Matcha Salt – Green Tea Seasoned Salt Recipe
Easy homemade matcha salt is literally bursting with the umami flavour of green tea. Sprinkle your seasoned salt over fried chicken, tempura, seafood or even sweet baked treats!
“Yum!! I want to try this on popcorn! I love trying new seasonings ๐ Such a healthy way to get lots of flavor!“
Liz
In this post you’ll learn
Why We Love This
Creating your own seasoned salts and condiments is so quick and easy! Itโs fun to experiment with flavours and ratios until you get the flavour just how you like it. Start with matcha salt then you might like to try homemade shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7 spice blend), homemade curry powder or baharat next.
While matcha salt is super simple to make, it packs a real flavour punch. Use it instead of regular salt across a huge range of sweet and savoury recipes!
Make a small amount to experiment, or blend a bigger batch to keep on hand to sprinkle over meats, vegetables, eggs, tofu, or really anything you like.
Related: Matcha Cookies / Matcha Ice Cream / Matcha Latte
Matcha Salt – ๆน่ถๅกฉ
Matcha salt is exactly that โ a blend of high quality sea salt with high quality, culinary grade matcha green tea powder.
We discovered this traditional Japanese seasoned salt during our stay in Kyushu, Japan. It’s most often used for sprinkling over deep fried vegetables (known as tempura), where it adds a burst of colour and salty flavour.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Salt โ Always use sea salt rather than regular iodised table salt which can sometimes include additives. Fun Fact: Matcha salt is traditionally made with very finely ground sea salt โ done by hand, this can often take 30+ minutes! Instead, we use sea salt flakes because we prefer a little extra texture. Feel free to use either flakes, finely ground sea salt or Himalayan salt if you prefer.
- Matcha Powder โ This is a finely ground powder made from high quality green tea leaves. Itโs much more highly concentrated (in both flavour and caffeine) than regular green tea, so you donโt need much for a big flavour burst.
Let’s make green tea seasoned salt!
- Add sea salt and matcha to a small dish.
- Mix to combine – that’s it! Optional: Use a mortar and pestle to blend into a fine powder if you prefer.
Quick Tips
Storage
We recommend storing your matcha salt in an airtight container and using within six months for the best quality and flavour.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
We use culinary grade matcha, not the more expensive ceremonial grade. Our favourite brands, depending on what’s available are Oi Ocha, Maeda-en and Ujinotsuyu. It’s a lot more widely available these days, so there might be even more varieties at your local supermarket in the Asian aisle.
Just be sure the matcha or green tea powder is for cooking and doesn’t have any added milk or sugar powder, as you might accidentally get a sweet surprise!
Use it in a similar way you would use regular salt. Itโs especially good when you want an extra kick of savoury umami flavour. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
โย Sashimiย โ We first had matcha salt on tuna sashimi in Kyushu, Japan!
โย Anything Fried / Batteredย โ From tempura to chicken, fish, fries, hash browns and more. The salty umami profile of matcha salt is amazing with crispy fried batter!
โย Grilled or Roastedย โ Try it with grilled meats in Japanese or Korean BBQ, or sprinkled over seafood or roast potatoes and vegetables.
โย Popcornย โ It works better with stovetop popcorn cooked in oil. Once cooked, sprinkle with matcha salt and get stuck in.
โย Eggsย โ Poached, scrambled, boiled or fried. We love boiled eggs on toast in the morning, sprinkled with matcha salt or shichimi togarashi.
โย Tofuย โ Try a little sprinkle overย yufoduย (hot simmered tofu) or cold tofu drizzled withย mentsuyu soup base.
โย Pancakesย โ Itโs not just perfect with savoury pancakes likeย Japanese okonomiyakiย orย Korean pajeon, but even sweet maple pancakes get a huge flavour lift with a sprinkling of matcha salt!
โย Cakes & Treatsย โ Add a little sprinkle toย strawberry muffinsย or use instead of regular salt in salted brownies.
โย Matcha Milkshakesย โ Add a pinch before blending.
