Salt Variety Comparison Table – Source, Processing, Texture & Culinary Uses

Paji Pocketbook

Salt guide

20 salts laid out by texture, flavor source and color, so you can find the one you can swap in directly.

Fine & powder

Coarse

Flaky

Moist crystals

White & ivory
- Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt
- Moshio (Japanese Seaweed Salt)
- Fleur de Sel
- Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes)
- Refined Table Salt
- Kosher Salt
- Pickling Salt
- Black Truffle Finishing Salt
- Garlic Herb Sea Salt
- Celery Salt
Grey & brown
- Sel Gris (Grey Sea Salt)
- Bamboo Salt (Jugyeom)
- Alder Smoked Sea Salt
- Icelandic Birch Smoked Salt
Pink & red
- Hawaiian Alaea Salt
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Utah Ancient Sea Salt
- Curing Salt (Pink Salt #1)
Black
- Hawaiian Black Lava Salt
- Kala Namak (Black Salt)

Sea salt
- Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt
- Moshio (Japanese Seaweed Salt)
- Fleur de Sel
- Sel Gris (Grey Sea Salt)
- Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes)
- Hawaiian Alaea Salt
- Hawaiian Black Lava Salt
- Bamboo Salt (Jugyeom)
Rock salt
- Refined Table Salt
- Kosher Salt
- Pickling Salt
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Kala Namak (Black Salt)
Lake & solar salt
- Utah Ancient Sea Salt
Smoked salt
- Alder Smoked Sea Salt
- Icelandic Birch Smoked Salt
Flavored salt
- Black Truffle Finishing Salt
- Garlic Herb Sea Salt
- Celery Salt
- Curing Salt (Pink Salt #1)

Texture and flavor source follow common products; products with the same name are made differently by each brand, so check the ingredient label before you buy.

Salt basics · 1/4

First: what salt is

Salt tastes salty because of sodium chloride, and sea salt, rock salt and lake salt are all salty from the same thing. What differs is the size and shape of the grains, and what comes along besides saltiness, such as minerals, charcoal or smoke.

Sea salt is made by drying or boiling seawater; rock salt and lake salt are dug out from underground or from dried-up ancient lake beds.

Some salts have a special purpose and cannot be swapped freely: pink nitrite curing salt, for example, is for curing meat and must not be eaten as ordinary salt.

Next: why grain size matters, the two salts that share one name, and which salts can be swapped directly.

