About the Salt Conversion Calculator
This salt conversion calculator converts an amount of one salt into the equivalent amount of another so a recipe tastes the way the author intended. A teaspoon of fine table salt weighs more than twice as much as a teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, because the big, hollow kosher flakes trap air — so swapping one for the other spoon-for-spoon can make a dish twice as salty, or leave it bland.
Choose the salt the recipe calls for, enter the amount in teaspoons, tablespoons, cups or by weight, and pick the salt you actually have. You get the equivalent volume, the weight in grams and the sodium content, plus a table showing the same amount of saltiness in every common type. It is especially useful for brines, dry rubs and baking recipes from food magazines and restaurant chefs, many of which are written for Diamond Crystal.
By weight, salt is salt: 10 g of any of these contains essentially the same amount of sodium chloride, which is why many cooks weigh salt. Volume weights are based on manufacturers’ nutrition labels for table salt and the two major kosher brands, and typical measured values for flaky and coarse sea salt, which vary by brand.
With the default inputs, the use this much is 1.75 tsp. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the salt conversion calculator
- 1Enter the amount of salt the recipe lists and its unit.
- 2Choose the salt the recipe was written for (assume Diamond Crystal for many chef recipes if unsure).
- 3Choose the salt you have in your kitchen.
- 4Measure the converted amount, or weigh the grams shown for best accuracy.
Formula and method
The calculator converts the recipe amount to a weight using the density of the salt the recipe names, then divides by the density of the salt you have. Densities per level US teaspoon: table salt 6.0 g, Morton kosher 4.8 g and Diamond Crystal kosher 2.8 g (from their ¼-teaspoon nutrition-label servings of 1.5 g, 1.2 g and 0.7 g), coarse sea salt about 5 g and flaky sea salt about 2.5 g.
Sodium is 39.34% of sodium chloride by mass (22.99 ÷ 58.44), so 1 g of salt contains about 393 mg of sodium regardless of the type. Iodine and anti-caking agents are present in amounts too small to matter. Packing, humidity and how you level the spoon can shift volume measurements by 10% or more, so weigh salt when precision matters, such as for brines and cures.
- g per tsp
- Weight of a level teaspoon of a given salt
- 39.34%
- Sodium share of sodium chloride by weight
Worked examples
1 tbsp Diamond Crystal, using Morton kosher
One tablespoon (3 tsp) of Diamond Crystal weighs about 3 × 2.8 = 8.4 g. Morton kosher weighs 4.8 g per teaspoon, so you need 8.4 ÷ 4.8 = 1.75 tsp — a little over half the volume. That salt contains about 3,300 mg of sodium.
2 tsp table salt, using Diamond Crystal
Two teaspoons of table salt weigh 12 g. Diamond Crystal is far lighter at 2.8 g per teaspoon, so you need 12 ÷ 2.8 ≈ 4.3 teaspoons (about 1 ⅜ tablespoons) for the same saltiness.
30 g of salt for a brine, measured with Morton kosher
When a recipe gives grams, the weight is the same for any salt. 30 g of Morton kosher is 30 ÷ 4.8 = 6.25 teaspoons, or just over 2 tablespoons.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert kosher salt to table salt?+
For Diamond Crystal, use a little under half the volume of table salt (1 tsp kosher ≈ ½ tsp table). For Morton kosher, use about 80% (1 tsp kosher ≈ ¾ tsp table + a pinch). The brands differ, so check which one the recipe used.
Why is Diamond Crystal so different from Morton kosher salt?+
Diamond Crystal is made by evaporating brine into hollow, pyramid-shaped flakes that pack loosely, while Morton is rolled into denser, flat flakes. A teaspoon of Diamond weighs about 2.8 g versus about 4.8 g for Morton.
Is kosher salt less salty than table salt?+
Gram for gram, no — both are essentially pure sodium chloride with about 393 mg of sodium per gram. Kosher salt only seems less salty because a spoonful contains less salt by weight.
Which salt do recipes mean by “kosher salt”?+
Many restaurant and food-media recipes are tested with Diamond Crystal, while many home recipes use Morton. If a recipe gives a weight, use that; otherwise start with less and taste, because Morton is about 70% saltier by volume.
Can I use sea salt instead of kosher salt?+
Yes, but match by weight. Fine sea salt measures roughly like table salt, coarse sea salt falls between table and Morton kosher, and flaky finishing salts like Maldon are very light by volume and best sprinkled on at the end.
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