Six low-sodium recipes that don’t taste like sad diet food (and could help save your life)

Big on flavour, low on salt – this Thai red curry is a reminder that smart swaps can make a real difference without sacrificing taste - (LoSalt)

We Brits are a salty bunch – not just in temperament, but on the plate, too. Nearly half of us don’t know how much salt we’re actually eating, and a third admit to shaking it over our meals before even tasting them. Old habits die hard, especially when it comes to flavour. But a growing chorus of doctors, dietitians and public health experts are urging us to rethink our relationship with salt – not by cutting flavour, but by changing the way we season entirely.

The stats are sobering: we’re eating around 40 per cent more salt than we should be, with the average daily intake sitting at 8.4g, well above the 6g limit. That might not sound dramatic, but it adds up – excessive sodium is one of the most significant yet preventable causes of heart disease and stroke in the UK. If we each cut just 1g of salt a day, over 4,000 lives could be saved every year.

The good news? There’s a simple switch that could make a huge difference – and you won’t even taste it. Experts like GP Dr Sarah Jarvis and dietitians Nichola Ludlam-Raine and Azmina Govindji are championing potassium-enriched, lower-sodium salts such as LoSalt as a no-fuss alternative to regular table salt. You use it exactly the same way – in cooking, baking, or at the table – but with significantly less sodium, and a dash more health benefits. As Dr Jarvis puts it, this isn’t just about cutting sodium, but increasing potassium too, which helps lower blood pressure.

Behaviour change doesn’t have to mean self-denial or chucking out your favourite meals. It starts with small, smart swaps: tasting before you sprinkle, switching your salt shaker and learning to spot hidden sodium in everyday foods. And yes, there are plenty of delicious dishes that can help retrain your palate without feeling like a compromise.

To prove the point, we’ve rounded up seven flavour-packed recipes that are full of colour, texture and spice – and low in salt. From jerk-spiced Caribbean chicken rice and zesty Thai noodle soup to harissa turkey burgers and a beetroot bourguignon hearty enough to convert carnivores, these meals show that cutting salt doesn’t mean cutting corners.

They’re easy, affordable and built for real life – just like this simple but powerful health message: swap the salt, not the flavour.

Caribbean chicken rice

Pineapple, sweetcorn and jerk seasoning do all the heavy lifting here (LoSalt)

Serves: 2

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

100g wholegrain rice

1½ tsp Jerk seasoning

1 tbsp oil

2 chicken breast fillets, diced (350g)

1 red pepper, diced (180g)

100g sweetcorn

½ small pineapple, peeled, cored and diced

½ tsp LoSalt

15g coriander, chopped

Method:

1. Cook the rice in boiling water with ½ tsp Jerk seasoning for 20-25 minutes or until tender, drain well.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken and pepper with the remaining Jerk seasoning for 5-6 minutes until browned. Add the sweetcorn and pineapple. Stir in the rice and LoSalt and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in the coriander to serve.

Cooks tip: For a vegetarian option, swap the chicken for diced courgette, aubergine and kidney beans.

Thai prawn noodle soup

This warming bowl packs heat, crunch and comfort in under 10 minutes (LoSalt)

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

2 very low salt organic vegetable stock cubes

1 lemongrass stalk, halved and thinly sliced

1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

2 heads pak choi, shredded (300g)

100g wholewheat noodles

150g raw king prawns

½ x 28g pack coriander, leaves only

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp LoSalt

Method:

1. Place the stock cubes and 800ml boiling water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the lemongrass, chilli, white parts of the pak choi and noodles and simmer gently, covered for 5 minutes.
2. Add the green parts of the pak choi, king prawns, coriander, fish sauce and LoSalt, cook for 1-2 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
3. Serve in 2 soup bowls.

Cooks tip: Try using egg noodles or folded rice noodles and replace the prawns with roasted shredded chicken.

