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Fruits · Citrus

Lemon juice

The sour juice squeezed from lemons; adds brightness, balances richness and stops cut fruit browning.

Also called: juice of a lemon, fresh lemon juice, limon suyu

A kind of lemon

272 recipes with it

What it is

Lemon juice is the liquid from the flesh of lemons, sharp and fragrant when fresh. Bottled juice is convenient but tastes flatter and sometimes slightly bitter. One average lemon gives roughly two to three tablespoons. Its acid also 'cooks' fish in ceviche, sets paneer and activates baking soda.

How it’s used

  • Dressings, marinades and finishing sauces
  • Squeezed into hummus, tahini sauce and dals
  • Stops cut apples, avocado and artichokes browning
  • Curdles milk for paneer and ricotta
  • Reacts with baking soda to leaven batters

Characteristics

Taste
Sharp, sour and bright.
When cooked
Loses freshness when boiled for long, so add near the end; reacts with bare aluminium and unseasoned cast iron.
Sold as
liquid, fresh
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Mainly a seasoning

Storage

Refrigerated. Fresh juice tastes best the same day; refrigerate covered for a few days or freeze in ice-cube trays. Refrigerate bottled juice after opening.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
22 kcal
Protein
0.35 g
Carbohydrate
6.9 g
Fat
0.24 g
Fibre
0.3 g
Sugars
2.52 g

USDA FoodData Central: Lemon juice, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Lime juice — Swap 1:1 in most dishes.
  • White vinegar — For acidity in baking or curdling milk; use a little less.

Related ingredients

Recipes with lemon juice

See all 272

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