Substitutions / lime juice
What to use instead of lime juice
Use lemon juice in equal amounts. Slightly less floral and a touch more tart, but works in almost any context.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Lemon juice | 1:1 | Slightly less floral and a touch more tart, but works in almost any context. |
| White wine vinegar | ½:1 | More acidic and sharper, so use half the amount; lacks the citrus brightness. |
| Apple cider vinegar | ½:1 | Adds a mild fruity tang but no citrus flavor; best in dressings or marinades. |
How much is a cup of lime juice?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh lime juice in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.