The “So Delicious” $11 Pantry Find That Makes My Potatoes Taste 100x Better (I Use It on Everything!)

Now that the weather is colder — or dare I say frigid — I find myself cooking more frequently. Mostly, I’m warming comfort meals like potatoes (baked, smashed, roasted — you name ‘em) and pastas, and having scrambled eggs instead of cold cereal for breakfast.

While the daily menu might change depending on my mood, one thing that’s been consistent is a pantry ingredient I repeatedly use for meal prep: Cornish Sea Salt Really Garlicky Sea Salt Flakes. It’s just a simple mix of sea salt and roasted garlic, but it adds so much flavor and depth to each dish, making everything I cook taste 100x better. 

Cornish Sea Salt Co. is a British company that hand-harvests sea salt from the coastal county of Cornwall, England. The brand, a favorite of Michelin-starred restaurants and celeb chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi, sells traditional sea salt flakes as well as flavored seasoning salts. Among the ones I’ve tried: Fresh & Zesty, a savory mix of lemon and thyme; Chili Hit, a fiery blend made with chili seasoning; Salt & Peppery, featuring cracked black peppercorns, red pepper, green peppercorns, and pimento; Smoky Flakes, which are smoked with oak, apple, and cherry wood; and, of course, Really Garlicky, a simple combination of sea salt flakes and slow-roasted garlic. 

While all of the seasoning salts are fantastic, Really Garlicky is the one that stands out the most to me. It adds a sweet, garlicky depth of flavor to so many foods I love, and I don’t have to waste time peeling and chopping up garlic cloves. A regular baked potato suddenly feels much fancier with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of this garlic salt. Pasta tossed with extra virgin olive oil, Really Garlicky, and a dusting of Parmesan cheese is an effortlessly delicious dish I could eat every day.

The salt is also my secret weapon for taking quick tomato sauces and egg scrambles to the next level. (One important thing to note, though, is that a little bit of Really Garlicky goes a long way, so start with a pinch, then add more as needed.) 

It’s easy to understand why Michelin-starred restaurants use Cornish Sea Salt products in their kitchens, and considering how versatile Really Garlicky is, I’m keeping it stocked in mine.

Buy: Cornish Sea Salt Really Garlicky Sea Salt Flakes, $10.68