7 Things to Do With Limes (and Lime Juice)

If I had a choice between lemon and lime, I would side with lime.  There’s just something delicious about the tangy flavour of those green fruits!  From adding to cocktails to delicious recipes like key lime pie, there are hundreds of things to do with limes.  I can’t add them all here, but I thought a little glimpse into the world of limes and what to make with them would be fun.

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Popular types of limes

At the supermarket, it is easy to think there’s only really one type of lime.  The green oval shaped one that comes in packs of five or six and taste great.  But the reality is there are lots of types of limes and some of them look very different to those supermarket varieties.

When you dive into them, there’s actually a few you might have heard of.  And if not, then it is fun to know!

Bearss Limes (Persian limes)

These are one of the most popular types of limes and the one you probably see in the supermarket.  They are oval in shape, have that classic green colour and have a longer shelf life than other varieties.  They are less acidic than varieties like the Key limes.

Key limes (Mexican limes)

Key limes are a round shaped lime that have a strong flavour, high in acidity and that grow in hot climates.  They are therefore also known as Mexican lime, West Indian lime or even bartender’s lime.  They are more yellow in colour.

Tahiti limes

Another green lime, these are more oblong than round in shape and are a seedless variety.  They are very similar to the Bearss limes and are less acidic than Key limes

Kaffir limes

Kaffir limes are noticeable for their bumpy skin and also that they don’t have as much juice in them as many other varieties.  For this reason, the flesh isn’t used as much in recipes.  However the rind and peel is often used.  And you also see Kaffir lime leaves sold dried in the spice aisle – these are used in lots of Asian dishes.

Finger limes

These limes really look different from other limes and are also known as Australian finger limes or caviar limes.  They come in green, red, pink, yellow or brown shades and are cylindrical in shape with a rough and bumpy skin.  The really different part is that the flesh looks like caviar pearls and contain the lime juice.

How to store limes

Lots of the time, you will buy limes in bags and you may find you have more than you need for the things you want to do with them.  But that’s okay because there are easy ways to store limes.

The best way to store limes is to put them in the crisper drawer or vegetable drawer in the fridge.  If they are whole, they will last here for quite a while.  If you have already sliced them or quartered them, put them in a sealable freezer bag or an airtight container to store them.  They won’t last quite as long once they are cut.

Can you freeze limes?

The other way to save waste on that bag of limes is to free them.  You can freeze the whole fruit either individually or in a bag.  You can also peel them, cut them into wedges or zest them before freezing.  Just put them in an airtight container before you freeze.

You can even freeze lime juice.  Grab an ice cube tray and add the lime juice to it.  Put them in the freezer and simply pop out a cube when you need it.  Don’t throw the juiced fruit away either – thinly slice it and use it for garnishes as there is plenty of flavour in the skin.

Things to do with limes

So now we know limes a little better, it is time to take a look at the different things we can do with them.  There’s no shortage but here are a selection of seven recipes that limes really star in to inspire your menu planning.

Side dishes: Instant Pot Cilantro lime rice

Rice is a common side dish for loads of meals, but this lime recipe adds extra flavour.

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes (+ time to come to pressure)
• Natural Release (NR): 10 minutes
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 c. long-grain brown rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 1¼ c. chicken or vegetable broth, preferably organic
• 3 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 T. lime zest, preferably organic
• ¼ c. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 t. garlic powder
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add rice and broth to Instant Pot® container and stir to combine. Cover and lock lid into place. Set valve to “Sealing” and select the “Manual” and “High Pressure” settings. Adjust cook time to 15 minutes.

Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure. 

Remove lid and stir in lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and garlic powder. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. If desired, allow flavours to combine for several minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Sauces: Cilantro lime sauce

Ideally, make this sauce the night before you need it so the flavours can really blend together. 

Ingredients

• 1 c. plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1-2 T. homemade fajita seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 T. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Prepare the sauce by mixing all of the ingredients in a small glass bowl.  Cover the bowl and pop in the refrigerator overnight until the dish is ready.

Light meals: Fresh fruit salad

Fresh fruit salads are brilliant because there’s so much you can do with them.  But lime doesn’t always feature so this one is a little different.  You can make this ahead to some degree but don’t put the strawberries in until you are ready to eat, or their colour and flavour will leak onto other fruit.

Ingredients:

Yogurt Dip:

• 1 c. plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 T. honey
• 1 t. ground cinnamon

Fruit Salad:

• 1 c. seedless green grapes, washed and halved
• 1 c. fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
• 1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks
• ¼ c. fresh pineapple juice
• Zest of 1 organic lime, zest removed before juicing
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 2 T. fresh mint, finely chopped
• Optional: 1 T. honey
• 1 c. fresh strawberries, hulled and cut into chunks
• 2 large fresh kiwi, peeled, halved, and sliced

Directions

Prepare yogurt dip by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble fruit salad, combine prepared grapes, pineapple, and mango in a large glass or other non-reactive bowl. Add pineapple juice, lime zest and juice, and mint to bowl and toss to combine.

For additional sweetness, drizzle mixture with honey and gently stir to combine, if desired. 

Chill fruit mixture in refrigerator for at least one hour. Place prepared strawberries in a separate container to chill at the same time.

Once chilled, remove fruit salad and strawberries from refrigerator and add strawberries and freshly sliced kiwi to the bowl. Gently stir to combine and serve immediately with honey-yogurt dip.

Grilled tequila shrimp

Lime and tequila are great friends – they feature in loads of tasty tequila cocktails.  But you can also mix them to make a tasty light meal like this one.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of large, unpeeled shrimp
• ½ cup of peanut oil (olive oil can be used instead)
• ½ cup of Tequila, any brand
• ¼ cup of lime juice
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• Salt and Pepper

Directions

If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for an hour before you get started.

