Lemon peel is mostly used in baking muffins, cheesecakes, and cakes for a zesty flavor. It can also jazz up salads, risotto, fruits, vegetables, and meat. When you don’t have it on hand, select a lemon peel substitute from the list below and continue making those mouth-watering dishes like you always do!
Best Lemon Peel Substitute
You can use lime peel or orange peel as a lemon peel substitute. Candied citrus peels, lemon juice, lemon oil, or lime or lemon extract are also flavorful alternatives.
Lime Peels
Lime peel is a great substitute for lemon peel as it belongs to the same family and can mimic the texture and flavor of lemon peel in your muffins. Use one teaspoon of lime peel to replace one teaspoon of lemon peel. [1]
Orange Peels
Sweeter than lemon peel, orange peel adds a tarty as well as sweet flavor to your dish and is majorly used as a seasoning. A majority of people use it in the same quantity as lemon peel, however, you can alter the quantity based on the sweetness you want.
Squeezed lemon juice ready to use in cooking or skin care. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Candied Citrus Peel
As they are cooked with sugar, they are a sweeter form of citrus peels. Candied orange peels, candied lemon peels, and candied lime peels are some options you could snack on or use in garnishing. Use 3/4th spoon candied peels in place of 1 teaspoon of normal peels to avoid too much of sweetness.
Citrus Juice
For dishes like risotto or baked confectioneries, citrus juices like lemon juice, orange juice, or lime juice provide a tasty tart flavor, although they may not give the exact texture. Citrus juices are milder in taste than lemon peels so use 2 teaspoons of juice in place of 1 teaspoon of lemon peel for the best flavor.
Concentrated Juices
Concentrated citrus juices posses a stronger flavor than normal juice, so you may want to use them in a lesser quantity. Use 1/2 teaspoon of any concentrated juice like that of lemon, orange, or lime to substitute 1 teaspoon of lemon peel in your cakes.
Citrus Extract
Lemon extract is an incredible option that can mimic the taste of lemon peel in any dish you prepare. Other citrus extracts like orange and lime extracts are also good options if you want to experiment. Use 1 teaspoon of citrus extract for 1 tablespoon lemon peel because the flavor of extracts is stronger than lemon peels.
Diffusing orange essential oil helps in refreshing you. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Lemon Oil
When your dish calls for a huge amount of lemon rinds or lemon peels, lemon oil is a great option that can serve the purpose with a comparatively lesser quantity. Use 1 teaspoon of lemon oil as a replacement for 1 tablespoon of lemon peel.
Lemon Zest
Lemon zest is stronger in flavor and can be used in recipes like soups and salads calling for lemon peel. Use a 3/4th teaspoon of lemon zest for 1 teaspoon of lemon peel.
Lemon Marmalade
Lemon marmalade is not a popular lemon rind substitute but it can be used as a garnish in salads.
Grapefruit Rind
Although grapefruit belongs to the citrus family, its rind is a poor substitute of lemon peel as it tastes bitter. Use it only when you are out of all the above options.