โย Salad Dressingsย or Mayonnaise โ We love adding a pinch to kewpie mayonnaise โ delish! You could also add toย goma dareย (Japanese sesame sauce forย shabu shabu hotpot)
โย Edamame Beansย โ Sprinkle over blanched or grilled edamame beans as a tasty snack.
โย Stir Friesย โ Vegetables, chicken, and everything in between.
Variations
- Tweak the Ratios โ Our preferred ratio is 1 tbsp salt to 1/2 tsp matcha, however depending on the type or grade of salt and matcha powder you use, you might like to experiment with a 1:1 ratio. Try a few different versions and see which you like best!
- Play with Texture โ If you prefer a smooth salt blend, pop the salt and matcha into a mortar and pestle and grind until smooth.
Try these amazing recipes next:
โ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Matcha Salt – Green Tea Seasoned Salt Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sea salt or Himalayan salt
- ยฝ tsp matcha green tea powder
Instructions
- Place salt and matcha powder in a small dish and mix to combine.1 tbsp sea salt, ยฝ tsp matcha green tea powder
- Optional: Place in a mortar and pestle and grind until smooth.
- Use as a seasoning in place of regular salt, as a rub for meats or seafood, or even in desserts.
Video
Notes
- Salt – Always use sea salt rather than regular iodised table salt which can sometimes include additives. Fun Fact: Matcha salt is traditionally made with very finely ground sea salt – done by hand, this can often take 30+ minutes! Instead, we use sea salt flakes because we prefer a little extra texture. Feel free to use either flakes, finely ground sea salt or Himalayan salt if you prefer.
- Matcha (Green Tea) Powder – This is a finely ground powder made from high quality green tea leaves. It’s much more highly concentrated (in both flavour and caffeine) than regular green tea, so you don’t need much for a big flavour burst.
- Opt for Quality – To get the best flavour in your homemade matcha salt itโs best to use high quality salt and matcha powder. You only get out what you put in right?
- Start Small – Our recipe is deliberately for a small amount so you can experiment and get the ratio just to your liking. Once you’ve perfected your matcha salt to your taste, feel free to make a bigger batch to store for later.
- Tweak the Ratios – Our preferred ratio is 1 tbsp salt to 1/2 tsp matcha, however depending on the type or grade of salt and matcha powder you use, you might like to try a 1:1 ratio. Try a few different ratios and see which you like best!
- Play with Texture – If you prefer a smooth salt blend, pop the salt and matcha into a mortar and pestle and grind until smooth.
- How to use – Use it in a similar way you would use regular salt. It’s especially good when you want an extra kick of savoury umami flavour. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Anything Fried / Battered – From tempura to chicken, fish, fries, hash browns and more. The salty umami profile of matcha salt is amazing with crispy fried batter!
- Grilled or Roasted – Try it with grilled meats in Japanese or Korean BBQ, or sprinkled over seafood or roast potatoes and vegetables.
- Popcorn – It works better with stovetop popcorn cooked in oil. Once cooked, sprinkle with matcha salt and get stuck in.
- Eggs – Poached, scrambled, boiled or fried. We love boiled eggs on toast in the morning, sprinkled with matcha salt or shichimi togarashi.
- Tofu – Try a little sprinkle over yufodu (hot simmered tofu) or cold tofu drizzled with mentsuyu soup base.
- Pancakes – It’s not just perfect with savoury pancakes like Japanese okonomiyaki or Korean pajeon, but even sweet maple pancakes get a huge flavour lift with a sprinkling of matcha salt!
- Cakes & Treats – Add a little sprinkle to strawberry muffins or use instead of regular salt in salted brownies.
- Matcha Milkshakes – Add a pinch before blending.
- Salad Dressings or Mayonnaise – We love adding a pinch to kewpie mayonnaise – delish! You could also add to goma dare (Japanese sesame sauce for shabu shabu hotpot)
- Edamame Beans – Sprinkle over blanched or grilled edamame beans as a tasty snack.
- Stir Fries – Vegetables, chicken, and everything in between.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This recipe was originally published in April, 2016. It has since been republished with new content and photos. Recipe was discovered in a restaurant in Kyushu, Japan.
