Salt Questions · Cooking & kitchen
What is black lava salt and what does it taste like?
Short answer
Black lava salt is sea salt mixed with activated charcoal, which turns it glossy black. It tastes like a mild, clean sea salt with a faint earthy note. It is mostly a finishing salt, used for dramatic contrast on pale foods. It is not the same as Indian black salt (kala namak), which smells of sulphur.
Two very different “black” salts
How it's made
Black lava salt is usually produced in Hawaii or Cyprus by combining sea salt crystals with activated charcoal, often made from coconut shells. Despite the name, it doesn't come from lava; the name refers to its volcanic look.
Taste and use
- Mild salty flavour, slightly earthy or smoky.
- Best sprinkled at the end over eggs, fish, salads, popcorn or white chocolate, where the colour stands out.
- Dissolving it in cooking wastes the look.
Don't confuse it with kala namak
Kala namak, or Indian black salt, is pinkish-grey when ground and has a strong egg-like, sulphurous smell from kiln firing. It is used in chaat and vegan cooking.
Related on The Salt Almanac
More cooking & kitchen questions
- Why do you salt eggplant before cooking it?
- How do you make infused salts at home?
- What is smoked sea salt used for?
- Why does salt preserve meat from spoiling?
- How do you remove excess salt from roasted vegetables?
- Is flaky sea salt the same as coarse sea salt?
Cite this page
For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.
The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). What is black lava salt and what does it taste like. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-black-lava-salt-and-what-does-it-taste-like
“What is black lava salt and what does it taste like.” The Salt Almanac, 8 Nov. 2026, saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-black-lava-salt-and-what-does-it-taste-like. Accessed [today's date].
“What is black lava salt and what does it taste like.” The Salt Almanac. Last modified November 8, 2026. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-black-lava-salt-and-what-does-it-taste-like.
Original sources
- Wikipedia. Activated carbon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_carbon
- Wikipedia. Kala namak. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kala_namak