Looking for an alternative to Lime Juice? You’re in the right place! Keep reading for my favourite simple Lime Juice substitutes.
Best Lime Juice Substitutes
(in order of preference)
1. Lemon Juice
While lemon juice doesn’t have the fragrant limey-ness of lime juice, it does bring a nice burst of citrussy freshness to whatever you’re making. Given that lime juice tends to be slightly less acidic, start with less lemon and add more as needed.
2. Orange Juice
Oranges are sweeter and significantly less acidic but they will bring some freshness and zing into your dish. And the extra sweetness may be a pleasant change.
3. Wine Vinegar
Lime juice contains citric acid whereas vinegars are acetic acid based. This means citrus juice has a different flavour profile and the acid of vinegar tends to be stronger and harsher than lime juice. But vinegar will add the freshness you’re looking for in lime juice so can work as a substitute – better than no acid. Start with less and add more as needed.
4. Tomato Juice
This will add a completely different flavour but can work as a substitute for lime.
5. Sour Cream
This is a bit left-field but in Mexican dishes, if you don’t have lime, a dollop of sour cream will bring some delightful freshness and acidity to your dish.
6. Hot Sauce
Again getting a bit lateral with the suggestions, but a hot sauce like Tabasco will bring a lot of freshness to replace your lime. And you’ll also have the interest from the heat as well. Of course a little goes a long way with hot sauce so be careful.
More Substitutes
- The Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Substitutes
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Collard Greens
- Miso Paste
- Oyster Sauce
- Pesto
- Tahini
Also see see the Simple Ingredients Substitutes Index.
Have fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x