SaurabhGrapefruits are both sweet and tart with a tropical, fresh flavor.
They are perfect for salads, fruit salads and to use in cocktails. Although grapefruit is available year-round in most supermarkets, it might not always be in season. Or you might have a guest who’s allergic to grapefruit, or even just doesn’t like the flavor.
You can substitute grapefruit with many things. The best substitutes for grapefruit include mango, peach, and pineapple, as well as pomelo and lemon juice, among others.
Below is a list of suitable substitutes for grapefruit.
Best Substitute for Grapefruit
The next section contains some of the best substitutes for grapefruit. So, let’s take a look and pick the one that meets your needs and fits your recipe the best.
1. Orange
Oranges are very similar to grapefruits in their appearance, texture, and taste. This is what makes them one of the best substitutes for grapefruit, both with their juice and their fruit.
Orange juice is less tart but it works as a replacement for grapefruit in salads, fruit salads, and as a juice in cocktails. You can substitute oranges for grapefruits in the same quantity and it will still be a lovely addition to your salads and cocktails.
2. Mango
Although mangoes do not have the same taste as grapefruit, they are also tropical fruit that will give your salads and cocktails that tropical element.
You can replace grapefruit with mangoes in the same quantities in your recipes including salads, fruit salads, and cocktails. As mangoes are sweeter, you may want to add a squeeze of limes to your cocktails to add that tartness.
You can also add less mango juice and a little extra water or syrup as mango juice can be quite sweet.
3. Peach
Like mango, peach is another tropical fruit, known for its sweet and unique taste.
Peaches add a fresh taste to salads and cocktails. So, if you need to replace grapefruit, you can definitely replace it with the same quantities of peach. Peach is definitely sweeter than grapefruit, so once again, you can add a squeeze of lime juice to make it a little more tart.
Peaches are a great compliment to salads, fruit salads, and cocktails. Peach nectar is also thicker than grapefruit juice, so add only half the amount in cocktails and fill it up with seltzer or water instead.
4. Pineapple
Pineapple is another tropical fruit that resembles the flavor profiles of grapefruit, as it has both a sweet and a tart flavor.
The texture is not the same, however, this should not affect salads or fruit salads. You can use the same amount of pineapple in your salads and fruit salads. It will also add a lovely tropical flavor to them.
You can also substitute grapefruit juice for pineapple juice in cocktails and add a squeeze of lime or lemon if you want it to be more tart. You can substitute with the same amount of pineapple juice as it has the same consistency as grapefruit juice.
5. Pomelo
Pomelo is the best alternative for grapefruit as it has the same bitter element and resembles the look, texture, and flavor of grapefruit the most.
You can replace grapefruit with pomelo in any recipe and it will yield you almost identical results. The issue is that you might not always be able to find pomelo in supermarkets.
However, it is definitely worth looking for if you want to substitute grapefruit in your recipes, as it is the closest when it comes to flavor profiles.
6. Lemon juice
For cocktails, a great alternative to grapefruit juice is lemon juice as it is bitter and sour, and will yield great results.
Lemon slices should not be used in salads as they will be too bitter. But lemon juice is fine to use in cocktails. If you’re worried about it being too tart, you can also add sugar syrup to sweeten the mixture a little bit.
7. Lime
Like lemon, lime is a great alternative to grapefruit. It has a slightly different flavor than lemon, making it great for cocktails.
Lime can also be quite bitter but is generally slightly sweeter than lemon. So, you can use lime juice in cocktails.
It is also not recommended to use lime slices in salads and fruit salads as it is too bitter, but you can squeeze some lime juice over the salad to give it a bit of a punch.
8. Tropical fruit juice
This is another great substitute for grapefruit juice in cocktails or other drinks.
Tropical fruit juice can sometimes have grapefruit juice, but will also have a great tropical flavor that will be perfect to add to cocktails and other drinks.
Tropical fruit juice is available in most supermarkets, but it can also be quite sweet. So, feel free to add a squeeze of lime to give it that tart flavor.
9. Canned grapefruit
If you cannot find fresh grapefruit but really want to add it to your salad, then try adding canned grapefruit as well. You can usually find it in local supermarkets. The best part? Canned grapefruit has a long shelf life, so you can keep it in your pantry for a while.
You can purchase grapefruit canned in fruit juice or sugar syrup, depending on the level of sweetness that you prefer. And you can add it to salads, both sweet and savory.
10. Water and baking soda
This might seem like a strange one, but if you’re doing the 3-day diet, grapefruit is a large part of it. If you want to replace grapefruit in the 3-day diet, all you have to do is drink a glass of water with half a teaspoon of baking soda added.
This will help your body’s digestion, which is what grapefruit does. However, this cannot be used in place of grapefruit in any other recipes. It should only be used if you’re looking to replace grapefruit in the 3-day diet.
Related Questions
What is a good substitute for grapefruit juice?
The best substitutes for grapefruit juice include mixed tropical fruit juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, mango juice, or peach juice because they all have similar, tropical flavors.
Lime and lemon juice will work as substitutes for grapefruit juice as well.
What can I replace grapefruit with?
You can replace grapefruit with many different things, as seen in the list above.
The closest substitute to grapefruit will be a pomelo, but you can also use oranges, mangoes, peaches, and pineapples as they are tropical fruits and will give your dish a tropical flavor.
Lemon and lime juice can be used to add that bitterness that grapefruit usually has a well.
What fruit is similar to grapefruit?
The most similar fruit to grapefruit is pomelo, which has a similar look, texture, and flavor. Grapefruit is also part of the citrus family so oranges and lemons are similar to grapefruit as well.
Do grapefruit and orange taste the same?
Grapefruit and orange do not taste the same, however, they do have similar citrus flavors.
The main difference between grapefruit and orange is that grapefruit has a more bitter flavor, whereas orange is a little sweeter.
Orange is a good substitute for grapefruit, however, because they are both citrus fruits.
