Kitchen rescueSeasoning and flavourPartly saveable

How to fix a bitter taste

Add a pinch of salt, which reduces how bitter food tastes, then balance with a little sweetness, fat or acid. If the bitterness comes from burnt garlic or spices, it can only be masked, not removed.

How you can tell

  • A harsh, sharp aftertaste at the back of the tongue
  • The dish tastes acrid or medicinal
  • Bitterness lingers after you swallow

Why it happens

Bitterness can come from the ingredients themselves, such as some leafy greens, citrus pith, aubergine or very dark chocolate. It often comes from cooking, when garlic, spices or nuts burn, or when food is browned too far and starts to char. Over-steeping tea or coffee in a recipe can also add bitter compounds. Salt is particularly good at suppressing bitterness, and sweetness, fat and acid help balance it. Bitterness from burnt ingredients spreads through the whole dish, so it can be softened but not taken out.

How to fix it

Option 1Add salt

  1. Add a pinch of salt and stir well
  2. Taste before adding more

Option 2Balance with sweetness or fat

  1. Add a pinch of sugar, a little honey or something naturally sweet such as grated carrot in a sauce
  2. Or stir in a knob of butter, a splash of double cream or a drizzle of olive oil

Option 3Add acid

  1. Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar to brighten the dish
  2. Taste and adjust the other seasoning

Option 4Start again if burnt

  1. If burnt garlic or spices have made the whole dish taste acrid, the bitterness won't fully go
  2. For a sauce base, it's often better to throw it away and start the base again

Next time

  • Fry garlic and ground spices gently and briefly, and stir them often
  • Add garlic after onions have softened, as it burns more quickly
  • Remove the white pith when using citrus zest
  • Toast nuts and seeds over a low heat and watch them closely

Terms on this page

General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.