Lemon juice substitute
Use 1 tablespoon of lime juice for each tablespoon of lemon juice. If you only have vinegar, use half as much: 1 1/2 teaspoons per tablespoon of lemon juice.
Out of lemon juice mid-recipe?
Tell Sous Chef what you are missing. It swaps the ingredient and rewrites the steps that use it, and keeps your original recipe.
What are you making?
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Lime juice
Great fit1 tbsp lime juice
For this dish: Same acidity, and lime suits most dressings.
How: Swap tablespoon for tablespoon.
What changes: Similar tartness with a different citrus flavor. Spatula Desserts calls it the closest match.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
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White or apple cider vinegar
Works1½ tsp white or apple cider vinegar
For this dish: Fine for tang, but the dressing loses its lemon flavor.
How: Use half as much vinegar, and add water to make up the liquid if the amount matters.
What changes: Sour but sharp, with no citrus flavor. Healthline calls it a poor fit where lemon is a key flavor.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
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Orange juice
Works1 tbsp orange juice
For this dish: Works in sweeter dressings and marinades.
How: Swap tablespoon for tablespoon.
What changes: Sweeter and less sour. In large amounts the flavor change is noticeable (Healthline).
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
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Dry white wine
Avoid1 tbsp dry white wine
For this dish: Not tart enough for a dressing.
How: Swap tablespoon for tablespoon, in savory dishes only.
What changes: Mild acidity and a wine flavor. Healthline limits it to savory dishes that need a small amount to brighten flavor or deglaze a pan. Contains alcohol.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
What lemon juice does in a recipe
Lemon juice adds sour acidity and a fresh citrus flavor. It brightens dressings, sauces and seafood, balances sweetness in desserts, and in baking its acid can react with baking soda. In home canning, measured bottled lemon juice is a safety ingredient, not just a flavor.
Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef
A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.
You ask Sous Chef
"I don't have lemon juice."
Sous Chef edits the recipe
1 tbsp lime juice
Swap tablespoon for tablespoon.
When not to substitute
In lemon curd, lemon bars or lemon meringue pie, lemon is the main flavor, and lime is the only swap that comes close. In tested canning recipes, never swap the acid.
Common questions
Can I use lime juice instead of lemon juice?
Yes, tablespoon for tablespoon. The flavor is slightly different, but the tartness is similar.
How much vinegar replaces lemon juice?
Half as much. Colorado State and Utah State University Extension both list 1/2 teaspoon vinegar per teaspoon of lemon juice.
Can I swap lemon juice in a canning recipe?
No. Use exactly the acid the tested recipe calls for. For tomatoes, NCHFP specifies bottled lemon juice or citric acid, and allows 5 percent vinegar only as written.
Related
- Rice vinegar substitutes
- White wine substitutes
- Buttermilk substitutes
- Cream of tartar substitutes
- All ingredient substitutes
- How to substitute an ingredient
Sources
- Lemon juice substitutes (Healthline)
- Lemon juice substitute (Spatula Desserts)
- Ingredient substitutions (Colorado State University Extension)
- Ingredient Substitution, FN 255 (Utah State University Extension)
- Since you can't have too many tomatoes (National Center for Home Food Preservation)
Cook with what you have.
Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.