Salt Type Conversion Calculator

How This Salt Type Conversion Calculator Helps Your Recipes

Salt is one of the most important ingredients in cooking and baking, but not all salt behaves the same way in a measuring spoon. A teaspoon of fine table salt does not contain the same amount of salt as a teaspoon of coarse kosher or sea salt. The grains have different sizes and shapes, which means different densities. This calculator helps you convert between common salt types so you can follow recipes accurately and keep your food properly seasoned.

This tool focuses on four widely used options:

• Table salt – fine, dense crystals, usually iodized; most compact per teaspoon.
• Morton kosher salt – relatively dense, flat flakes; heavier per teaspoon than Diamond Crystal.
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt – light, hollow flakes; much less dense than Morton.
• Coarse sea salt – larger, irregular crystals; density varies, but typically lighter than table salt.

The calculator uses typical density values from standard culinary references to convert amounts by volume (teaspoons or tablespoons) and by weight (grams). Because weight is always more consistent than volume for ingredients like salt, you can also use this tool to quickly switch from spoons to grams.

How to Use the Salt Type Conversion Calculator

1. Enter the amount of salt in the first field (for example, 1.5).
2. Choose the unit the recipe uses: teaspoons, tablespoons, or grams.
3. Select the original salt type called for in the recipe: table, Morton kosher, Diamond Crystal kosher, or coarse sea salt.
4. Click “Convert”. The calculator will show the equivalent amounts for the other salt types in all supported units.

For example, if your recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of table salt but you only have Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the calculator will estimate how many tablespoons or teaspoons of Diamond Crystal you should use to get a similar saltiness.

All results are based on typical density assumptions and rounded for home-cooking convenience, not laboratory precision.

Formulas Behind the Salt Conversions

The core idea is straightforward: every combination of salt type and unit corresponds to an approximate density. Once we know the weight, we can convert between units and types.

Step 1: Convert the starting amount to grams using the density for that salt type.

In general form:

Here, density(salt, unit) is the grams per that unit (for example, grams per teaspoon of table salt).

Step 2: Convert the grams to the target salt type and desired unit.

In general form:

Example density values (approximate, used internally by the calculator) include:

• Table salt: about 6.0 g per teaspoon (18 g per tablespoon).
• Morton kosher: about 4.8 g per teaspoon (14.4 g per tablespoon).
• Diamond Crystal kosher: about 2.8 g per teaspoon (8.4 g per tablespoon).
• Coarse sea salt: about 4.0 g per teaspoon (12 g per tablespoon).

The script converts whatever you enter into grams, then calculates equivalent quantities for each other salt type and unit. This lets you jump between brands and between volume and weight without manually doing the math.

Interpreting Your Conversion Results

When you press “Convert,” you will see a small results table. Each row represents a salt type, and each row shows:

• Teaspoons – approximate volume in tsp.
• Tablespoons – approximate volume in Tbsp.
• Grams – the corresponding weight.

Use these results as follows:

• If you are substituting by volume, look at the teaspoons or tablespoons for your target salt type and measure that amount.
• If you prefer maximum consistency, use the grams column and weigh the salt on a kitchen scale.
• Remember that the values are approximations. For dishes where seasoning can be adjusted to taste (like soups or roasted vegetables), you can round slightly and adjust after tasting. For baking, try to weigh the salt when possible.

Typical Density Comparison of Common Salt Types

The table below compares typical densities used by this calculator so you can see how different each salt is by volume.

From this comparison, you can see why a recipe written for Diamond Crystal can taste far too salty if made with table salt using the same volume. One tablespoon of table salt can weigh more than twice as much as a tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher.

Worked Example: Converting Table Salt to Diamond Crystal Kosher

Suppose a bread recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of table salt, but you only have Diamond Crystal kosher salt. You want roughly the same total amount of salt by weight.

1. Start with the density of table salt: about 6.0 g per teaspoon.
2. Calculate the total grams in the original recipe:
   • 2 teaspoons × 6.0 g/teaspoon = 12 g of salt.
3. Now use the density for Diamond Crystal kosher salt: about 2.8 g per teaspoon.
4. Convert the 12 g to teaspoons of Diamond Crystal:
   • 12 g ÷ 2.8 g/teaspoon ≈ 4.3 teaspoons.

So, to replace 2 teaspoons of table salt, you would use about 4 1/4 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt. The calculator performs this type of conversion automatically, and it can show equivalent tablespoons, teaspoons, and grams for all supported salt types at once.

Why Salt Type Matters for Recipes

Because salt density varies so much, swapping one type for another without adjusting the volume can easily make food too salty or not salty enough.

• Table salt packs tightly into a spoon, so a teaspoon carries a lot of salt. Using table salt where a recipe expects a light, flaky salt can make the dish noticeably saltier.
• Kosher salts (Morton vs Diamond Crystal) are often treated as interchangeable in everyday speech, but they are not interchangeable by volume in precise recipes. Morton is significantly denser than Diamond Crystal.
• Coarse sea salt crystals can vary widely in size. Some brands are closer to kosher salt, others closer to table salt in density. This calculator uses a typical middle-of-the-road value.

Professional bakers and chefs increasingly specify salt amounts by weight (grams) instead of teaspoons or tablespoons. That removes most of the confusion and variation between brands. This calculator helps bridge the gap for recipes that still use volume measurements or omit the brand of salt.

Limitations, Assumptions, and Best Practices

While this calculator is designed to be practical and helpful, it has important limitations:

• Brand variability – Even within a category like “coarse sea salt,” different brands may have noticeably different crystal sizes and densities. The values here are based on typical published ranges, not any single brand.
• Packing and measuring variation – How tightly you fill a spoon (level vs heaping, packed vs loose) can change the actual amount of salt. The calculator assumes a level, reasonably filled measuring spoon.
• Rounding – For convenience, the results are rounded to a reasonable number of decimal places. That is more than accurate enough for most home cooking, but not intended for lab analysis.
• Focus on common salt types – The tool only handles table salt, Morton kosher, Diamond Crystal kosher, and coarse sea salt. Specialty finishing salts (like flaky sea salt or smoked salts) are not included.
• Culinary judgment still matters – Even with accurate conversions, factors like the dish itself, other salty ingredients, and personal taste affect how salty the final food should be. Always taste when it is safe to do so and adjust slightly if needed.

If a recipe is extremely sensitive (for example, delicate baked goods or cured meats), using a digital scale and measuring the salt by weight is strongly recommended. In less critical dishes, the calculator’s volume-based approximations will get you very close, and you can fine-tune by tasting.

Quick FAQ

Can I substitute table salt for kosher salt 1:1?

No. A volume-for-volume swap (like 1 teaspoon table salt instead of 1 teaspoon kosher salt) will not give the same saltiness. Table salt is denser, so you should use less by volume when replacing kosher salt. Use the calculator or weigh the salt to get closer to the intended amount.

Why do Morton and Diamond Crystal kosher salts measure so differently?

They are made using different processes, which produce different crystal shapes. Morton crystals are denser and flatter, while Diamond Crystal crystals are lighter and more hollow. Because of this, a spoonful of Diamond Crystal contains less actual salt by weight than the same spoonful of Morton.

Is measuring salt by weight more accurate than by volume?

Yes. Measuring by weight removes variations caused by crystal size, shape, and how you fill the spoon. For consistent results, especially in baking, weighing salt in grams is the best option. This calculator provides gram equivalents to help you move toward weight-based measuring even if the original recipe uses spoons.

Use this tool as a practical guide, not an absolute rule. When in doubt, err slightly on the low side and adjust the seasoning to taste.