Kitchen rescueSeasoning and flavourUsually saveable

How to fix food that's too sour or acidic

Stir in a little sugar or honey, or something rich such as butter or cream, then taste. In tomato sauces, a small pinch of bicarbonate of soda will neutralise some of the acid.

How you can tell

  • A sharp, tangy taste that catches at the back of the throat
  • Your mouth puckers or waters as you eat
  • Tomato sauces taste harsh or metallic

Why it happens

Sourness comes from acids, such as those in vinegar, citrus juice, wine, tomatoes and fermented foods like yoghurt. Too much of these, or reducing a sauce made with them for a long time, can leave a dish tasting sharp. Sweetness, fat and salt all soften how sour something tastes, without removing the acid itself. An alkali such as bicarbonate of soda reacts with acid and neutralises it, but too much leaves a soapy, chemical taste.

How to fix it

Option 1Balance with sweetness

  1. Add a pinch of sugar or a small spoonful of honey
  2. Stir, taste, and add a little more only if needed

Option 2Add fat or dairy

  1. Stir in a knob of butter, a splash of double cream or a spoonful of yoghurt or crème fraîche
  2. Taste again before adding more

Option 3Neutralise with bicarbonate of soda

  1. For tomato sauces, stir in a very small pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  2. Let it fizz and settle, then taste
  3. Add more only in tiny amounts, as too much tastes soapy

Option 4Dilute the dish

  1. Add more of the base ingredients, such as stock or vegetables
  2. Simmer and adjust the seasoning

Next time

  • Add vinegar, citrus juice and wine gradually and taste as you go
  • Cook off wine for a few minutes before adding other liquid, so the harshest edge mellows
  • Cook tomato sauces long enough to soften their acidity

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.