DIY Finishing Salts: Homemade Saffron Salt

Whether you are wanting to whip up a foodie gift for the holidays or for a hostess gift, finishing salts are a great way to add flavor to any dish. Grind up sea salt with saffron to make some golden saffron salt or create your own favorite flavors by drying up herbs from your garden.

I do my best to plan ahead, but I suppose I live for the chaos and stress because I tend to get more creative and productive when I am under the gun. I am not the one shopping for Christmas presents in July.

Personally, I am a big fan of homemade gifts. I love receiving them and I really love giving them to friends and family. One easy foodie gift that you can share or keep for your own kitchen is to make finishing salts.

Why you have to try this out

As the name suggests, finishing salts are added after the cooking is finished and is usually the final step in adding flavor to your dish. Because they are a bit more expensive, the idea is to use them at the end and not during the cooking process.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t cook with finishing salts. These gourmet salts come in all kinds of scents, colors and flavors. And you can customize these seasonings to fit what your own favorite flavors and what you have in your pantry.

I adore the bright tones of citrus fruits, so I really love using my orange and lemon salt blend. And being Persian, I always have saffron on hand so this saffron salt is not only easy to create, it also provides a wonderful aroma and it’s glorious golden color to any dish.

Ingredients you need

To make your own blend of finish salts, you need to choose what kind of flavor profile you want. For saffron salt, you only need saffron and salt. The salt you choose is vitally important. I like to use coarse sea salt.

Amongst the sea salt choices there are many varieties so let your taste buds be your guide. You can also use coarse pink salt. Just don’t reach for the table salt, please!

Next comes the additional flavors you want. If you are on a budget, look to your garden and any herbs you are growing. Dry them up and then mix them in with your salt.

You can also add other spices like ginger, garlic, paprika or chile powder to the mix, again depending on what kind of flavor you want.

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Step-by-step directions

For the saffron salt, all you have to do is add the saffron and sea salt in a mortar and pestle and grind until smooth. Add 1-2 drops of water, as needed, to bring out the vibrant yellow saffron color. Allow salt to dry before transferring to a spice jar and seal closed.

If you are using dried herbs and other spices, you will do the same thing: grind it all up using a mortar and pestle. Don’t add any water.

Yes, it’s that easy!

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQS

Again, this is a super easy way to add flavors to any meal. Add finishing salts to your salad, mashed potatoes or a grilled steak. Season other meats like shrimp, fish or chicken. Sprinkle some on your avocado toast or scrambled eggs. The opportunities are endless.

I found these cute tins on Amazon, which were the perfect size for sharing and storing dried herbs. I also fell in love with these adorable spoons. Wrap it all in twine, stick a tag in it and you’re done. Share a favorite recipe you like to cook using the spices you are giving away.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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