Thread 3 or 4 shrimp onto the skewers and place them all in a shallow glass dish. Don’t use an aluminium pan!

In a bowl, mix the tequila, lime juice, garlic, shallots, cumin, and salt and pepper. Base the salt and pepper on your personal taste. Slowly whisk in the peanut oil until everything is well blended. Pour over the shrimp and leave in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours to marinate.

Oil the grill to prevent sticking or apply a non-stick spray like Pam. Bring the grill to medium heat. Lay out the skewers and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Main meals: Slow cooker shredded Mexican chicken

This is a perfect pairing with the cilantro lime rice above and is a simple slow cooker recipe that works for burrito bowls, wraps or just served over the rice.  For even more lime flavour, top with the cilantro-lime sauce!

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 3–8 hours
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 10-oz. cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes & green chilies, undrained
• 2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1½ T. hickory-flavoured liquid smoke
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 t. smoked paprika
• 2 t. dried oregano
• 1 t. cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 limes, quartered
• ¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Unroll and add chicken thighs to bottom of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. Top with tomatoes, black beans, garlic, jalapeno pepper, liquid smoke, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir to combine, making sure the chicken thighs are coated and submerged in the liquid.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before done cooking, remove lid and shred chicken while in the slow cooker with two forks. Stir to combine shredded chicken with other ingredients. Cover and cook for remaining 30 minutes to allow chicken to absorb the flavours.

Remove lid and squeeze fresh lime juice into the crock. Add cilantro and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.

To serve, spoon chicken mixture over plain brown rice or cilantro-lime rice. Top with cilantro-lime sauce if desired. Serve with remaining lime wedges.

Dessert: Key lime pie

You can’t talk about things to do with lime and not mention one of my favourite desserts – Key lime pie.  You can use any lime for the dish, it doesn’t have to be the Key limes but if you can get them, their extra flavour will add to the recipe.

Ingredients

• 300g digestive biscuits
• 150g butter, melted
• 1 x 397g can condensed milk
• 3 medium egg yolks
• finely grated zest and juice of 4 limes
• 300ml double cream
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• extra lime zest, to decorate

Directions

Heat the oven to 160 C.  Add the biscuits to a food processor to make into crumb or put in a food bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Melt the butter and mix it with the biscuits then press into the baking sheet.  Cook for 10 minutes then remove and cool.

Put three egg yolks in a large bowl and beat for a minute with a handheld whisk.

Add the condensed milk and whisk for 3 minutes then add the grated lime zest and mix again.

Pour the filling onto the cooled base and put in the oven for 15 minutes.  Cool for at least 3 hours or overnight then carefully remove from the tin.

Whip 300ml heavy (double) cream with 1 tbsp icing sugar then add to the top of the cake and finish with more lime zest.

Mint and lime sorbet

Mint and lime are great partners in drinks like a Mojito but also in things like a simple sorbet.

• Serves: 16 portions

Ingredients

• 250ml water
• 200g caster sugar
• 15g mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 4 tablespoons grated lime zest
• 250ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• 350ml sparkling water (use citrus flavoured for extra tanginess)

Directions

Heat the water, sugar and mint leaves in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves.  Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce the heat and summer for 3-5 minutes.  Leave to cool then strain out the mint leaves.

Pour the mixture into a bowl with the lime zest and juice, water and rum.  Mix then pour into an ice cream maker and follow instructions.  Serve immediately for a softer texture or put in an airtight container in the fridge to firm up more.

Drinks: Simple lime water

One of the very simplest lime drinks to make is lime water.  All you need to do is grab an infused water bottle, quarter the lime and pop it into the compartment for the fruit.  I usually leave it in the fridge overnight then enjoy a tart and healthy water option.

Lime and mango smoothie

Lime may not be the most common smoothie ingredient but it works well with lots of tropical fruit such as mango in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 lime, juiced plus 2 slices to decorate
• 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 100g Greek style yoghurt
• 5 fresh mint leaves

Directions

Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth.  Split into two glasses and decorate with a lime slice and mint springs.

Here’s an alternative that uses cilantro and cuts out the ginger if you aren’t a fan.

Cocktails: Cranberry Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is a classic vodka cocktail that uses lime but has also led to a range of variations that are also fun.  It is perfect as a Christmas cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. premium vodka
• 1 oz. 100% cranberry juice
• 1 T. fresh lime juice
• 8 oz. ginger beer

Garnish: (optional)

• fresh rosemary sprigs, bottom leaves removed, approximately 2-3” long
• fresh cranberries
• fresh lime wedges

Directions

To make cranberry sprig garnish, carefully thread 3 fresh cranberries onto the bottom of each rosemary stem.

Fill cocktail shaker with ice and add vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice. Shake well and pour into ice-filled copper mugs. Top off mug with ginger beer and stir to combine.

Garnish with rosemary sprigs and lime wedges, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tequila Mojito

You can’t mention lime in cocktails without mentioning the Mojito but again, this is a tasty twist that uses the perfect spirit for lime – tequila.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. water
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. fresh mint sprigs
• 2 c. 7-up, chilled
• 1 c. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 c. tequila

Directions:

In a small pan over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir and continue to boil until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Using the back of a spoon, mash the mint into the sugar water. Let stand until completely cooled.

Once cooled, some people refer to strain the mint reserving the flavoured sweet water.

Just before serving, add the lime juice, soda and tequila to the flavoured sugar water. Stir to blend and serve over ice.

Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint and slices of lime.

Tasty lime recipes

These tasty lime recipes are just a glimpse of what you can do with that unassuming little fruit that is packed with so much taste!  So next time you see a bag in the supermarket, grab it and make something delicious and tangy.