Lemon: Vegan Cooking Guide
The whole lemon - both zest and juice - is one of the most versatile flavour ingredients in vegan cooking. The zest contains the essential oils from the skin and has a bright, intensely lemony flavour; the juice provides sourness and acidity. Together they lift and sharpen everything from pasta to salads to desserts.
How to Use Lemon
Always zest before juicing. Use a microplane to zest finely, avoiding the bitter white pith. Add zest to batters, pasta and dressings for perfume; add juice at the end for brightness.
Nutrition
Rich in vitamin C; lemon zest contains limonene, a powerful antioxidant.
Chef's Tips
- Freeze whole lemons for up to 6 months - thaw briefly at room temperature and they juice even more easily than fresh.
- Preserved lemons (salt-cured) are a brilliant pantry ingredient - they add an intense, complex saltiness and citrus punch.
- Use the spent lemon halves to clean your chopping board by scrubbing with salt and the cut face.
→ Find the best substitutes for lemon
Vegan Recipes Using Lemon
Learn to cook with lemon on video
Our Cook Like A Pro course covers vegan cooking techniques including how to get the most from plant-based proteins, flavour bases and dairy alternatives. Watch step-by-step with chefs Rupert Worden and Lisa Hinze.
Explore the course Browse all UK ingredients