What Is Lime zest and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about lime zest and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 158 recipes to cook tonight.

What is lime zest?

Lime zest is the thin green outer layer of the lime peel, grated off in fine shavings. That colored skin is packed with aromatic oils, so zest carries pure lime perfume with none of the sourness of the juice.

It is where the real lime flavor lives. A teaspoon of zest perfumes a whole cake or a bowl of dressing far more than juice can, because the oils survive heat that would dull fresh juice.

Always zest before you juice. A squeezed-out half is slippery and hard to grip against a grater.

How to Use Lime Zest

A microplane is the right tool. It shaves only the colored skin into a feathery pile and leaves the bitter white pith behind, where a box grater tends to dig too deep and tear off pith with it.

Stop the moment you reach white. The green layer is maybe a millimeter thick, so turn the lime as you go and never grind the same spot twice.

In baking, rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips before creaming. The friction releases the oils into the sugar and spreads the flavor evenly, which is why Key Lime Cake with Lime Cream Filling tastes of lime all the way through rather than in stray pockets.

As a finisher, grate it fresh over a dish right before serving. A little zest over Lime Coriander Sour Cream Dip lifts the whole bowl, and it does the same on grilled fish, tacos, or a fruit salad.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Lime zest pairs with coconut, cilantro, ginger, chile, vanilla, and white fish. It carries beautifully in rich, sweet doughs, which is why Lime & Coconut Milk Bread (Bread Machine) folds it straight into the dough.

The biggest mistake is taking the pith. That white layer under the green is genuinely bitter, and once it is in your zest there is no removing it. Go shallow.

The second mistake is zesting too far ahead. The oils start to fade within an hour or two of exposure to air, so zest right before you need it.

If you only have the juice and the recipe wants zest, know that you are losing the aromatic half of the lime. The juice brings acid; the zest brings fragrance, and they are not interchangeable.

Substitutes

Lemon zest is the closest stand-in, one for one. It is brighter and less floral than lime, so the dish skews more lemon than lime but stays in citrus territory.

Dried lime zest works at about ⅓ the amount of fresh, since drying concentrates it, though it loses the lively top note.

In a savory dish, a few finely slivered kaffir lime leaves can stand in for that green lime fragrance. They are far more intense, so use a fraction of what you would of zest.

There is no substitute that matches fresh skin grated minutes before, so reach for a real lime first whenever you can.

Buying and Storing

You buy zest by buying good limes. Choose firm, heavy fruit with smooth, deep-green skin and no soft spots, since the skin is the part you are after.

Scrub the limes under warm water first and dry them, especially if they are not organic, because most supermarket citrus carries a food-grade wax and surface residue you do not want grated into food.

Zest is best used fresh, but it freezes well. Spread it on a small plate to freeze, then tip it into a small jar, where frozen zest keeps its aroma for a couple of months and goes straight into batter or sauce.

You can also dry zest. Spread it thin and leave it somewhere warm and airy for a day or two, then store it airtight away from light, where it holds flavor for several months.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find lime zest: Lime zest is usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Lime zest is a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

石灰热情

British (UK) term

Lime zest

en français

zeste de lime

en español

ralladura de limón

How much does lime zest weigh?

Related

Fruits and Fruit Juices

Recipes using lime zest

There are 158 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Simply Refreshing Summer Lime Tart

You can decorate this easy tart to look so elegant, your guests will be impressed.

Suzy's Lime Cheesecake

Suzy's lime cheesecake with a toasted coconut crust and a mousse-light filling set with gelatin, whipped cream, and beaten egg whites. Brighter and airier than a baked New York style.

Thai Cucumber Salad

A quick yet refreshing Thai cucumber salad accompanies well with most of your summer Barbecue dishes.

Key Lime Pie with Tropical Fruits

A light and delicious key lime pie is topped with fresh strawberries and star fruit, and drizzled with key lime syrup. It' not only an eye-pleaser, but also a belly pleaser.

Lemon-Lime Tea Cookies

Soft, light and buttery cookies with a burst of citrusy flavor. Perfect for a garden party.

Lemon-Lime Tea Cookies

Soft, light and buttery cookies with a burst of citrusy flavor. Perfect for a garden party.

