15 Baking Soda Food Recipes You Need to Try Today
Baking soda is not just for cakes. In savory cooking, a small pinch makes roast potatoes crunchier, onions caramelise faster, beans and chickpeas cook softer, stir-fry meat more tender, and pakoras crispier. The rule for all of them is the same: use very little, usually ¼–½ teaspoon. Too much tastes soapy.
Looking for cakes and cookies? See 15 classic bakes that use baking soda. This page covers savory dishes and snacks.
15 savory uses at a glance
| Dish | How much | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Crispy roast potatoes | ½ tsp per 2 litres of parboiling water | Roughs up the surface for extra crunch |
| 2. Quick caramelised onions | A pinch (⅛ tsp) per 2 onions | Browns them in about half the time |
| 3. Soft dried beans | 1 tsp per litre of soaking water | Softens the skins so beans cook faster |
| 4. Ultra-smooth hummus | ½ tsp when simmering chickpeas | Loosens the skins for a silky texture |
| 5. Velveted stir-fry beef | ½ tsp per 450 g, rinsed off | Tender, restaurant-style slices |
| 6. Juicier burgers and koftas | ¼ tsp + 1 tbsp water per 450 g mince | Holds moisture, browns better |
| 7. Less sharp tomato sauce | A pinch per large pan | Takes the edge off very acidic tomatoes |
| 8. Creamy polenta, faster | A pinch in the pot | Softens the cornmeal so it cooks quicker |
| 9. Crispy pakoras and bhajis | A pinch per cup of gram flour | Lighter, crunchier batter |
| 10. Khaman dhokla | ¾–1 tsp, activated with lemon juice | The spongy steamed rise |
| 11. Soft pretzels and pretzel buns | ⅔ cup per 2.5 litres boiling water | Shiny, deep-brown crust |
| 12. Alkaline “ramen-style” noodles | Baked soda dissolved in the dough water | Springy, yellow, chewy noodles |
| 13. Crisp chicken wings | Use baking powder here | Blistered skin (soda tastes soapy) |
| 14. Fluffier omelette | A tiny pinch per 3 eggs | Slightly puffier, softer omelette |
| 15. Bhatura and quick flatbreads | ¼ tsp with yogurt in the dough | Puffs up when fried or cooked |
Crispy roast potatoes
Peel 1 kg of floury potatoes and cut them into chunks. Bring 2 litres of water to the boil with 1 tbsp salt and ½ tsp baking soda, then simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes, until the edges are soft. Drain and leave to steam for a minute, then toss in hot oil or fat until the edges look fluffy and mashed. Roast at 220°C / 425°F for 40–50 minutes, turning once. The alkaline water breaks down the surface, creating a starchy layer that roasts into a deep crust.
Caramelised onions in 20 minutes
Slice 2 large onions and cook them in butter over medium heat with a pinch of salt. Add no more than ⅛ tsp baking soda. Stir often, and add a splash of water if they catch. They turn deep brown and jammy in about 20 minutes instead of 45. Use slightly less than you think, because too much makes them mushy.
Silky hummus
Simmer a drained 400 g tin of chickpeas in water with ½ tsp baking soda for 20 minutes, until very soft and the skins float. Drain, rinse well, then blend with 4 tbsp tahini, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, salt and a few spoons of ice-cold water. Rinsing well is important, so the hummus does not taste soapy.
Alkaline noodles with baked baking soda
Spread baking soda on a foil-lined tray and bake at 120°C / 250°F for 1 hour. This turns it into sodium carbonate, a stronger alkali that works like the kansui used in ramen noodles. Dissolve 1 tsp in the water for a 300 g-flour noodle dough. Store the baked soda in a labelled jar, and handle it with care: it is more irritating to skin than regular baking soda.
Do not add baking soda to green vegetables to keep them bright. It does keep the color, but it destroys vitamin C and B vitamins and turns the vegetables mushy.
General rules
- Start with less than you think. You can always add a pinch more, but you cannot take it out.
- Rinse it off sliced meat, soaked beans and simmered chickpeas.
- Acids such as lemon, vinegar and tomato cancel it out, so time it carefully if you are using both.
More detail: baking soda on meat, baking soda and beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in small amounts. A pinch helps with browning, tenderness and texture in potatoes, onions, beans and meat.
You used too much, or did not rinse it off. Most savory uses need only a pinch to ½ teaspoon.
Yes. Add ½ tsp to the parboiling water and the surface breaks down into a starchy layer that roasts very crisp.