Comparing

Pink Salt and Sea Salt

in Flavour and Usage

Quick Summary

Just like latte is not the same as cappuccino, even though both involve coffee and milk, pink salt and sea salt are not the same, though both are commonly used in kitchens worldwide. From their flavour profile to the dishes they work best with, sea salt and pink salt serve specific roles in cooking and are not interchangeable. To make the best use of both, read this comparison of pink salt and sea salt in terms of flavour and usage. 

Deep Dive

Salt may look like the core of every dish, but that’s only true for certain types of salt. In some cases, salts are the final touch — tying a dish together with a mild taste and delicate crunch. Other salt types are added right at the start, so they may blend with all ingredients and enhance the overall flavour profile of a dish. It’s points like these that experts, home chefs, and even newbies keep in mind when using sea salt and pink salt. From their origin to mineral content, cooking applications, and of course, the taste, sea salt and pink salt have enough differences. The more you know, the better your application. 

What’s Sea Salt?

Sea salt is a less refined version of table salt, and thus healthier. It is harvested from seawater, which also gives it its name. To make sea salt, ocean water is allowed to dry in the sun. As it evaporates, salt crystals are collected and processed. The final flavour profile and texture also depend on the location, which can alter the mineral properties.

Unlike pink salt, sea salt is generally more accessible and has a varied mineral content depending on the region where it’s harvested.

What’s Pink Salt? 

Less accessible than sea salt, pink salt is mined from the ancient, landlocked salt deposits in the Himalayan mountains. Thus, it’s also called Himalayan salt. Its unique pink hue (which gives it its name) can be attributed to the trace presence of minerals like iron oxide. It is considered to be healthier than regular salt because it is less refined and thus retains most of its natural minerals. Aashirvaad Himalayan Pink salt, for example, has approximately 170 mg calcium and 126 mg magnesium per 100 g of salt. 

Because of its mineral content, pink salt is considered to be healthier than the highly refined table salt, and supposedly helps with hydration, digestion, and restoring pH balance. 

Pink Salt vs Sea Salt: Flavour, Usage & Mineral Content

Here’s how the two salts compare in terms of the taste or flavour profile and use, or rather, cooking application: 

Flavour comparison

• Pink Salt: Pink salt leans towards an earthy, slightly sweet taste due to the high mineral content. It’s milder than sea salt. 

• Sea Salt: The flavour profile of sea salt depends a lot on the source or location of harvesting. However, generally, sea salt has a stronger flavour with very mild notes of either sweetness or bitterness, depending on the source location. Overall, it has a more robust, briny taste. 

Cooking Application/Usage

• Pink Salt: Pink salt generally has larger crystals that add a discernible crunch to the dishes. Thus, it’s used as a garnishing or finishing agent, lending crunch and visual appeal. You can find it on salads, especially those with roasted vegetables, stews, and even grilled meats. Another significant use is in food made when fasting in India. It’s because pink salt is essentially rock salt (sendha namak), which is considered purer than processed salt. Its unique hue also makes pink salt an excellent choice for non-culinary uses, like salt lamps.

• Sea Salt: Sea salt has higher dissolvability and thus is used for general cooking and baking. It also finds common application in seasoning meats and vegetables, cooking soups, and making marinades. However, if you go for a type with a coarser texture, it can also work well for finishing touches.  

Mineral Content

• Pink Salt: Here, pink salt is a clear winner, containing over 80 trace minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, giving it its characteristic colour. These are in negligible amounts for health benefits.

• Sea Salt: Contains minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium, but the exact composition varies greatly depending on the water source. However, one significant drawback is the possibility of the presence of microplastics due to ocean pollution.

A Little Salt, A Lot To Consider

To put it simply, pink salt is great as a finishing salt, while sea salt works better as a cooking salt. However, both are healthier than the ultra-refined table salt. While pink salt wins on mineral content and health benefits, sea salt wins on accessibility. Which one should you use? Depends on whether you’re starting a dish or putting a final touch.