The 18 Best Lime Juice Substitutes That Will Blow Your Mind

Lime includes a liquid extract called lime juice. It contains citric acid, a powerful acid that we typically refer to as Vitamin C. Lime juice’s strength is defined by its taste and adaptability, since it tastes similar to lemon juice but has a sweeter flavor.

It may be used in a variety of ways, including chicken, tacos, and salmon. They are also often used in sauces, dips, and sweets like as cake or smoothies.

The major difficulty arises when you run out just when you need it the most. Fortunately, these are some of the greatest choices you can find in your kitchen.

1. Lemons
2. Tartaric Acid
3. Cream of Tartar
4. White Vinegar
5. Apple Cider
6. Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid
7. White Wine
8. Oranges
9. Grapefruits

I hope you were able to find a substitute from the list above! If so, continue reading to discover a thorough list of the finest Fresh Lime Juice replacements for your recipes.

But first, consider the advantages of using this versatile component.

15 Best Fresh Lime Juice Substitutes

According to research, uncooked limes contain 1% fat and protein, 10% carbs, and 88% water. It contains around 35% vitamin C.

Lime juice has somewhat less citric acid than lemon juice, but it is twice as acidic as grapefruit juice. In 2018, over 19.4 million tons of limes and lemons were produced. The major lime producers are India, Mexico, China, Brazil, Turkey, and Argentina.

If you’re searching for a fresh lime juice replacement, we propose lemon juice, which has a comparable acidic flavor but is less sweet than lime. You will be able to exchange them.

If you’re going to bake with it, we suggest using lime oil.

Of course, if you run out of both, you’ll have to try the alternatives listed below.

Lemons

As previously said, lemons are the greatest alternative for lime since they contain more citric acid and have features that are comparable to limes.

Lemons may give your pastry the distinct sour flavor you’re seeking for. Lemons, like limes, offer the vitamin C-rich flavor that you may need to produce a culinary masterpiece. Its juice includes 5-6% citric acid and about 64% vitamin C.[Source]

Lemon juice is most often used in lemonades, fizzy drinks, and cocktails. Furthermore, many people utilize it to neutralize the amines found in fish, resulting in a nonvolatile ammonium salt.

It also works as a meat tenderizer since the acid hydrolyzes the collagen strands.

In baking, lime juice should preferably be replaced in a 1:1 ratio.

Tartaric Acid

Tartaric acid is a white powder that is often used as an acidity ingredient in wines. Grapes have the greatest tartaric acid concentration, ranging from 5 to 10 grams per liter, and the highest acidity, ranging from 6.5 to 8.5 grams per liter, making them one of the stars of winemaking.

Bananas, citrus fruits, and tamarinds are used to extract it. Tartaric acid is more acidic than lime juice and may change the flavor of your finished product.

It is worth noting that a teaspoon of tartaric acid is comparable to a teaspoon of citric acid in baking.

If this is your first time utilizing tartaric acid as an alternative, you may want to experiment with your recipe.

Cream of Tartar

Tartaric acid and potassium hydroxide are fermented to produce cream of tartar. When compared to tartaric acid, this white powder is less acidic.

It is a highly recommended component for whipping up eggs to make meringue since it stabilizes the eggs. A teaspoon of cream of tartar should be substituted for every teaspoon of lime juice.

White Vinegar

Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar have a similar fragrance to lime and are excellent lime juice substitutes.

Aside from having the same delicious taste, vinegar is inexpensive and widely available. In addition, vinegar has a larger acetic acid concentration (5-8% volume) than citric acid, which is created by fermentation.

Acetic acid is a considerably weaker acid than citric acid, which imparts the sour flavor, making it ideal for making exquisite pastries that balance the sweetness and sour tastes, such as in baking.

It is critical to remember that one tablespoon of citric acid takes three teaspoons of white vinegar. It also stabilizes your delicacies, giving them that great flavor.

Apple Cider

Apple cider is a malodorous, brownish-gold vinegar made from fermented, mashed, and squeezed apples that transformed into a healthy vinegar.

The usage of this kind of vinegar has advantages. It may cause weight reduction because it boosts metabolism by increasing the enzyme responsible for fat removal and sugar generation in the liver.

It also decreases blood sugar levels by lowering insulin levels, which promotes fat burning.

Because it releases carbon dioxide, which helps rise the dough and creates an increased texture and flavor in the result, apple cider vinegar provides some pastries and baked goods an indomitable kick.

It is also a suitable egg alternative for vegetarians. The recommended ratio is one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to one tablespoon of lime juice.

Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid

If you’re looking for a far healthier alternative, your immune system and bacteria-killing cells will thank you for discovering ascorbic acid, often known as Vitamin C, as it’s the greatest option.

It is mostly present in citrus-rich foods such as limes, oranges, and lemons. According to research, it is an antioxidant and stimulates fibroblasts to produce collagen.

Ascorbic acid is a great alternative for weakening the gluten in your long-fermented dough. It improves wheat flour and boosts volume, instilling a preferred tolerance to ideal circumstances and is therefore classified as a dough conditioner.

Keep in mind that 1 teaspoon of Vitamin C = 1 teaspoon of citric acid. Ascorbic acid was found as a dough conditioner in 1935 by using modest quantities of ascorbic acid, around 20-30 mg per kilogram of flour, resulting in a 20% increase in flour bread volume.

White Wine

White wine may be used in place of lime juice. It is fermented without skin contact, which implies that the grape skins were removed before the fermentation process began.

Notably, baking with white wine may provide a rich grape flavor to your pastries.

White wine is also ideal for savory meals and baked products containing delightful components such as bacon. Keep in mind that 1 tablespoon of white wine = 1 tablespoon of lime juice.