Asian Style Grilled Scallops with Somen Noodle Salad & Cilantro Vinaigrette

Asian Style Grilled Scallops with Somen Noodle Salad and Cilantro Vinaigrette

Margarita Cheesecake with Lime Sour Cream Topping

Margarita cheesecake spiked with tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime on a graham crust, crowned with a tangy lime sour cream topping. The cocktail you love, in creamy sliceable form.

Black Bean, Veggie & Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

This is a vegetarian version of black bean-taco salad. The dressing is so refreshing and tasty, which makes this bean and veggie salad taste still delicious.

Key Lime Cake (Lighter Version)

By using mostly whole wheat flour, a combination of applesauce, butter and olive oil makes this key lime cake much healthier and lighter than your regular key lime cake. It still tastes absolutely delcious, will for sure satisfy your palate without guilt.

Key Lime Cake with Lime Syrup

A very citrus and moist key lime cake, you don't have to be in the keys, you can still have a slice or two of this delicious cake.

Asian Sesame Soba Noodles with Cucumber, Bok Choy, & Mixed Greens

A delicious and refreshing soba noodle salad, serve it as a tasty side dish or a vegetarian main dish.

Florida Key Lime Pie

Delicious key lime pie, make it at home and enjoy it at any time even if you are not in the Keys.

Black Bean-Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

A delicious yet refreshing salad! The dressing is amazingly flavorful.

Key Lime Cake with Lime Cream Filling

If you like key lime pie, you will definitely like this key lime cake, instead of using whipping cream, we use meringue, it is much lower fat and calories, and the flavour is absolutely delicious!

Key Lime Cake with Lime Cream Filling

If you like key lime pie, you will definitely like this key lime cake, instead of using whipping cream, we use meringue, it is much lower fat and calories, and the flavour is absolutely delicious!

Best Florida Key Lime Pie

With the fruity taste of lime, this delicious pie is perfect for your next family reunion. Best served with a whipped topping of your choice!

Lime Coriander Sour Cream Dip

Refreshing lime cilantro sour cream dip is great with some baked sweet potato wedges.

Lime & Coconut Milk Bread (Bread Machine)

A big summer fruit salad tastes even better with the tropical taste of this light bread. Slices are irresistible with nutted cream cheese or chicken salad.

Key Lime Pudding Cake

A self-saucing cake that's magically fluffy and creates it's own tangy key lime curd. Developed at our summer home in Key Largo with inspiration after watching Junior MasterChef Australia.

Coconut Cream Cake with Lemon & Lime Filling

Three-layer coconut cake with a tangy lemon-lime curd filling and clouds of sweetened whipped cream frosting. A bakery-worthy showpiece with bright citrus contrast against tender vanilla layers.

Kabocha Squash Soup

Kabocha squash, also known as Japanese squash, has a flavour between sweet potatoes and pumpkin. You can also use pumpkin or acorn squash in this recipe.

Key Lime Slice

Came up with this delicious key lime slice recipe while in Key Largo, Florida. Similar to the Aussie Lemon slice but with a twist of the keys.

Key Lime Pie-Low Fat

This Key Lime Pie was so much lighter, and the meringue topping was fluffy, creamy and super light. Enjoy this delicious key lime pie without feeling guilty!

Pineapple & Shrimp Tom Yum Soup

Excellent! Very authentic rendition of this classic soup. Very fresh and clean tasting with great flavor. It even beats the hot and sour soup from my favorite Chinese restaurant.

Alice's Key Lime Pie (Diabetic)

Sugar-free key lime pie that's light, tangy and no-bake. Whipped chilled evaporated skim milk stands in for cream, set with gelatin and lime juice in a graham crust. A diabetic-friendly dessert with all the citrus zing and none of the sugar.

Vegetable Salad with Soba Noodles

Fresh soba noodle salad with crunchy vegetables, herbs, and lime-sesame dressing served in crisp lettuce cups. This healthy Asian-inspired salad is ready in 25 minutes.

Satay with Peanut Sauce

Grilled satay skewers marinated in soy, curry, and lime with a creamy coconut peanut dipping sauce. Works with chicken, beef, or pork for appetizers or a full meal.

Turkey Breast with Tropical Fruit Salsa

Grilled turkey breast slices topped with a vibrant mango, strawberry, and kiwi salsa brightened with lime juice, ginger, and red onion. This fresh, colorful summer dinner is light, fruity, and ready in under an hour.

