Lemon is used in all sorts of recipes, from salad dressings to muffins, but what do you do when you run out of lemon juice? Luckily, there are a couple of tried and true tricks that will work like a charm when you need a lemon juice substitute in a pinch. Keep in mind, depending on how you’re using the lemon juice and what type of recipe you’re whipping up, some of these substitutes will work better than others. So the next time you’re in a jam, try one of these simple lemon juice substitutes
Lime Juice
Possibly the most common lemon juice substitute, lime juice is always good when you may have fresh limes in the house, but not fresh lemons. To substitute, swap equal parts lime juice for lemon juice. Now, because lime juice is slightly more acidic and has a slightly milder flavor, there can be some variance in the flavor of whatever dish you’re trying to make. Lime is also sweeter, so if whatever you’re making calls for additional sugar, you may want to slightly decrease the amount of sugar you add to correspond with the additional sugar of the lime juice.
Vinegar
Lemon juice is high in acidity, so for some recipes it’s more important to opt for the acidity rather than sour flavor. This comes into play for sauces, marinades and salad dressings. Vinegar can work as a perfect substitute, but since the acidity in vinegar is also very high (and the flavor, potent), you’ll need to cut it slightly if you want to use it as a lemon juice substitute. To use, go with a 1/2:1 ratio. This means that if your recipe calls for a teaspoon of lemon juice, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar.
White Wine
Similar to vinegar, white wine is also high in acidity which makes them a good substitute for lemon juice. Also like vinegar, it’s important to use slightly less wine for lemon juice, as a 1:1 ratio will be too acidic. Use half of the required amount of lemon juice in your substitute, so for 1 Tablespoon of lemon use, go with 1/2 Tablespoon of white wine.
Powdered Zest
This one is a freebie, and works great for baked goods. If you’re a serious baker, you may have a few more unique ingredients stashed away in your pantry. If you’re one of those people, you may have some handy powdered lemon zest in your cabinet, and if so, that can work well to give you that lemon flavor without the actual lemon.
Do you have a special lemon juice substitute that you use when you’re out of the real thing? Share it with us in the comments!
What about tamarind paste?
Hi Carol. Thanks for taking the time to ask. Tamarind is a very interesting idea! It may impart some flavor that is not exactly lemony, but it tartness would work. I think it is worth a try. It might take some experimentation to get the concentration right, too but it is a worthy endeavor. Let us know how it works out. BR Matthew
Thanks for the information! I’m allergic to all citrus and this gives me some options.
My pleasure Julie! Glad to be of assistance!
Best Regards,
Matthew
You saved the day! I didn’t have any lemon juice on hand nor do I usually think to buy it in the store but I always have wine on hand…. wine is a must when I’m slaving over a hot stove so I guess I can share a little for the sake of my recipes. Thanks
Ground sumac! Nice lemony spice….
Nice idea Carline! Thanks for the tip!
My pleasure Monica! Glad to be of help!
Hi! I have an allergy to citrus and wondered what would be the best substitute for lemon when making jams and jellies. Thanks Carol
What if I only have Apple Cider vinegar?
Will that work & measured at 1/2 the amount of lemon juice also?
Thanks, Tina in Alaska
Hi Tina,
Give it a try! Start with a small amount then add as you go so you don’t add too much. It will have a little more apple vs lemon flavor, but it will work and you might discover something great! Let us know how it goes!
Thanks for stopping by!
Best
Matthew
Hi, would it be ok if I used bananas or orange juice instead?
Hi Yuraima – Give it a try and see what happens. Not sure about the bananas, but orange juice would be fine, probably a little sweeter, though.
is there a non-fruit substitute for lemons? i want to make my own mayo, but have a food intolerance to fruit+sugar when they are eaten together or with in 6 hours of each other.
Thanks for this. Like Julie above, I am allergic to citrus and am always looking for ways to substitute ingredients for lemon in recipes.
Are these substitutes good for soups as well?
My pleasure Elizabeth! Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah, I used to make my own mayonnaise until I developed an intolerance to acidic foods, but my mayonnaise recipes never called for sugar. If you are able to use citrus, maybe you could omit the sugar.
Anything to substitute lemon juice for broccoli?? My broccoli is in the oven and realized no lemon juice!
I too can’t take lemon or lime though other citrus is ok. I have used orange juice – and sometimes grapefruit juice though it’s been less successful for some unknown reason even though it’s more tart than orange juice – as a substitute but I haven’t found a solution. I see citric acid mentioned on labels. Is this something I can buy easily and how much would I need to use in cooking and baking compared with lemon/lime? It’s so frustrating because I check ingredients in recipe books and lemon is obviously the must-have ingredient of the decade!
Thanks for the tips! I’m preparing a steak marinade and forgot to get the lemons!! Vinegar will be my option.
I’m preparing fig preserves, can I use strawberry jello in place of lemon juice, does strawberry jello contain the acid that is needed in preserves.
Can I substitute apple cider vinegar or apple wine for lemon juice in my Pomona Jam recipe?
Thanks so much! Will for sure use these substitutes!
Those wanting a good acidic sub for Citrus allergies can definitely use Citric Acid, but Please be certain that you are purchasing one that is the by product of something like Raw Sugar Cane and not whatever it is you are allergic to, obviously. Just a friendly reminder. A close friend and I have started an Allergy Friendly Business together and this ingredient is a Must have! I have found many reliable suppliers online and also through Amazon. Best of luck! 🙂
Mathew, hello from Canada!
I just found your site, I am very pleased. I live in a small town In Ontario and stores are few and far between. I’ve always live in BIG cities and when I retired I decided to live in a small town! Which I now regret, so I often have to substitute when I cook. Your site is a God sent.
Thank you so much.👍🏻👏🌹🍷
I am making a pie with sweetened condensed milk, whip cream and pie cherries. The recipe calls for 1/4 c of lemon juice and I don’t have the lemon juice. Any substitute. All I have is crushed pineapple in a can.
Hey Matthew,
you seem pretty cool and easy going. It’s always fun to learn things from that type of personality! Keep up the great work and have an awesome day!