How much salt is in a stick of salted butter? A brand-by-brand guide

December 2, 2025 •

3 min read

On average, a standard US stick (½ cup) of salted butter contains about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt. If you've ever wondered how much salt is in a stick of salted butter for precision baking or health reasons, you must account for significant brand variation.

Quick Summary

The salt content in a standard stick of salted butter varies significantly between brands, typically containing 600 to 800 milligrams of sodium, or about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt. This variance impacts taste and is crucial for baking accuracy.

Key Points

Brand Variation: The salt content in a stick of butter is not standardized and varies significantly between brands, from roughly 600 to 800 mg of sodium.
Sodium vs. Salt: A butter's nutrition label shows sodium content (a mineral), not salt (a compound). Salt is about 40% sodium, so you must convert for accurate measurements.
Baking vs. Cooking: The variance in salt content is less critical for savory cooking but can significantly affect texture and flavor balance in precise baking recipes.
Check the Label: To know the exact amount of salt, always check the nutrition label for sodium per tablespoon and multiply by eight for the total stick.
For Recipe Control: If you need exact salt levels, unsalted butter is the best option. You can then add a precise amount of salt yourself.
Substitutions: When swapping salted for unsalted butter in a recipe, reduce other salt additions by approximately ¼ tsp per stick to avoid an overly salty result.

The Standard Amount of Salt in Butter

For many home cooks and bakers, the question of exactly how much salt is in a stick of salted butter is a critical one. While it is not a universally fixed amount, a standard U.S. stick of salted butter, which is 4 ounces or 8 tablespoons, generally contains between 600 and 800 milligrams (mg) of sodium. This sodium content is roughly equivalent to a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of table salt.

It is important to remember that salt is a compound called sodium chloride, and sodium makes up about 40% of its weight. Therefore, a product label showing 720mg of sodium per stick, for example, represents approximately 1.8 grams of salt. This distinction is vital for those tracking their sodium intake for health reasons or aiming for exact recipe results. The addition of salt to butter has long been a practice for two main reasons: as a flavor enhancer and as a preservative to extend its shelf life.

Brand-by-Brand Salt Content

One of the biggest challenges for bakers who choose to use salted butter is the lack of an industry standard for the amount of salt added. This means the saltiness can differ noticeably from one brand to another. For recipes that require precise measurements, this variability is why many professionals and enthusiasts prefer unsalted butter, adding salt separately to have total control. The differences, however, can be significant. For instance, brands like Organic Valley offer a lower sodium content, while Kerrygold's Irish butter tends to be on the higher end.

How to Interpret Nutrition Labels

To make an informed choice, especially when substituting or for dietary reasons, it's best to check the nutrition facts label on the butter's packaging. Look for the sodium content listed per serving size, which is typically one tablespoon. Multiply this number by eight to find the total sodium for a full stick. This is the most reliable way to know exactly how much you are adding to your recipe.

The Impact on Cooking and Baking

Baking vs. Cooking: In savory cooking, such as sautéing vegetables, using salted butter is often fine because you can easily adjust the seasoning at the end. In baking, however, the proportions are much more critical. The salt affects the texture and rise of baked goods, and too much can create an unbalanced, overly salty flavor profile. The higher water content often found in salted butter can also interfere with gluten development in certain baked goods.

Considerations for swapping butter types:

When substituting salted butter for unsalted, reduce the amount of salt the recipe calls for. A general rule is to subtract about ¼ teaspoon of salt per stick of salted butter used.
When baking, use softened butter to ensure the salt is evenly distributed when mixing, preventing pockets of high salinity.
For delicate pastries or breads where the butter's flavor is prominent, a side-by-side taste test of different brands may be necessary to find your preference.

Comparison Table of Salted Butter Brands


Brand	Approx. Sodium per Stick (mg)	Approx. Salt per Stick (tsp)	Salt Level Perception
Organic Valley	600 mg	¼ tsp	Lower
Vital Farms	624 mg	¼ tsp	Lower-Mid
Land O'Lakes	720 mg	¼ to ½ tsp	Mid-Range
Minerva Dairy	720 mg	¼ to ½ tsp	Mid-Range
Kerrygold	800 mg	½ tsp	Higher

Note: Sodium to salt conversions are approximate, as salt grain size affects volumetric measurements. Always check the specific product label.

Sodium vs. Salt: What's the Difference?

It's a common mistake to use the terms sodium and salt interchangeably, but they are not the same. Salt is a mineral compound, sodium chloride (NaCl), while sodium is a mineral and one of the two elements that make up salt. Nutrition labels list sodium content, not salt, because sodium is the nutrient of interest for dietary health. This is why a simple conversion is often necessary to determine the actual amount of salt.

Conclusion

While a stick of salted butter contains roughly ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt, the exact amount can vary significantly by brand. The difference is critical for achieving consistent results in baking and for monitoring sodium intake. By checking nutrition labels and understanding the difference between sodium and salt, home cooks and bakers can make informed decisions. For ultimate control and precision, especially in baking, unsalted butter remains the preferred choice, allowing you to add salt precisely as needed.

Learn more about salted vs. unsalted butter from America's Test Kitchen

Frequently Asked Questions

A standard 4-ounce stick of salted butter typically contains between 600 and 800 milligrams of sodium, though the exact amount varies by brand.

Unsalted butter is preferred for baking because the salt content in salted butter varies by brand. Using unsalted butter gives bakers complete control over the amount of salt added to a recipe, ensuring consistent results.

Yes, you can, but you must adjust the recipe's salt. For every stick of salted butter you use, reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe by about ¼ teaspoon to compensate.

Yes, salt acts as a preservative, which is one reason it is added to butter. Salted butter generally has a longer shelf life in the refrigerator than unsalted butter.

No. The nutrition label lists sodium, which is an element of salt. To find the approximate salt content, you must do a conversion, as sodium makes up about 40% of salt by weight.

There is no industry-wide standard for how much salt is added to salted butter. Each manufacturer determines its own formula, leading to variations in saltiness.

Salted butter often contains more water than unsalted butter. This higher water content can affect the texture of baked goods, which is another reason bakers prefer unsalted butter.