Chicken with East-West Marinade

Grilled chicken soaked in a bold fusion marinade of hoisin, lime, ginger, garlic, and fresh herbs. Sweet, tangy, and a little spicy, this East-meets-West recipe brings serious flavor to your backyard grill.

Duck Curry

Thai duck curry simmered in coconut milk with a handmade paste of chilies, coriander, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and lime. Rich, fiery, and aromatic with fresh basil stirred in at the finish. Serve over jasmine rice.

Strawberry Lime Pie

A fluffy chiffon pie with tangy limeade, diced fresh strawberries, and whipped cream folded into a gelatin base. Set in a baked pie shell and tinted a dreamy pale green.

Fajita Nachos

Grilled fajita nachos with beer-and-lime marinated chicken, mashed pinto beans, caramelized onions, and a fresh tomatillo-lime salsa. Built on a pizza pan and finished on the grill.

Chicken Tandoori #1

Chicken tandoori drumsticks marinated in a spiced yogurt sauce with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and fresh ginger, then broiled until charred and cooked through.

Chicken & Black Bean Salad

Chicken and black bean salad with red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and fresh coriander in a zesty lime-jalapeno dressing. A no-cook, high-protein meal ready in 20 minutes.

Favourite Lime Meringue Pie

Favourite lime meringue pie features a tangy stovetop lime curd and a stabilized cooked-cornstarch meringue that resists weeping and shrinking. The reliable upgrade over classic lemon meringue.

Chicken Sate With Peanut Sauce

Nowadays chicken become more popular and welcomed by people, low fat, much fibire, this chicken sate with peanut sauce goes very well!

Grilled Fajitas

Grilled flank steak fajitas marinated in lime juice, cumin, and onion soup mix with sauteed peppers and onions on warm flour tortillas.

Chocolate Cannoli

Homemade chocolate cannoli with beer-leavened fried shells filled with sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips, toasted walnuts, and orange and lime zest. An Italian pastry shop classic made from scratch.

Delicious No Bake Key Lime Pie

No-bake key lime pie made with lime gelatin, sweetened condensed milk, fresh lime juice, and zest folded into a beaten egg-white cloud. A retro Florida pie that sets up cold without an oven.

Elbow Pasta with Basil, Parsley & Lime

Elbow pasta tossed with garlic olive oil, wilted basil, fresh parsley, lime zest, and lime juice. A bright, vegetarian pasta ready in 30 minutes.

Chile Rubbed Shrimp Vera Cruz Pizza

Chile rubbed shrimp pizza Vera Cruz style with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and a zesty Texas gremolata of lime zest, garlic, and cilantro. Bold Tex-Mex meets pizza night.

Refreshing Tropical Fruit (With No Oil Dressing)

Tropical fruit salad dressed with its own syrup, lime zest, and fresh lime juice. No oil, no fuss, with optional candied ginger or poppy seeds for texture.

Fruit Salsa Sundaes

Fruit salsa sundaes scoop vanilla ice cream into crisp tortilla bowls and top with peaches, strawberries, candied ginger, and lime zest. A Tex-Mex inspired summer dessert that takes 25 minutes.

Berry Delite Fruit Dip

Berry fruit dip blends non-fat sour cream with seedless raspberry jam, honey, and bright lime zest. A 5-minute, no-cook party appetizer that chills into a tangy-sweet dipper for fresh fruit.

Easy & Yummy Lime Squares

Lime squares with shortbread crust: tangy lime curd-style filling over a buttery shortbread base, finished with powdered sugar. The cousin of lemon bars, tinted pale green for visual punch.

Limelight Cheesecake

No-bake lime cheesecake with a honey-graham crust, fat-free cream cheese, evaporated skim milk, and fresh lime juice. Light, low-fat dessert that chills until firm.

Shrimps on the Barbie with Chili-Lime Dressing

Grilled jumbo shrimp marinated in a chili-lime dressing with lemongrass, fresh mint, and Chinese chili sauce. Just 2 minutes per side for juicy, charred shrimp with big flavor.

Shrimp with Spicy Black Bean Spread

Shrimp and spicy black bean spread on crackers with jalapeño, lime, garlic, and cilantro. Easy make-ahead party appetizer from the pantry.

Lime Soup

Sopa de lima, a Yucatan-style lime soup with poached chicken, fresh lime juice and zest, cilantro, tomatoes, and crispy fried tortilla wedges. A bright, tangy Mexican chicken soup.

All 158 recipes