This homemade orange salt gives everyday dishes a boost of bright citrus flavor! Made with fresh orange zest and flaky sea salt, this easy aromatic finishing salt adds a sunny, Sicilian-inspired kick to everything from cocktail rims to weeknight dinners.
During my time in culinary school, I learned that presentation is ev-er-y-thing. The final touches, or garnishes, on a dish can really make the finished plate extra special. Flavored sugars and infused salts are my secret weapon for adding that extra something special in cooking, baking, and cocktail making. And while fancy-schmancy spice brands would like you to think that the only way to get flavor is by buying one of their gourmet blends or lab-made creations, the truth is that it’s super simple to make your own infused salts at home at a fraction of the cost! 🙌🏻
Citrus is a big part of Italian culture, where it appears in everything from aperitvos to desserts. This salt is perfect for adding an extra dash of flavor to anything with oranges! Try rimming the glasses of blood orange margaritas with this salt, sprinkle it on a seasonal crostini appetizer, or blend it with my lemon infused sugar for a delightfully sweet and salty seasoning.
why this orange infused salt recipe works:
🍊 real citrus. Unlike store-bought alternatives, this salt is made using REAL orange zest. And since salt is a natural preservative, there’s nothing artificial about the ingredients!
🙌 easy + impressive. The most complicated part of this recipe is zesting the oranges! Once you’ve crossed that bridge, it’s smoooooth sailing!
🔀 multi-purpose. You can use this infused salt in so many ways, from topping popcorn, finishing dishes with a pop of citrus, or garnishing your favorite glassware!
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 how to make orange zest salt
1: Zest the oranges using a Microplane grater.
2: Mix the flakey sea salt and orange zest together on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3: Spread the mixture evenly across the baking sheet.
4: Bake the salt and zest mixture until the orange pieces are completely dried.
5: If desired, transfer your salt to a food processor or small blender to break up larger crystals and help the flavors blend more.
6: Store your finished orange zest salt in an airtight storage container.
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ how to serve your orange infused salt
- garnish your glasses – I love using this salt to garnish glassware featuring fresh orange juice, orange syrup, or orange liqueur! It’s perfect for adding another little boost of citrus flavor. Try it paired with these Sicilian orange margaritas!
- finishing flavor – this is the perfect salt to finish any dish that uses orange as an ingredient! I love sprinkling this into a simmering pot of beans, seasoning chicken breasts, or even dusted over popcorn for a zesty kick!
- gourmet gift – this home infused salt makes a wonderful hostess gift, too! Package it up into a cute little jar and pop a homemade label on it for the cutest little DIY foodie gift!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- not enough orange flavor – you can increase the amount of orange zest you use if you want your salt to pack more of a citrus punch! Orange zest is a bit lighter in flavor compared to other citrus like lemons and limes, so you’ll need more oranges to get a more intense flavor in this salt as compared to my lime infused salt recipe. Additionally, the type of oranges you use will affect the flavor. I’ve found blood oranges and navel oranges to be more intense in flavor than cara cara oranges and valencia oranges.
- bitter – make sure you are only using the zest, not the pith, or the white/light yellow part of the orange. The pith will create a bitter flavor in your finished salt. If this happens, you can add a bit of sugar to your salt to help counterbalance it. You can also embrace the bitter flavor, sort of like an Aperol spritz amaro seasoning!
♻️ customize your citrus salt
- use a different salt – you can use kosher salt instead of flaky sea salt! I do NOT recommend using regular table salt though, because the granules are much too fine and it will result in an overly salty salt. Make sure whichever salt you use is of a COARSE grain. This means there is more surface area for the zest to stick too!
- swap the citrus – you can use a different kind of citrus for this recipe, like my homemade lime salt, or you can also use a blend of citrus for a custom flavored salt! This is a really fun way to take your garnishes to the next level!
- air dry instead of oven dry – want a no-bake option? You can also leave you salt laying on the baking sheet to air dry. It may take up to four hours for your salt to completely dry, depending on how humid your kitchen is. You know it’s dry when it’s crunchy and breaks up when crushed!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 how to store infused salt
Store your finished citrus salt in an airtight storage container at room temperature. It can easily last up to 6 months or more, though the flavor will break down with time. Keep it stored out of direct sunlight for the best preservation of taste, but I love keeping mine out on the counter so I don’t forget about it, because ADHD is real. 😅
💬 q+a
What kinds of oranges work for making orange zest salt?
You can use ANY kinds of oranges for this recipe, but the flavor and intensity will differ depending on the variety you use. I have found that blood oranges (classic Sicilian oranges) are the most intensely flavored, but conventional navel or valencia juicing oranges work, too!
Can I use table salt for infused salt recipes?
Nope. Table salt is super fine in grain size and because of that, it’s not the best for absorbing flavors. Additionally, it’s usually got added minerals which can impact the final taste of your salt. Stick with a coarse sea salt or kosher salt for home infused salt recipes, plase!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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How to Make Orange Salt (Easy Sicilian Inspired Citrus Salt)
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Equipment
- 1 baking sheet lined with parchment
- 1 food processor optional, for creating a finer grain finish
- 1 airtight storage container
Ingredients
- 45 g flaky sea salt about 1/4 cup
- 9 g orange zest from 3 medium-sized oranges, about 1 heaping tbsp
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 200º F.
- Prep + zest oranges. Wash and dry your oranges, then using a Microplane grater, zest your oranges. You should have about 1 heaping tablespoon of zest.9 g orange zest
- Prep baking sheet. Line a quarter sheet baking pan with parchment paper.
- Mix salt + zest. Pour coarse sea salt onto the baking pan, and then add in the orange zest. Mix well with spoons to distribute the zest evenly.9 g orange zest, 45 g flaky sea salt
- Bake. Bake on a baking sheet for 15 – 20 minutes, just until the zest is dehydrated and dried out.
- Cool + store. Remove from the oven and allow the salt mix to fully cool before transferring to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- not enough orange flavor – you can increase the amount of orange zest you use if you want your salt to pack more of a citrus punch! Orange zest is a bit lighter in flavor compared to other citrus like lemons and limes, so you’ll need more oranges to get a more intense flavor in this salt as compared to my lime infused salt recipe.
- bitter – make sure you are only using the zest, not the pith, or the white/light yellow part of the orange. The pith will create a bitter flavor in your finished salt. If this happens, you can add a bit of sugar to your salt to help counterbalance it. You can also embrace the bitter flavor, sort of like an Aperol spritz amaro seasoning!
My family loved this! I like to sprinkle it from up high like I’m a super chef and they go absolute bonkers.
Thank you so much for sharing your review Sam! I LOVE that this salt gives you your super chef moment, that’s amazing haha!!! 💕👩🏻🍳