Lemon cod with oat crumb and spinach

That golden topping? Made with oats and herbs, not breadcrumbs and salt (LoSalt)

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

½ tbsp olive oil

3 shallots, finely chopped (100g)

25g oats

2 tbsp chopped chives

1 tsp LoSalt

1 lemon

2 cod loins, approx 200g each

200g cherry tomatoes

250g spinach

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with foil.
2. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and fry the shallots for 3-4 minutes until golden, add the oats and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chives, LoSalt, lemon zest and juice of ½ lemon, season with black pepper.
3. Press the oat mixture on top of the cod loins and place on the prepared tray. Add the cherry tomatoes. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cod is cooked throughout.
4. Meanwhile, place the spinach in a large bowl with a splash of water, cover with clingfilm and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until just wilted. Divide between 2 plates and top with the cod and tomatoes. Serve with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

Cooks tip: Sprinkle the oat crumb on sea bass, haddock or salmon instead of cod.

Beetroot bourguignon

Hearty, earthy and 100 per cent plant-based, this is comfort food without compromise (LoSalt)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped (180g)

1 carrot, sliced (180g)

1 leek, thickly sliced (170g)

1 bunch raw beetroot, approx. 600g, peeled and diced

3 sprigs thyme, plus extra for garnish

150ml red wine

1 very low salt organic vegetable stock cube

400g can chopped tomatoes

½ tsp LoSalt

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, carrot, leek, beetroot and thyme for 10 minutes, covered. Stir in the wine and cook until reduced by half. Dissolve the stock cube in 300ml boiling water.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock and LoSalt and season with black pepper. Cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Serve with mash or rice sprinkled with extra thyme leaves.

Cooks tip: Great to cook in advance and ready to reheat. Freeze in individual portions for a quick vegan supper.

Thai red chicken curry

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into small chunks

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp Thai red curry paste

400ml can reduced fat coconut milk

1 tsp Thai fish sauce

100g frozen peas

235g pak choi, thickly sliced

Juice 1 lime

¼ tsp LoSalt

2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander

For the rice:

250g jasmine rice

½ tsp LoSalt

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken and onion for 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, 100ml water and fish sauce to the pan, simmer for 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice in boiling water with the LoSalt for 10-12 minutes until tender, drain.
3. Stir in the peas and the white parts of the pak choi and cook for 2-3 minutes, adding the green parts of the pak choi for the last minute until wilted.
4. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice, LoSalt and most of the coriander. Serve with the rice and sprinkle with the remaining coriander.

Harissa turkey burgers with sweetcorn salsa

Spice, crunch and zing in one bun – and a clever way to satisfy burger cravings without reaching for the seasoning (LoSalt)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes plus chilling | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

500g turkey mince

3 tsp harissa paste

8 spring onions

¾ tsp LoSalt

2 corn on the cob

1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing

100g cherry tomatoes, quartered

½ small red onion, finely chopped

Juice 1 lime

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Method:

1. Mix together the mince, harissa, 4 finely chopped spring onions, ½ tsp LoSalt and some black pepper, mould into 4 burgers and chill for 30-60 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, brush the corn with a little oil and griddle or fry for 10 minutes, turning occasionally until slightly charred. Run a knife down the cob to remove the kernels and mix with the tomatoes, red onion, remaining sliced spring onions, lime juice, coriander and remaining LoSalt.
3. Heat the 1 tbsp oil in a frying or griddle pan and fry the burgers for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden and cooked throughout, serve with the sweetcorn salsa.

Cooks tip: Great served in burgers or toasted pittas with harissa mayonnaise or as a supper dish with potato wedges.

Salmon and rocket pasta

Proof you don’t need a block of Parmesan or a pinch of salt to make a creamy pasta worth repeating (LoSalt)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

300g pasta shapes

1 tsp LoSalt

2 salmon fillets

1 tbsp olive oil

150g cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

50g low fat cream cheese

2 tbsp semi skimmed milk

100g rocket

Method:

1. Cook the pasta in boiling water with ½ tsp LoSalt according to pack instructions, adding the salmon fillets for the last 5 minutes. Drain and remove the skin from the salmon.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the tomatoes, garlic and chilli for 3-4 minutes. Mix the cream cheese with milk and remaining LoSalt and add to the pan with the rocket, heat until the rocket wilts. Add in the pasta and salmon, broken into large flakes and stir to combine.

Cooks tip: Try swapping the rocket for spinach or watercress.

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