If you've ever made a pot of soup and had it turn out far too salty, you are not alone. Unfortunately, most people don't know what to do when this happens, and many end up disposing of the soup and starting over from scratch.
The first thing you will need is an uncooked white potato. One is often enough, but depending on the quantity of soup, it may be necessary to use two or more. Peel and cut the potato into thick slices or cubes. Either way is fine, so long as you leave the pieces large enough to be easily removed before serving. It is recommended that you use slices or cubes because they allow for the maximum surface area, which will aid in the absorption of the salt.
Once the potato has been chopped with a best food chopper, add the pieces directly into the soup and leave the pot to simmer for around 20 minutes. The exact length of time may need to be extended or reduced depending on the size of the cut potatoes. It is important, however, that the potatoes aren't left in the soup long enough for them to fully cook through.
After a number of minutes, it will be time to take out the potato pieces. By this point, there should be a noticeable decrease in the saltiness of the soup. If the taste of salt remains too strong for your liking, cut and add the second batch of raw potatoes to further absorb the flavour. Be warned, however, that potatoes can only absorb so much salt, and the more time you add potatoes to the soup, the more likely your meal will end up tasting like them.
A couple of words of caution - if the soup you are preparing is clear, the potatoes will likely cause it to become cloudy. Potatoes also then thicken soups, so it may be necessary to add some water or soup base before serving to bring back the proper consistency. This will also help to dilute the salty flavour.
The only other way to remedy a too-salty soup is to multiply the original recipe. Depending on how salty the soup is, this may require you to double or even triple the amount of soup. Take caution to avoid any salt that is called for in the recipe. Don't forget that certain ingredients like garlic and onion salt will also need to be left out. Once you've created the new salt-free batch, combine it with the original soup to help even out of the flavours.
So the next time you are faced with an overly salty soup, remember that not all is lost. Often all it takes are a couple of raw potatoes for your soup to return to its intended flavour. If this fails or isn't possible, there is always the option of doubling or tripling the recipe to reduce the salty taste. Instead of considering a salty soup ruined, fix it.