20 Zingy Lime Recipes (2024)

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Got lots of limes? Here are all the best lime recipes for how to use this zesty citrus, from limeade to dressing to mixed drinks.

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Got limes? We’ve got recipes. This mighty citrus fruit is one of the best ingredients to add to your cooking. Almost any recipe is better with a squeeze of fresh lime juice! It brightens the flavors and adds an unmistakable zingy nuance. They’re a staple in Mexican, Latin American and Southeast Asian cuisines.

If you’ve got lots of limes, the sky’s the limit! Make homemade limeade, a sweet tart tangy treat that’s positively delightful, or whip up a margarita if you love co*cktails. Lime is perfect in dressings, sauces and vinaigrettes, or make it into a main dish dinner that will feed the whole family. These are some of our favorite recipes around, so…let’s get started!

And now…the best lime recipes to try!

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Fresh Limeade

The best lime recipe for lots of limes? Limeade! This refreshing drink has a tangy pop that will make you smile. Using real limes is infinitely tastier than store-bought limeade. You use less sugar to get even more real, sweet tart flavor. The finish to the sip almost feels like you’re drinking a margarita, but it’s just limes, sugar and water. It’s a perfect drink for parties, or make a big pitcher to drink off of all week. It's delightful!

Also try: Fresh Cherry Limeade

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Cilantro Lime Dressing

Here’s one of the tastiest green sauces we know: creamy cilantro dressing! You’re going to want to bathe in this one. It’s creamy, savory, fresh, and tangy all at once. You can drizzle it on salads like ourMexican side salad, tacos or enchiladas, orburrito bowls! Or use it as a dip for fries. It’s multi-purpose and it takes only 5 minutes to blend up.

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Lime Sherbet

Here’s an easy frozen dessert that will have citrus lovers shouting from the rooftops: homemadeLime Sherbet! Make it homemade with real limes and it’s transcendental: creamy and unbelievably zesty, with a pure flavor that easily trumps any store-bought variety. There’s something about real limes that can’t be beat.

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Cilantro Lime Slaw

Try thisCilantro Lime Slaw! Cabbage in a creamy dressing is one thing. But add the bite of fresh cilantro and a pop of lime, and it’s next level! The flavor is creamy, savory and ideal as a side dish for chicken, fish or veggie mains. Or, throw it into a tortilla as ataco filling, and eat the rest on the side.

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Cilantro Lime Rice

When it comes to lime recipes…this one is a staple everyone needs. Try this easyCilantro Lime Ricerecipe! Sure, you can make a pot of rice as a side. But add cilantro, lime juice and lime zest and it catapults it to an entirely different level. The ways to serve it are endless: use it inburrito bowls, tacos, or as a side forgrilled shrimp skewers.

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Easy Lime Vinaigrette

Another great lime recipe? Lime dressing. Every home cook should have a go-to lime vinaigrette! This recipe is ultra versatile, zingy and tangy, and goes with all sorts of salads. It works with all sorts of cuisines, from Latin-style to American. All you need is 5 minutes and 5 ingredients!

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Lime Water with Mint

Want a healthy drink that tastes amazing? Try lime water! This drink is great as an alternative to soda that's thirst quenching and healthy at the same time. (It's also good for giving up a La Croix habit!) Lime water tastes fantastic and feels fancy, even though it takes only 5 minutes of hands on time.

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Lime Curd

Want a citrusy spread that works for cakes, scones, pancakes, and more? Try lime curd: a thick, custardy topping that adds major zingy flavor to everything it touches. When it comes to curds you might first think oflemon curd, but this green fruit makes an even more zesty spin. It’s perfect spread on scones, biscuits, pancakes, waffles to add a major pop of flavor.

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Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Make your limes into dinner with this cilantro lime shrimp! This lime recipe is healthy, easy to cook, and delicious: making it the triple threat of weeknight cooking. It takes only 10 minutes to make and comes out beautifully tangy and fresh! It pairs perfectly with Mexican-style flavors: serve it withrice, anavocado salad, or intacos. Or make it into amain dish saladtopped with cilantro dressing.

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Cilantro Lime Crema

Here’s a lime recipe that’s begging to be drizzled on just about anything: Cilantro Lime Crema! This Mexican-inspired sauce is perfect for dolloping on tacos and burritos. At the same time, it’s just as delicious as a dip for sweet potato fries and grilled shrimp. It’s full of zesty, herby flavor, and it’s quick and easy to mix up. Alex and I have taken to adding a little drizzle into our DIY quesadillas and it’s pretty darn heavenly.

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Lime Sorbet

Love citrus? Then you’ll be head over heels for thisLime Sorbet! The flavor is zesty and pure: icy with a bright zing on the finish. It’s like frozen glass oflimeade, and each frosty, refreshing bite will leave you wanting for more.

