The Cheap Pantry Staple This Chef Swears By for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (No Other Brand Comes Close)

Suzanne Vizethann, author of the new cookbook Brunch Season and the chef behind Buttermilk Kitchen in Atlanta, Georgia, and Camden, Maine, agrees. Of all the items in her pantry, she touted this as the must-have staple. It’s all about consistency.

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt hit the scene in the 1880s, and is known in part for its salt crystals’ pyramid shape. Although the granules are slightly bigger than your standard table salt, Diamond Crystal’s Kosher Salt isn’t a chunky, flaky finishing salt by any means. Its smaller size is one of the aspects that stands out to Vizethann.

“All the other kosher salts I’ve seen, the flakes are too big — like real coarse — and that’s really difficult when you’re trying to season, let’s say, a chicken breast or a steak,” she says. Why? It makes it difficult to evenly distribute the seasoning and, according to Vizethann, “you’re going to hit parts with really big salt flakes, and it’s going to be too salty.” No thank you.

Of course, those larger flakes have their place topping chocolate chip cookies and tomato toast, but aren’t ideal for day-to-day seasoning. “I think Diamond has just always done a really good job of [producing] a very small, consistent kosher salt,” she says.

Plus, she prefers the flavor of Diamond Crystal’s Kosher Salt compared to other popular kosher salt brands. “It’s more delicate,” she notes. I have to agree (as do the more than 17,400 shoppers who’ve left five-star reviews); it gives me a little more room for error when seasoning food before it becomes too salty.

In 2023 Diamond Crystal revamped its packaging, updating the look and the materials (it’s now made from recycled paperboard). The brand is currently selling boxes with the previous design at a discounted price of $10.29 on Amazon. You can also pick up the refreshed boxes for $13.59. Either way, you’re getting an amazing salt for daily use that’ll last you a heck of a long time!

What’s your favorite everyday salt? Tell us about it in the comments below.