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Lemon

Fruits · Citrus

Lemon

Bright yellow, sour citrus fruit; its juice, zest and flesh add acidity and fresh aroma to almost every cuisine.

Also called: lemons, limón (lemon), limon, nimbu

341 recipes with it

Photo: Elena Chochkova, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Lemons are oval yellow citrus fruits with a fragrant, oily rind, a bitter white pith and very sour, juicy segments. Limes are smaller, green and more floral-sharp; Meyer lemons are rounder, thinner-skinned and sweeter. Choose heavy fruit with glossy skin for the most juice.

Citrus limon

How it’s used

  • Squeezed over fish, grilled meat, salads and soups
  • Zest grated into cakes, dressings and marinades
  • Sliced into drinks, tagines and roasts
  • Juice used to make lemonade, curd and preserved lemons

Characteristics

Taste
Very sour with bright, slightly bitter notes.
Aroma
Fresh, sharp citrus from oils in the rind.
Sold as
fresh, liquid
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Mainly a seasoning, Used as a garnish

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep a few days at room temperature or a few weeks in the fridge crisper; soft spots or mould mean discard. Roll a lemon on the worktop before cutting to release more juice.

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
29 kcal
Protein
1.1 g
Carbohydrate
9.32 g
Fat
0.3 g
Fibre
2.8 g
Sugars
2.5 g

USDA FoodData Central: Lemons, raw, without peel.

Substitutes

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

  • Lime — Swap 1:1 for juice in most savoury dishes; flavour is more tropical.
  • White vinegar — For acidity only; use about half as much and expect no citrus aroma.

Related ingredients

Recipes with lemon

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