10 Best Substitutes for Lime Juice

Lime Juice

The fruit juices find many uses in our cooking. They are not just healthy and have natural sugars in them, but they provide a nice sense of taste and aroma.

Lime is a nice fruit that is not only used in beverages but can be added in cooking too. The juice of the lime is what you can use in different recipes. This juice has a specific taste with a tartness and acidic taste with hints of sweetness.

These green fruits are commonly used not just as part of beverages. But you can always add the juices in many ways in cooking. The lime juice will give a zesty and sour taste to your dish.

However, lime is rarely almost never eaten like an orange, this is due to the taste, and not many people enjoy it. The juices of the lime are added to some salads, cakes to provide freshness and light taste.

Furthermore, if you want to replace the taste of lime juice in your cooking, is there a way to do it? Can I replace Lime Juice?

Absolutely! The best substitutes for Lime Juice include Lemon Juice, Orange juice, Black lime, White wine vinegar, Vinegar, Tamarind, Key limes, Citrus Zest, White Wine, and some other Citrus Fruit Juices.

Scroll below to find the best replacement and make the most delicious dish. 

Substitutes for Lime Juice

If your recipe calls for lime juice and you have none, there’s no need to panic, we are here to help you. Further, since the lime juice has a complex and acidy taste it may be harder to find replacements. But I tried to find the ones which will come the closest to lime juice.

All you have to do is go through each substitute and find what suits best for your recipes. Meaning, whether you are making a sweet or sour meal.

1. Lemon juice

Lemon Extract

The first thing that comes to mind when you don’t have lime is to use lemons. This is the most suitable replacement and the juices of the lemon will be perfect in all of the recipes that call for lime juice.

Lemon is very easy to find and it is a type of fruit that we commonly have in our fridge. It has many uses in cooking, as a beverage and it is very healthy.

This way you’ll get the closest to the acidity taste of the lime and you can add a ratio of 1:1. This way you won’t notice much of a difference, since they both taste similar.

2. Orange juice

Orange Juice

The next suitable replacement would be the orange juice for lime juice. In the same way, as if you’ve used lemon juice, orange juice would do the job to replace the lime juice.

Even though it is a bit different, meaning the taste is less acidic and sweeter, you won’t regret adding the orange juices to your cooking.

You can use a ratio of 1:1 in almost every recipe, or you can adjust based on what you are cooking and the ingredients that are used.

3. Black lime

Black lime or also known among people as dried lime would be perfect to replace the lime juice in most meals. Even though it does not have the sweet taste of fresh lime, it would deliver a deep sour taste with umami traces, which makes it very suitable for savory dishes.

They also have a smoky taste which is good for soups, meat, or stews. Add equal amounts or adjust the quantity based on how much you want the recipe to be sour.

4. White wine vinegar

White Wine Vinegar

White wine vinegar is also another way to substitute lime juice in most savory dishes. It is made from white wine, so it is slightly different from lime juice. It is also made from grapes which makes a suitable replacement.

This vinegar has a light taste and makes a good salad dressing. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t use it for baking, since it may overpower the other ingredients and you won’t get the results you are looking for. You can swap 1 tablespoon of lime juice for ½ tablespoon of white vinegar.

5. Vinegar

Vinegar

Other types of vinegar like apple cider vinegar or red vinegar would be also perfect for replacing lime juice in your meals. As we mentioned previously white vinegar is also suitable, but it has a less acidic taste than red and apple cider vinegar.

However, they lack the sweetness of lime juice. Still, they are good for savory dishes. You can start by replacing the 1:2 ratio of vinegar for lime juice and increase or decrease the amount based on your recipes. Use vinegar for salad dressings, salsa, or guacamole. 

6. Tamarind

Tamarinds

Another fruit that is a good replacement for lime juice would be tamarind. It has a unique taste with traces of sweet and sour combined together.

Tamarind is very healthy and contains high tartaric acid. The sourness makes it perfect for many recipes that call for lime juice. You can add it in your marinades, salad dressing, or even drinks in which the tamarind will add the desired level of sourness. 

7. Key limes

Even though it may be hard for you to find them, key limes would be ideal to replace lime juice. They are small and have a quite distinctive lime taste which is not that acidic and provides a nice aroma.

When making the replacement you need to adjust the quantity. Instead of 1 tablespoon of lime juice use 2 to 3 tablespoons of key limes. Key limes are typically used for making pies, or some other desserts. 

8. Citrus zest

Lime Zest

The citrus zest would be yet another acceptable substitute for lime juice in many ways. It is sometimes preferred more than oranges.

You can utilize zest in many baking goods and still enjoy the flavors of lime juice. Use a 1:2 ratio of zest for juice since the citrus zest has a more concentrated flavor. You can also add citrus zest to make cilantro lime rice. 

9. White wine

Cooking White Wine

Lime juice finds its replacement in white wine. This swap may work in some recipes that need a less acidic taste since white wine is not that acidy as lime juice.

You can replace a ratio of 1:1 in marines or dressing. Thus, you do need to worry if you don’t have any lime, white wine is here to help. Also, it is used for other purposes in cooking. 

10. Other citrus fruit juice

Grapefruit Juice

No need to worry if you don’t have lime juice or lemons to use in your cooking. You can always substitute some other citrus fruit juice in your cooking. You can use grapefruit and also orange juice like I mentioned before.

You’ll add a sweeter and not that acidic taste compared to lime. However, it will be good for the recipes. You can add different citrus juices to your dressings and marinades, however, you would need to adjust the amount and make your substitute less sugary.

Related Questions

Is lemon juice a good substitute for lime juice?

Lemon juice and lime juice come from different fruits, so they are not the same. However, they can be used as a substitute for each other since they have a similar taste and bitterness.

Can I substitute lemon for lime in Thai cooking?

Limes are usual for Thai cooking, however, if you don’t have any, you can always add lemon. You may not get the same flavors and string flavors, but lemon will do the job right.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like