All salts

All salts20

Sea salt8

Rock salt5

Lake & solar salt1

Smoked salts2

Infused & seasoned salts4

Texture

Uses

Salt & aliases	Appearance & how it’s sold	Saltiness & flavor	Classic dishes	Before you buy
Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt Taiwan 粗鹽 · 天日鹽 Japan あら塩 · 天日塩 Korea 천일염 · 굵은소금 English-speaking coarse sea salt Europe gros sel · sal gruesa · sale grosso	Irregular coarse crystals, grayish-white to pale yellow and slightly damp; seawater is led into salt pans and crystallized by sun and wind, with no further refining. Taiwan, Korea and France's Atlantic coast all make it this way. ProcessingSun-evaporated Commonly sold asSold by the bag; the Korean "three-year aged solar salt" used for kimchi is a version left for several years so the residual brine drips away. Texture	Rounded saltiness with a touch of the sea's sweet bitterness; the coarse crystals dissolve slowly.	Kimchi, pickled mustard greens and salted plums, brining chicken, noodle water and blanching vegetables, brine-set tofu. Uses ·	This is what Taiwanese and Korean kitchens mean by "coarse salt", not table salt ground coarse. It dissolves slowly, so dissolve it in water before mixing it into dry ingredients. When a recipe calls for kosher salt, swapping in coarse salt by weight is most accurate; by the spoon it runs salty.
Moshio (Japanese Seaweed Salt) Japan 藻塩 Taiwan 藻鹽 English-speaking moshio · seaweed salt	Fine, light-brown grains that feel slightly damp; seaweed is steeped in seawater or layered over salt, then boiled down in a pot so the seaweed's umami stays in the salt. ProcessingBoiled Commonly sold asSmall bags or jars, often labeled with the origin (Seto Inland Sea, Awaji Island); a modern revival of an ancient Japanese salt-making method. Texture	Rounded saltiness with the sweet umami of seaweed (like kombu), and no fishy note.	Dipping salt for tempura and fried foods, white-fish sushi, onigiri, grilled fish. Uses ·	Not the same as "kombu salt" (salt mixed with kombu powder) — in moshio the umami is boiled in. When a Japanese recipe calls for it, fine sea salt works as a substitute; what you lose is that layer of umami.
Fleur de Sel Europe fleur de sel · flor de sal English-speaking fleur de sel Japan フルール・ド・セル Taiwan 鹽之花	Ivory, moist, thin flaky crystals; the first layer to form on the surface of the salt pan, skimmed gently each evening with a wooden rake without touching the bottom. ProcessingSun-evaporated Commonly sold asSmall clay pots or cork-stoppered glass jars, small quantities at a high price; often labeled Guérande (PGI) or Camargue. Texture	Crisp at first, then it melts; layered saltiness with a touch of sweetness, and because it holds moisture it does not bite.	Sprinkled over tomatoes, seared scallops, the cut face of a steak, caramel and dark chocolate. Uses	Cooking with it is a waste; its value is in that final sprinkle. It clumps in humidity, so keep it in a clay or wooden container. To substitute, use Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) — crisper and less moist.
Sel Gris (Grey Sea Salt) Europe sel gris English-speaking Celtic sea salt · grey sea salt Japan ゲランドの塩	Gray, moist, coarse crystals; from the same salt pans as Fleur de Sel, but the layer scraped from the bottom, carrying the gray and the minerals of the clay. ProcessingSun-evaporated Commonly sold asCoarse crystals sold by the bag; a finely ground "sel gris fin" also exists. Texture	Rounded saltiness with a pronounced mineral character; stays crunchy sprinkled over grilled meat.	Steak in a cast-iron pan, roasted root vegetables, sourdough bread, salted butter. Uses ·	Works in the pot and as a finishing salt. It is damp, so keep it out of grinders. Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt can stand in for it.
Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) English-speaking flaky sea salt · sea salt flakes · Maldon salt Japan フレークソルト · マルドン Europe sal en escamas · sale in fiocchi Taiwan 鹽片 · 海鹽片	Hollow white pyramid-shaped flakes that crumble between the fingertips; filtered seawater is simmered slowly in shallow pans and the crystals grow into pyramids on the surface. Maldon in Essex, England, is the best-known origin and also the brand of the same name. ProcessingBoiled Commonly sold asCardboard boxes or small jars labeled sea salt flakes; a smoked version also exists. Texture	Clean saltiness, slightly sweet, with no bitterness; the crunch is the point.	Steak, roasted vegetables, focaccia, the tops of chocolate cookies, cocktail rims. Uses · ·	When a recipe says flaky salt or Maldon, this is it. If you have none, Kosher Salt (closest in texture) or Fleur de Sel can stand in; fine salt cannot — you lose the crunch and it ends up too salty. Do not put it in a grinder.
Hawaiian Alaea Salt English-speaking alaea salt · Hawaiian red salt Taiwan 夏威夷火山紅鹽	Brick-red coarse crystals; sun-dried sea salt mixed with iron-oxide-rich red volcanic clay (alaea). ProcessingBlended Commonly sold asCoarse crystals sold by the bag, labeled Hawaiian red salt. Texture	Mild saltiness with earthy, nutty notes and a crunchy bite.	Hawaiian poke, kalua pork, seasoning for grilled meats. Uses ·	The red comes from the clay, not from a dye, but it carries no special mineral value either; its use is mostly seasoning and tradition. Without it, use coarse sea salt; what you lose is the color.
Hawaiian Black Lava Salt English-speaking black lava salt · Hiwa Kai Taiwan 火山黑鹽	Glossy jet-black coarse crystals; sea salt mixed with activated coconut-shell charcoal. ProcessingBlended Commonly sold asSmall jars, mostly used as a finishing salt and for plating. Texture	Clean saltiness with a dry finish and a hint of smokiness; the black is charcoal, with no sulfur taste.	Finishing seafood, egg dishes and avocado toast; cocktail rims for contrast. Uses ·	Completely different from Kala Namak (Black Salt) — this one has no eggy taste. It is mainly for looks; the saltiness is the same as ordinary sea salt.
Bamboo Salt (Jugyeom) Korea 죽염 Japan 竹塩 Taiwan 竹鹽 · 九烤竹鹽 English-speaking bamboo salt	Gray to pale-purple coarse crystals; sun-dried salt is packed into bamboo tubes, sealed with yellow clay and roasted over a pine-wood fire, anywhere from one to nine times. ProcessingRoasted Commonly sold asSold in jars labeled with the number of roastings; nine-times-roasted purple bamboo salt is the most expensive. Texture	Sulfurous, eggy notes (stronger with more roastings), a rounded saltiness and an alkaline finish.	Dipping salt for Korean barbecue, soups and stews, roasted vegetables, seasoning-salt blends. Uses ·	Treat it as a roasted salt with a sulfur note; the less-roasted grades suit everyday cooking. Wellness claims are not covered in this table. Without it, use Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt; what you lose is the sulfur note.
Refined Table Salt Taiwan 精鹽 · 細鹽 · 食鹽 Japan 食塩 · 精製塩 Korea 꽃소금 English-speaking table salt · iodized salt Europe sel fin · sal fina · sale fino	Snow-white, uniform fine grains; underground rock salt is dissolved into brine and recrystallized, usually with iodine and an anti-caking agent added. ProcessingRefined Commonly sold asJars or bags; anything labeled "iodized" is this kind. Texture	Direct, clean saltiness that dissolves instantly.	Soups, baking recipes, everyday seasoning. Uses ·	Much saltier than Kosher Salt at the same volume — when a recipe says a spoonful of kosher salt, use less fine salt. Anti-caking agents cloud a pickling brine and iodine discolors pickles, so switch to Pickling Salt or coarse salt for pickling.
