parts in cooking, this article may be helpful to you!
A good topping for savory dishes that feature protein. This includes fish, poultry, eggs, and tofu.
Ingredients
This vibrant salt is great on Asian and Indian dishes such as stir-fries, noodles, rice, curry, and more.
Ingredients
This salt is lovely for sweet and savory dishes. Sumac imparts a bright citrusy note while rose brings a delightful floral flavor. I love a pinch of this one on vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
Ideal for Asian-inspired dishes including noodles, tofu, tempeh, and other proteins of choice. I also enjoy this one on top of salads.
Ingredients
This finishing salt can be used for savory dishes like Mexican mole, but is also a lovely dessert finishing salt for ice cream, cookies, and pudding.
Ingredients
This finishing salt recipe is versatile and can be used on sweet and savory dishes alike. Butterfly pea has a subtle flavor and can be used for stir-fried veggies, baked root veggies, vanilla ice cream, and cookies.
Ingredients
A little goes a long way, you usually only need a pinch to add a pop of flavor and color.
When sharing herbs with others, it’s important to work with ones that are more culinary than “medicinal”. While some culinary herbs can be used to support wellness, they are generally milder and are less likely to have contraindications.
While salt is required to maintain health, too much can be harmful. If using finishing salts more regularly, it’s a good idea to reduce the amount you are adding while cooking to balance out your colorful topping!
You May Also Enjoy
Potato Gnocchi with Herbal Powders
DIY World Spice Blends
Mushroom Bouillon Powder and Paste + Homemade Seasoning Salt Recipe
Topics: Recipes, Herbalism, Tea & Herbal Drinks
Jessicka Nebesni is the Senior Marketing Strategist and Herbal Liaison for Mountain Rose Herbs. Her passion is to share the most educational, empowering, and useful resources with the Mountain Rose Herbs community and on her IG account @herbalasfolk. Having practiced Macrobiotic food preparations in California, beekeeping in Oregon, and making herbal crafts for local farmers markets in New Jersey, she has a wide variety of experiences and knowledge to share. Her passions include preserving food, gardening, practicing herbal wellness, making DIY skin and body care recipes, and living a lifestyle of minimal impact on the Earth.
