Best 3 Lemon Juice Substitutes - Wholehearted Eats (2024)

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The three best lemon juice substitutes for any uses, from salad to baking, plus some honourable mentions so you always know what to use! If you don't have a lemon on hand, try some of these instead.

For some more handy tips, tricks, and go-to recipes, learn how to cook beans in the oven, read more about tahini replacements, or use the basic granola ratio to make your own at home.

Best 3 Lemon Juice Substitutes - Wholehearted Eats (1)
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  • Best Lemon Juice Substitutes
  • Other Citrus
  • Vinegar
  • White Wine
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Citric Acid
  • More Kitchen Staples

Best Lemon Juice Substitutes

Whether you're cooking, baking, or making a vinaigrette, there are options to replace lemon juice for any use. This can be other citrus juice, various vinegar types, wine, and even citric acid.

Lemon extract is an option, especially for baking, but I find it often has a strange flavour that doesn't taste much like lemon. It's not a very good substitution for lemon juice (and if you don't have lemons, what are the chances of having extract?).

Other Citrus

Perfect in baking, for co*cktails, and in salad dressings.

Lime Juice: use an equal amount, or 1:1 ratio. This is often the best substitute for lemon juice but it depends on what you're making, because lime has a stronger taste than lemon.

Orange Juice: substitute 1:1 for lemon juice. Orange juice is ideal for anything sweet, but works well for some savoury dishes too.

Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and rice vinegar can all be substituted at a ½:1 ratio. If your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then, sub 1 tablespoon vinegar and replace the rest with water if needed. Usually you won't need to add any extra liquid but it depends on the recipe.

Vinegar works well in baking if an acid is necessary (usually if baking soda is being used) or to make your own buttermilk.

White Wine

To deglaze when cooking, use a 1:1 ratio to replace lemon juice with a dry white wine.

Cream of Tartar

For baking only, substitute ½:1 for lemon juice and make up the remainder with water. For 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then, use 1 tablespoon cream of tartar and 1 tablespoon water.

Citric Acid

A teaspoon of citric acid is equal in acidity to about ½ cup of lemon juice, so use only a small amount. Depending on use, you may also need to adjust the wet to dry ratio (replace the amount of lemon juice called for with an equivalent amount of water).

More Kitchen Staples

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Lemon Juice Substitutes

The three best lemon juice substitutes for any uses, from salad to baking, plus some honourable mentions so you always know what to use! If you don't have a lemon on hand, try some of these instead.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Servings: 1

Author: Sophie

Ingredients

  • 1:1 lime juice
  • 1:1 orange juice
  • ½:1 apple cider, white wine, or rice vinegar
  • 1:1 white wine for deglazing/cooking only
  • ½:1 cream of tartar for baking only
  • Citric acid

Instructions

  • Lime or orange juice: use equal amounts to replace lemon juice in almost any recipe with no changes needed.

    1:1 lime juice, 1:1 orange juice

  • Vinegar: use half the amount of vinegar to replace lemon juice and replace the remaining liquid with water if needed.

    ½:1 apple cider, white wine, or rice vinegar

  • White wine: only for cooking, use an equal amount of dry white wine to replace lemon juice.

    1:1 white wine

  • Cream of tartar: this only works for baking. Replace half the lemon juice with cream of tartar and add water to make up the difference.

    ½:1 cream of tartar

  • Citric acid: 1 teaspoon citric acid = ½ cup lemon juice, so use it sparingly and replace the liquid lost from the lemon juice with an equivalent amount of water.

    Citric acid

Best 3 Lemon Juice Substitutes - Wholehearted Eats (2024)

FAQs

Best 3 Lemon Juice Substitutes - Wholehearted Eats? ›

Lime or orange juice: use equal amounts to replace lemon juice in almost any recipe with no changes needed. Vinegar: use half the amount of vinegar to replace lemon juice and replace the remaining liquid with water if needed. White wine: only for cooking, use an equal amount of dry white wine to replace lemon juice.

What can I use as a substitute for lemon juice? ›

7+ Simple Lemon Juice Substitutes That Actually Work
  • Lime Juice. Lime juice is always at the top of my list as the best across-the-board substitute for lemon juice. ...
  • Lemon Extract. ...
  • Citric Acid. ...
  • White Wine. ...
  • Rice Vinegar. ...
  • Cream of Tartar. ...
  • White Wine Vinegar. ...
  • Mango Powder.
Sep 18, 2023

Can I substitute bottled lemon juice for fresh lemon juice? ›

Nutritionally speaking, bottled and fresh lemon juice are the same. Both are high in vitamin C (although fresh contains much more), folate, and potassium, and low in calories and fat. But one thing that isn't the same is the taste. Bottled lemon juice just tastes different.