Kosher Salt English-speaking kosher salt · koshering salt Japan コーシャーソルト Taiwan 猶太鹽 · 潔食鹽 Europe sel casher · sal kosher	White, irregular coarse flakes or grains with no iodine added; the name comes from its use in kosher meat processing to draw out blood, not from the salt being "certified". ProcessingRefined Commonly sold asOf the two major American brands, one is a pressed coarse grain (heavier) and the other a hollow flake (lighter) — the same spoonful differs in saltiness by nearly double, and recipes usually specify which one. Texture	Clean, neutral saltiness; easy to pinch and scatter evenly.	The all-purpose salt of American recipes, brining chicken and turkey, bread, cocktail rims. Uses · · ·	If you cannot find it in Taiwan, coarse salt or Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) will do, by weight; a spoonful varies with crystal shape and brand. Iodine-free, so it is fine for brines.
Pickling Salt English-speaking pickling salt · canning salt	Pure white fine grains that look just like table salt; the difference is no iodine and no anti-caking agent. ProcessingRefined Commonly sold asSold by the bag during the American canning and pickling season; rare in Taiwan, where non-iodized coarse salt or Kosher Salt can stand in. Texture	Pure saltiness; dissolves quickly even in cold water and leaves no sediment.	Pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, canning — anywhere a clear brine matters. Uses	Not the same thing as curing salt — this one can be used as ordinary salt. For a clear pickling liquid, skip table salt with iodine and anti-caking agents.
Himalayan Pink Salt English-speaking Himalayan pink salt · pink rock salt India & South Asia sendha namak · lahori namak Japan ヒマラヤ岩塩 · ピンクソルト Taiwan 玫瑰鹽 Europe sel rose de l'Himalaya · sal rosa del Himalaya	Pale pink to brick-red coarse crystals, sometimes streaked with white; mined from ancient rock-salt beds in Punjab, Pakistan, then crushed. ProcessingStone-ground Commonly sold asGrinder jars, coarse grains by the bag, whole salt blocks. Texture	Mild saltiness with a slight mineral, earthy note; crunchy grains.	Steak, roast lamb, fermented vegetables, cooking on a salt block. Uses ·	The pink comes from iron oxides and does not mean it is more natural or healthier; it is a rock salt for seasoning. Curing Salt (Pink Salt #1) is pink too, and the two must never be swapped — the curing salt's packet will say curing or #1.
Kala Namak (Black Salt) India & South Asia kala namak · sanchal · bire noon English-speaking Himalayan black salt Taiwan 黑鹽	Deep purple-black as a whole lump, pale pinkish-gray once ground; rock salt is fired in a kiln with harad fruit, charcoal and spices, then cooled and aged. ProcessingKiln-fired Commonly sold asSmall jars of powder, common in Indian grocers and vegan food shops. Texture	Strong sulfurous, egg-yolk flavor with a touch of sourness and minerality.	Indian chaat, salt sprinkled on fruit, vegan scrambled "eggs", turmeric sodas. Uses ·	Completely different from Hawaiian Black Lava Salt — this one is bought for its eggy flavor. Use sparingly and keep sealed. No salt can substitute for it; if you do not want the eggy taste, use ordinary fine salt.
Utah Ancient Sea Salt English-speaking Utah sea salt · ancient sea salt · Real Salt	Off-white coarse crystals flecked with pink; rock salt from an ancient seabed in central Utah, mined and then only ground — no bleaching, no additives. ProcessingStone-ground Commonly sold asBags and grinder jars in the United States, sold under the brand name. Texture	Saltiness with a faint sweetness; crunchy grains.	Everyday cooking, fermented sauerkraut, roasted vegetables. Uses	When an American recipe says Real Salt, this is it; rare in Taiwan, and Himalayan Pink Salt or Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt both stand in well. Being unrefined, it clumps; just break it apart.
