Baked Baking Soda (Sodium Carbonate) Recipe

Sodium carbonate is a strong alkaline salt that is used in making ramen (noodles), among other foods.

By
Sho Spaeth
Sho Spaeth
Sho Spaeth
Senior Editor
Sho Spaeth has worked in publishing and media for 16 years. Prior to joining Serious Eats, he worked at The New York Times for a decade. Sho has written for Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Baffler Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, among other publications.
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Updated May 12, 2023
A foil-lined rimmed baking sheet full of baked baking soda.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Placing baking soda in a hot oven will transform it from sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, a stronger alkaline salt.
  • By tracking the change in weight of the baking soda as it bakes, you will know when the transformation from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate is complete.

Heating baking soda makes it transform from sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, which is a stronger alkaline salt. Baked baking soda is useful for applications in which a strong alkaline salt is required, such as in making ramen noodles.

November 2018

Recipe Details

Baked Baking Soda (Sodium Carbonate) Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 2 hrs
Active 10 mins
Total 2 hrs 5 mins
Serves 408 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 920g (about 32oz) baking soda

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Note the weight of the foil-lined baking sheet using a digital scale. Spread baking soda in an even layer and place baking sheet in oven.

  3. Bake, stirring the baking soda every half hour, until the weight of the baking soda is reduced to 613g (~21 oz), which is 2/3 of the starting weight (weigh the baking sheet with the baking soda, then deduct the recorded weight of the lined baking sheet to determine the weight of the baking soda itself). The amount of time this can take can vary quite a bit, anywhere from 2 to 5 hours.

  4. Remove from the oven and, when cool, store in an airtight container; be careful not to handle the baked baking soda with bare skin.

Notes

Do not let the baked baking soda come in contact with your skin, as it is a caustic substance. If you do make contact with the baked baking soda, flush the area thoroughly with water.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Sealed in an airtight container, the baked baking soda will keep indefinitely.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
0Calories
0gFat
0gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 408
Amount per serving
Calories0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 617mg27%
Total Carbohydrate 0g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 0mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 0mg0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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