season to taste

Meaning

An instruction in recipes telling the cook to add salt, pepper, or other spices according to their own personal preference. It highlights that there is no fixed measurement and that the cook should taste the food as they go.

Examples

• Bring the soup to a simmer, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.

  Bring the soup to a simmer, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.

• Once the sauce has thickened, taste it and season to taste before serving.

  Once the sauce has thickened, taste it and season to taste before serving.

• The recipe says to season to taste, so I added a pinch of chili flakes for extra heat.

  The recipe says to season to taste, so I added a pinch of chili flakes for extra heat.

• Always season to taste at the very end of cooking because flavors concentrate as liquid evaporates.

  Always season to taste at the very end of cooking because flavors concentrate as liquid evaporates.

• I usually season to taste with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime juice.

  I usually season to taste with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime juice.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ You should season to your taste with salt.

  ✓ You should season to taste with salt.

  The phrase 'season to taste' is a fixed idiomatic expression in culinary English; do not insert possessive pronouns like 'your'.

• ✗ The recipe told me to season for taste.

  ✓ The recipe told me to season to taste.

  The correct preposition in this idiom is 'to', not 'for'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Don't just follow the recipe blindly; always ___ before serving the soup.

  💡 Adjust the salt and pepper according to your personal preference.

  Show answer

  season to taste

• After adding the cream, let it simmer for a minute and then ___.

  💡 Taste the dish and add spices as needed.

  Show answer

  season to taste