Alder Smoked Sea Salt English-speaking alder smoked salt · smoked sea salt Japan スモークソルト · 燻製塩 Taiwan 煙燻鹽 Europe sel fumé · sal ahumada	Amber flakes; flaky sea salt cold-smoked over alder wood for one to two days, with no smoke flavoring added. ProcessingCold-smoked Commonly sold asSmall jars labeled smoked sea salt and the wood used (alder, hickory, oak). Texture	Sweet, campfire-like smokiness with clean saltiness; the flakes stay crisp.	Roasted mushrooms, grilled salmon, baked potatoes, plant-based bacon, smoky cocktails. Uses	The smoke is a flavor added on top of the salt; swapping in flaky sea salt gives the same saltiness without the smoke. Products labeled smoke flavor are usually sprayed with flavoring. Keep sealed, or the aroma fades.
Icelandic Birch Smoked Salt English-speaking birch smoked salt · Icelandic smoked salt Taiwan 維京燻鹽	Brown coarse flakes; Arctic seawater is evaporated with geothermal heat, then smoked the traditional way over birch and dried sheep dung. ProcessingCold-smoked Commonly sold asSmall jars; sold under the name "Viking salt". Texture	Heavy smoke with caramel and peaty notes; a chewy bite.	Rye bread with butter, hearty soups, roasted beets, Nordic-style cocktails. Uses ·	Very strong, so use sparingly; ordinary smoked sea salt can stand in, minus the peaty note.
Black Truffle Finishing Salt English-speaking truffle salt Europe sel à la truffe · sal de trufa · sale al tartufo Japan トリュフ塩 Taiwan 松露鹽	White salt flakes flecked with black; sea salt flakes mixed with dehydrated black truffle pieces and truffle aroma, then left to rest. ProcessingFlavored Commonly sold asSmall glass jars; the label states the truffle percentage, and many are topped up with truffle flavoring. Texture	Intense earthy, porcini-like aroma with a sweet-edged saltiness.	Scrambled eggs, buttered popcorn, risotto, burrata, roast potatoes. Uses	The aroma dissipates with heat, so sprinkle after plating; swapping in flaky sea salt gives the same saltiness without the aroma. Check the ingredients list: aroma or flavor means flavoring.
Garlic Herb Sea Salt English-speaking garlic herb salt · seasoned salt Japan ハーブソルト Taiwan 香草鹽 · 調味鹽	White coarse crystals flecked with green leaf; sea salt mixed with dehydrated garlic, parsley, thyme and lemon zest, then dried at low heat. ProcessingFlavored Commonly sold asGrinder jars or shakers; every maker's blend differs. Texture	Garlic, herbs and citrus oils; the coarse crystals keep a crunch.	Roast chicken, grilled zucchini, compound butter, focaccia, tomato salad. Uses ·	It is "salt plus seasoning", so ordinary coarse salt with dried herbs can replace it; it fades in light, so shake before use.
Celery Salt English-speaking celery salt · celery seed salt Europe sel de céleri · sal de apio Japan セロリソルト Taiwan 芹菜籽鹽	Beige fine powder; table salt blended with ground celery seed or celery oleoresin. ProcessingBlended Commonly sold asShaker jars, in the seasoning aisle. Texture	Herbal, slightly bitter, peppery celery flavor with a pronounced saltiness.	Bloody Mary, Chicago-style hot dogs, coleslaw, potato salad, cocktail rims. Uses ·	Celery naturally contains nitrates, but this is not the nitrite curing salt used for meat and cannot be used to cure bacon; fine salt with a little ground celery seed can replace it.
Curing Salt (Pink Salt #1) English-speaking curing salt #1 · Prague powder #1 · pink curing salt Europe sel nitrité · sal de cura · Pökelsalz Taiwan 亞硝酸鹽 · 1號醃肉粉 Japan 亜硝酸塩 · 発色剤	Fine powder dyed pink to keep it apart from ordinary salt; roughly 93.75% table salt and 6.25% sodium nitrite. ProcessingBlended Commonly sold asSmall bags labeled #1 (short cures, cooked after curing) or #2 (also contains sodium nitrate, for long dry-curing). Texture	Strongly salty with a sharp chemical edge; its job is preservation and color retention, not seasoning.	Bacon, ham, corned beef, short-cured sausages (following tested recipes and ratios). Uses	Never use it as ordinary salt; no salt can replace it, and it replaces no other salt. Pink does not mean it is Himalayan salt; store it apart from everyday salt and label it clearly. #1 and #2 serve different purposes, so buy the one your recipe calls for.

