Fleur de sel (flor de sal): what it is, how to use it and how it differs from sea salt

By Luís Serra, co-founder of Ra-Ro · View profile

About a 4 minute read

Fleur de sel, flor de sal in Portuguese, is the thin layer of crystals that forms on the surface of salt pan water on hot, dry, windy days. It is gathered carefully by hand before it sinks and is neither washed nor refined. The crystals are light, crunchy and slightly moist. It is not for cooking but for finishing: a pinch over the finished dish. At Ra-Ro, our fleur de sel comes from the Salinas do Samouco, in Alcochete, on the Tagus estuary near Lisbon.

Fleur de sel at a glance

• What it is: salt crystals that form on the surface of salt pans.
• How it is harvested: by hand, with a net or flat rake, on hot windy days.
• Texture: crunchy, light, slightly moist, unwashed and unrefined.
• What it is for: finishing dishes, not cooking.
• At Ra-Ro: Fleur de Sel from the Salinas do Samouco, 7.30 euros.

How fleur de sel forms

In the salt pans, seawater flows through a series of basins and slowly evaporates in the sun. In the last basins, the crystallisers, salt begins to form. On hot, dry, windy days a thin film of crystals appears on the surface, like a flower opening on the water. If it is not gathered it sinks and joins the salt at the bottom. So the salt worker skims it off carefully by hand in the late afternoon and leaves it to dry in the sun.

Fleur de sel or sea salt: the difference

• Where it forms: fleur de sel on the surface; traditional sea salt at the bottom of the basins.
• Quantity: fleur de sel is a small part of the harvest; sea salt is most of it.
• Texture: fleur de sel is fine, light and crunchy; sea salt has a coarser, firmer grain.
• Use: fleur de sel for finishing; sea salt for cooking, seasoning water and curing.

How to use fleur de sel

• At the end: over the finished dish, so it does not dissolve and stays crunchy.
• Grilled fish and meat: a pinch as you serve.
• Vegetables and salads: with a drizzle of olive oil.
• Bread with olive oil and tomato: the simplest gesture, and one of the best.
• Sweets: chocolate, caramel and fruit gain contrast from a few crystals.
• Amount: a little goes a long way; use your fingers, not a spoon.

How to store it

Keep fleur de sel in a closed jar, somewhere dry and away from cooking steam. Because it is slightly moist it does not need a grinder: use it by hand, straight from the jar.

The Salinas do Samouco

On the Tagus estuary, in Alcochete, the Samouco salt pans were once among the largest salt producers in Portugal. Today the Marinha do Canto carries on, where salt is still made the old way: by sun, wind and the hands of the people who work there. We tell the story in Samouco sea salt: the flavour that endures on the Tagus estuary.

Fleur de sel also makes a small gift with a story. See more ideas in our guide to Portuguese gifts by price.

Frequently asked questions

What is fleur de sel?

The thin layer of salt crystals that forms on the surface of salt pans on hot, windy days, harvested by hand and neither washed nor refined.

What is the difference between fleur de sel and sea salt?

Fleur de sel forms on the surface and is fine and crunchy; traditional sea salt forms at the bottom of the basins and has a coarser grain. Fleur de sel is for finishing and sea salt for cooking.

Can you cook with fleur de sel?

You can, but it loses its texture. It works best added at the end, over the finished dish.

Why is fleur de sel more expensive?

Because it only forms in certain weather, makes up a small part of the harvest and is gathered by hand.

How do you store fleur de sel?

In a closed jar, somewhere dry and away from cooking steam.

Where can I buy Portuguese fleur de sel?

At Ra-Ro, which sells fleur de sel from the Salinas do Samouco in Alcochete, shipped to Portugal, Europe, the USA, Canada and Brazil.