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Lime Salt

Got leftover limes? Use the extra zest forlime salt! This fun condiment is two ingredients and takes just a few minutes to put together. It adds a zingy seasoning that works for anything from amargarita rimto chicken, fish, vegetables and more. Come experience the fun of this quick DIY seasoning!

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Frozen Lime Daiquiri

Another great lime recipe: daiquiris! The classic daiquiri is our favorite, made with lime, rum and simple syrup. But the most popular of all daiquiris is the frozen version, which rose to fame in the 1990's. The flavor of this lime daiquiri is SO tangy and refreshing, just like the original. White rum adds a subtle fruitiness that’s irresistible. It takes just minutes to make!

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Rice Bowl with Cilantro Lime Ranch

Here's a fantastic lime recipe:Rice Bowls Cilantro Lime Ranch! The cilantro lime sauce is perfect for dolloping grain bowls, drizzling over tacos, and more. It’s a zingy version of ranch dressing mashed up with the Mexican flavors of lime and cilantro. Make it into a 30 minute dinner with rice andeasy black beans, a trick to make a bland can of beans taste amazing in 5 minutes.

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Best Margarita

Stop right there. What's a more classic lime recipe than the margarita? This one is the best margarita recipe you’ll find: zingy, clear, and classic. It’s simple and uses only 3 ingredients. This drink is perfectly tangy and balanced. Make a single drink, or a pitcher of this co*cktail for a night with friends.

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Ginger Lime Hummus

Here's a zingy variation on hummus: ginger lime hummus! It kicks up the hummus game with fresh, Asian-style flavors: ginger, lime, garlic, and soy sauce. This one is ultra simple: just throw 6 ingredients into a food processor and blend!

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Crispy Avocado Lime Tacos

Meet your lime recipe soulmate:Crispy Avocado Tacos! Could there be a taster tortilla filling? We think not. You’ve gotavocado fries, breaded with breadcrumbs and lime and baked in a hot oven until crispy, with a texture reminiscent of a friedfish taco. Then top that with spiced black beans, pico de gallo, and the refreshing crunch of romaine lettuce. Drizzle on a creamy lime and cilantro sauce, and it’s heaven on a plate. It tastes like restaurant tacos, but it’s easy to whip up in your kitchen.

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Best Fresh Salsa

What's salsa without lime? Meet the best salsa, a “fresh salsa” made with ripe, juicy tomatoes. If you have access to some legit good fresh tomatoes, we recommend you consider making up a batch stat. It’s super tangy from the lime, a little sweet from the tomato, and has a back-end heat from the jalapeño. Yes, it’s everything you’d want in a fresh salsa recipe!

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Simple Guacamole

You can't make guacamole without lime! It uses just a bit of lime juice, but every bit is worth it. What makes this classic guacamole recipe so great? It uses classic ingredients and has the perfect balanced flavor: perfectly savory, creamy, and tangy. Serve this classic Mexican dip withtortilla chipsand your guests — and you — won’t be able to stop eating it.

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Mango Salad with Lime

Last up in our lime recipes, ry this bright and beautifulMango Salad! There’s nothing like the honeyed sweetness of a juicy mango, and here’s a fresh way to accessorize it. Pair it with cool cucumber, crunchy bell pepper, and herbaceous mint and cilantro, then cover it all in a honey lime dressing. I

More ways to use limes

Not sure about our top lime recipes? There are lots more ways to use this mighty citrus fruit. Here are some ideas:

  • Throw lime zest into baked goods, like scones or cookies
  • Use the juice to brighten smoothies, like mango smoothie, pineapple smoothie or acai berry smoothie
  • Mix into lime co*cktails, like gin gimlet, mojito, Moscow mule, vodka tonic, ranch water, and more.
  • Use a spritz to brighten curries like shrimp curry, vegetable curry or easy chickpea curry.

Related: Lime vs Lemon: What’s the Difference?

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20 Fresh Lime Recipes: Limeade & More!

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 (8 to 9 cups) 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Here’s how to make refreshingly tangy limeade! This homemade drink uses less sugar than store-bought and gets more real, sweet tart flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 ¼ cups lime juice (9 to 10 limes)*
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 7 cups water, divided
  • Ice
  • Fresh mint, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Juice the limes.
  2. Add the sugar and 1 cup warm water to a large pitcher and stir until it is dissolved.
  3. Add 6 cups cold water and lime juice. Add ice and serve.

Notes

*To make it by the glass:Squeeze 2.5 tablespoons lime juice into a glass (1 large lime or 2 small). Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons warm water and stir until it dissolves. Add 1 cup cold water and a handful of ice.

  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Squeezed
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Published on / Last updated on

Categorized In:

  • Recipe Ideas

About the authors

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Sonja & Alex

Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes for memorable kitchen moments! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time.

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