Name the problem before changing the pot
Firm onion needs more cooking. A potato with a hard or chalky center needs more time. Before adding another seasoning, check whether dinner has actually finished cooking.
Add one ingredient, then taste again
For a bland four-serving pot, begin with a small pinch of salt; a quarter teaspoon is a manageable adjustment when the dish has room for it. Stir thoroughly and taste another complete bite before adding more.
Lemon or vinegar can sharpen a heavy-tasting dish. Add a small amount after cooking, then taste it with the bread or starch on the plate. Acid should make the next bite clearer, not make every mouthful sour.
If a lean dish feels austere, try a teaspoon of olive oil in the beans or a small piece of butter in the sauce. Extra fat will not freshen a dish that already feels greasy.
If you overshoot, add unsalted food
A salty dish often needs more unsalted beans, vegetables, rice, or broth. Lemon and sugar can change the taste but do not remove the salt. Choose an addition that still leaves you with the dish you meant to cook.
Keep a short note when an adjustment works, including the stock or tomato brand if it mattered. The next pot can still differ, but you will have a starting point beyond trying to remember a squeeze or pinch.
Keep in mind
Taste after reductions, because a shrinking sauce can become more strongly seasoned.
Use unsalted additions to dilute a salty dish; sugar and acid do not remove the salt.