Oranges

Orange juice has the same zesty, tangy, and citrusy flavor as lime juice, making it an excellent replacement. It is also less acidic than lime juice, thus it is gentler on the stomach.

It also has a considerably sweeter flavor than lime juice, providing your baked goods an even distribution of sweetness and sourness.

Another benefit of using orange juice in baked products is that it reduces mold formation. Adding orange juice prevents mold growth, allowing you to enjoy your meal even if it has been sitting in the fridge for five days.

Because of the fructose, it produces juicy crumbs and is a superb tenderizing agent. Its zest may also provide a little zing to your treats. 1 tablespoon orange juice equals 1 tablespoon lime juice.

Grapefruits

Grapefruit juice is a liquid extract extracted from grapefruits. To be clear, grapes and grapefruits are not the same thing. Grapes are three times the size of grapefruits.

Grapefruits are tropical fruits with a zesty but sweet flavor similar to oranges and the same citric acid concentration as lime juice.

Grapefruit juice has less calories, making it ideal for achieving a summer-ready physique.

It also demonstrated the advantages of having a much healthier and more robust circulatory system by lowering the risks of cardiovascular illness by lowering bad cholesterol, hence lowering the likelihood of having high blood pressure problems.

Grapefruits have the same effect as antioxidants in our body.

Furthermore, owing to the carbon dioxide created, grapefruit juice is a good leavening agent, helping to increase the dough. Grapefruit juice and lime juice have a 1:1 replacement ratio.

Tamarinds

Tamarinds are a tropical fruit with a legume root that originated in Africa and was originally introduced in Central America and Mexico.

Tamarinds are also used in Asian cuisine. For example, Filipinos utilize tamarinds in sinigang, a sour, citrusy stew made from pig, beef, or fish.

If you’re baking and looking for a lime replacement, tamarind paste might be an excellent choice. It also has a sour flavor, although this is not due to the citric acid. Tartaric acid, on the other hand, is present.[Source]

Simply dilute the crushed tamarind until it has a thick consistency to make the paste. It has a lower concentration. It’s also worth noting that 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste equals 2 teaspoons lime juice.

Limes and Other Citrus Fruit Zest

peeling are more than simply peeling. They have this tremendous charm that you may not be aware of. However, it seems that lime zest is a potent replacement if you are having difficulty squeezing its juice.

Due to its extraordinary zesty and sour properties, the outer vivid colored component of citrus fruit peelings is known as its zest.

Zests are an excellent substitute for lime juice since they may provide a concentration to generate a tangy flavor with a touch of bitterness, resulting in a delectable cuisine.

Combine your force, the peels, and a Microplane to extract the zest from the peels. One teaspoon to two teaspoons is the comparable quantity for citrus zest and lime juice.

Lime Oil 

As previously said, lime oil is an excellent alternative for lime juice, particularly in baking. Lime juice has the same zesty, tangy, citrusy flavor.

This light yellow liquid was produced from lime peels. However, since lime oil is considerably more concentrated than fresh lime juice, you should exercise caution while using and measuring it before injecting it into your meals and baked goods.

It’s worth noting that one drop of lime oil equals one teaspoon of lime juice.

Black Lime(Loomi)

Look no farther than Black Lime if you want a meal or baked treat with a smokey and zesty flavor profile.

Black lime, also known as Loomi, is a Middle Eastern spice made from dried and crushed limes with an ebony tint.

The textures are brittle and flaky. The acidic, fragrant, fermented, and concentrated aura imparts a great sour, bitter, and slightly sweet heavenly umami, ideal for stews, soups, and even baking.

A 1:1 equilibrium between black lime and lime juice is excellent. This implies that one tablespoon of black lime juice is equivalent to one tablespoon of lime juice.

Citric Acid 

Citric acid is known as sour salt because of its white, flaky, and powdered look, making it ideal for sweets, snacks, drinks, and pastries. It is also used to preserve food.

Using it in your meals and pastries may bring out that umami flavor and give your creation a distinct succulent flavor. The optimal ratio of citric acid powder to lime juice is one to one.

Key Lime 

The lime juice you usually use is made from Persian lime. Key lime is the product of a cross between Citrus hystrix and Citrus medica, which originated in Southeast Asia.

Key lime contains more seeds and a brighter green tint than regular lime. It tastes sourer, tangier, and bitterer, and has less juice volume. On the downside, it is more expensive than normal lime.

The optimal ratio would be 2 or 3 tablespoons key lime juice to 1 tablespoon normal lime juice.

Sour Orange

For Seville oranges, the mix of sour and bitter works like magic, particularly when producing marmalades. The sole disadvantage is that it does not have the same acidic flavor as lime juice.

However, it still works and tastes delicious. When substituting sour orange for lime juice, use a 1:1 replacement ratio.

Calamansi

You’ve probably seen that green, spherical, and little fruit if you live near an Asian market or grocery shop. Calamansi, or Philippine lime, is what Filipinos name it.

This little but potent fruit is a cross between a kumquat and a mandarin orange, and it is native to Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines.

This is a common element in many Filipino recipes, notably in stews, juices, and other foods. It has a strong zesty flavor and may be used in place of lime juice.

Calamansi and lime juice have a one-to-one comparable measure.

Powdered Lime Juice

If you have no other option than lime juice powder, this is your final recourse. Powdered lime juice is a synthetic product made out of a substance known as Maltodextrin, a processed carbohydrate, lime oil, and lime juice to give your food that tart lime juice flavor.

Simply add water, stir, and let the tartness do its thing. It is inexpensive and constantly accessible at grocery shops and supermarkets.