What acid to use in place of lemon juice? ›

Citric Acid can be substituted – it will adjust the acidity (lower the pH) of the fruit, which is what you want to do. ¼ teaspoon powdered Citric Acid is equivalent to 1 Tablespoon lemon juice.

Can balsamic vinegar replace lemon juice? ›

That being said, like wine vinegar, it tends to work best as a substitute for lemon juice in marinade, dressing, sauces, and savory seafood or chicken dishes. Balsamic is not an ideal lemon juice substitute for baking.

What is a substitute for lemon juice in applesauce? ›

Tips For Making Applesauce

If you don't have any lemon juice, just substitute it with some apple cider vinegar. If the applesauce is too think, add more water to think it out. In this recipe we added lemon zest. You could also try adding orange zest.

Can I use lemon oil instead of lemon juice? ›

Lemon oil is not lemon-infused oil, but rather highly aromatic oil that is pressed from lemon rinds; as such, it is used in recipes to replace lemon zest (and not juice). Lemon oil is much more potent than lemon extract, which is lemon oil diluted in alcohol.

Is 100% lemon juice in a bottle the same as a lemon? ›

However, if you've ever tasted bottled lemon juice, you'll notice that the flavour is a little off – not bright and lemony like the real stuff. This is because bottled lemon juice usually contains additives and preservatives such as Sodium Metabisulphite (E223) or Potassium Metabisulphite (E224).

Is bottled lemon juice as healthy as real lemons? ›

For example, lemon juice of any form is still a rich source of vitamin C, studies have shown that the vitamins and minerals of fresh juice are far more potent than in juice from concentrate. Unsurprisingly, the same “rule” applies to a host of other benefits in lemon juice: minerals, protein, and even electrolytes.

Is lemon juice from concentrate as good as fresh? ›

Both concentrated and freshly squeezed lemon juice can add vibrant flavour to recipes and provide health benefits. However, key differences impact just how nutritious and flavourful your juice will be.

What is a substitute for lemon juice in chicken salad? ›

When cooking savory dishes, lime juice and orange juice make a good substitute for lemon juice. Replace the lemon juice with lime juice in equal amounts (e.g. 1 teaspoon for 1 teaspoon). Or, you could substitute the lemon juice with half as much white wine or white vinegar.

What has the same acidity as lemon juice? ›

There was no difference between the juice of lemons and limes for citric acid content (P =0.35). Lemon and lime juice from concentrate were similar for citric acid content (34–39 g/L).

Can I use pineapple juice instead of lemon juice? ›

Orange, grapefruit, or even pineapple juice are great substitutes in a marinade or vinaigrette recipe that calls for lemon.

What to use if there is no lemon juice? ›

Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and rice vinegar can all be substituted at a ½:1 ratio. If your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then, sub 1 tablespoon vinegar and replace the rest with water if needed. Usually you won't need to add any extra liquid but it depends on the recipe.

Can you use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice? ›

Apple cider vinegar makes a great substitute for lemon juice, plus it has potential health benefits, like blood sugar and cholesterol control.

Which is more acidic lemon juice or balsamic vinegar? ›

Slightly milder vinegars, such as balsamic and red wine vinegar, have about six percent, and a relatively mild rice wine vinegar is around four and a half percent (none of which you would use for ricotta). In terms of PH, vinegar is slightly more acidic than lemon juice.

Are lemon juice and vinegar the same? ›

Exploring the difference between lemon juice and vinegar reveals that while both can affect glucose levels, vinegar, with its acetic acid, is more potent than lemon juice's citric acid. If vinegar doesn't appeal to you, lemon juice is a viable alternative, though it's less powerful.

What can I use if I don't have lemon extract? ›

Substitutes for lemon extract are sought not just out of necessity but also for variety, dietary restrictions, or even personal taste preferences. Options such as lemon zest, lime juice, and orange extract can provide similar citrus notes, each bringing their unique characteristics to a dish.

How much bottled lemon juice equals the juice of one lemon? ›

To store: Keep in a cool dark place and once opened store in the fridge for up to 6 months. To use: Shake well before use, and use the same amount of bottled lemon juice in a recipe as you would fresh juice. If a recipe specifies the juice of 1 lemon, replace it with 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice.

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