Photo credits

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under each file's license (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA), resized and converted to WebP. Salts without a photo we could confirm are left without one.

Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt · Claire Maheux · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source on Commons
Fleur de Sel · Christian Mertes · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source on Commons
Sel Gris (Grey Sea Salt) · Stéphane Gourichon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source on Commons
Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) · Onio72 · Public domain · Source on Commons
Hawaiian Alaea Salt · Glane23 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source on Commons
Refined Table Salt · Poyraz 72 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source on Commons
Kosher Salt · Glane23 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source on Commons
Himalayan Pink Salt · Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source on Commons
Kala Namak (Black Salt) · Sushant savla · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source on Commons
Utah Ancient Sea Salt · Tricia Simpson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source on Commons
Alder Smoked Sea Salt · Uwe Brose · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source on Commons
Garlic Herb Sea Salt · Monica Ferreira Ask · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source on Commons
Celery Salt · John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source on Commons

About Salt Variety Comparison Table

Source, process, texture, flavor source and uses

This table compares sea, rock, lake and sun-dried, smoked and infused salts by source, process, texture and flavor source; each row covers appearance and how it is usually sold, saltiness and flavor, classic dishes and what to check before buying. The salt guide above arranges the 20 salts in a grid of texture × flavor source, where salts in the same cell can usually be swapped one for one by weight; you can also browse by color or source.

Search, filters and narrowing from the guide

Search matches salt names, aliases, local names, dishes and keywords. The control bar filters by texture (fine and powder, coarse, flake, moist crystals) and by use (seasoning in the pot, brines and pickling, finishing, baking, cocktail rims, curing); clicking a cell, color band or source in the guide narrows the table to that group of salts.

Not a sodium intake or food-labeling guide

This table does not list sodium content, mineral composition or health claims, and it does not treat salt names as medical or regulatory classifications. Iodine, additives, labeling and curing rules vary by product and country; for decisions involving health, preservation and curing, or regulated foods, check the nutrition label, local food regulations, a tested curing recipe and professional advice.

FAQ

Common questions and answers about this topic.

What is the difference between kosher salt and sea salt?

Kosher Salt is a coarse-grained refined salt with no iodine added; the name comes from its use in kosher meat processing to draw out blood and has nothing to do with origin. Sea salt is evaporated or boiled from seawater, and everything from Coarse Sun-Dried Sea Salt to Fleur de Sel counts. The difference is grain and source, not the nature of the saltiness — by weight they are equally salty. In the grid, Kosher Salt sits in the "flake · plain" cell, and Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) shares the same cell.

A recipe calls for kosher salt — can I use what I have instead?

Yes. Salts in the same cell of the grid (flake · plain) swap one for one by weight, Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) for example; swapping in fine or coarse salt should go by weight, not by the spoon — fine salt is much saltier per spoonful, and coarse salt also runs salty. For brines and pickling, remember to use a salt with no iodine and no anti-caking agent, such as Pickling Salt or coarse salt.

When should I use a finishing salt like fleur de sel or Maldon?

The last sprinkle before serving: the cut face of a steak, tomatoes, caramel, chocolate cookies. Fleur de Sel is moist and Flaky Sea Salt (Pyramid Flakes) is crisp; the value of both lies in the texture and that final hit of salt. Cooked into a dish they are no different from ordinary sea salt. In the table, both are marked finishing.

What actually makes Himalayan pink salt and kala namak different?

Himalayan Pink Salt is a rock salt from Pakistan, colored pink by iron oxides, mild and used for seasoning; Kala Namak (Black Salt) is rock salt kiln-fired with harad fruit and charcoal, with a strong sulfurous, eggy flavor, used sparingly and bought for the taste. Color does not mean more natural or healthier. There are also two same-name traps: Hawaiian Black Lava Salt is sea salt with charcoal and has no eggy taste; Curing Salt (Pink Salt #1) is also pink and must never be used as ordinary salt.

Are pickling salt and curing salt the same thing?

No. Pickling Salt is simply pure salt with no iodine and no anti-caking agent, and can be used as ordinary salt; Curing Salt (Pink Salt #1) contains sodium nitrite, is dyed pink, is for curing only — keeping the color of cured meat — and must never be used as ordinary salt or replaced by any other salt. In the table, the latter sits on its own in the "curing only" column.

How do I search this table, and what is it not for?

You can search by salt name, local name or dish, filter by texture and use, or click a cell, color band or source in the guide above to narrow the table. This table does not list sodium content, mineral composition or health claims, and it is not a food-labeling or medical guide.

Data Sources

This tool's data is compiled from the authoritative sources below.

Data last maintained 2026-10-10