The Ingredient Giada De Laurentiis Used In Place Of Salt To Lighten Her Recipes

It's hard to imagine cooking without salt. The mineral is featured in practically all savory recipes alongside pepper as something to add until your tastes are satisfied. It pulls all the ingredients together and even balances things out in a number of desserts. Although salt can be the foundation of a flavorful dish, Giada de Laurentiis uses lemon juice to give equally delicious results.

The chef and restaurateur isn't exactly an enemy of salt — she always has three salts in her kitchen and each of the minerals has its own role in her recipe. Yet, when looking to make foods a little lighter, de Laurentiis turns to lemon juice. In a 2013 interview with Today, the chef discussed needing something to replace the significance that salt played in her recipes. "Salt was tough because I don't add a lot of ingredients to my food, so the ingredients that I do use, I use often," de Laurentiis explained.

Like salt, lemon juice helps to balance out a variety of ingredients while making the overall dish taste a little more pronounced. Its acidity brightens food, giving it a flavorful finish. You can opt to cook dishes relying on just the citrus or hit a savory dish with lemon for a flavor boost instead of using extra salt.

Earthy veggies are a great dish for trying out the swap; it doesn't take much to amp up their flavor, and lemon juice brings a zesty finish to the plants. The citrus works especially well with herbed-roasted root vegetables since they're already packed full of flavor, so you won't miss the salt. The array of beets, sweet potatoes, and carrots is hearty and sweet, balanced by a savory mix of garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. A squeeze of lemon juice lifts the rich ingredients, brightening them perfectly.

The citrus works wonders with all kinds of hearty dishes, pasta included. Swap salt for a splash of lemon juice when making baked creamy red pepper penne pasta. Composed of smoky roasted red peppers, umami parmesan, and mozzarella, the lemon juice cuts through the richness of the ingredients while emphasizing their flavors. With cheeses like parmesan already possessing a savory aftertaste, the lemon juice easily takes the place of salt in this recipe.

Lemon juice does its best work in dishes that are packed full of flavor, like smoky brisket chili. Made with layers of spices and bold ingredients, the citrus simply gives the dish a cohesive taste. The chili is made with pungent garlic and onions, earthy cumin and coriander, and smoky tomatoes, chiles, and bacon. Lemon juice brightens the heady ingredients, giving the chili a more dynamic flavor.