Can You Freeze Lime Juice?
Lime juice is a versatile ingredient that can be used for a variety of purposes when making food and drinks, from sweet to sour to savory.
Sometimes you will find yourself with more lime juice than needed. Will it be good a week later or do you need to find a suitable storage option to extend its shelf life?
Can you freeze lime juice? You can safely freeze lime juice. It is best to freeze lime juice in ice cube trays first and then transfer to a resealable freezer bag. Lime juice will maintain its quality in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Freezing lime juice is a simple process, but there are a few important steps to follow. Keep reading to find our recommendations for freezing lime juice.
Can You Freeze Lime Juice?
Fresh limes stored at room temperature have a shelf life of no more than 1 week. If you store them in the refrigerator, it could extend this time 10-14 days. When cut, limes stay fresh for no more than 2 days.
If you have limes in large quantities and you will not be able to use them within 2 weeks, simply prepare a delicious and healthy juice. Then, you can safely freeze it for later. Lime juice will stay fresh in the freezer for several months!
If you want, you can even try freezing whole limes for later. Who wouldn’t want that kind of convenience?
How To Freeze Lime Juice
It may come as a surprise, but the most common and suitable way to freeze lime juice is in ice cube trays. When it’s time to use it, you can easily take just as much lime juice as you need.
Here is our step-by-step method for freezing lime juice:
- Fill your ice tray with lime juice – Prepare one or more ice trays, depending on the amount of lime juice you have. If you want to be precise and know exactly how much lime juice you will be using in the future, fill the cubes with equal amounts of liquid.
- Place the ice trays in the freezer – Once you have filled the ice trays with lime juice, leave them in the freezer until they are thoroughly frozen.
- Transfer the frozen cubes into a plastic bag – We recommend transferring the cubes to a resealable freezer bag. This will keep the lime juice fresh for longer.
- Label the package and return to the freezer – It is always a good idea to label frozen food ingredients with the date frozen. Frozen lime juice should be consumed within 3-4 months for maximum freshness.
How To Thaw Frozen Lime Juice
Lime juice cubes are very similar to regular ice made from water. All you have to do to thaw your lime juice is put the cubes in a bowl at room temperature.
You can also throw the cubes directly into the dish or drink you are preparing, though we recommend adding a bit of sugar beforehand if you plan on using them for cocktails.
Benefits Of Freezing Lime Juice
- Supply yourself with limes while they are in season – Limes are available all year round but they do have a season when they are at their best. We recommend getting more when limes during the peak and preserve their juice for the later months.
- In-season prices are lower – Lime prices can be quite different in season and out of season, depending on where you live, another good reason to buy more when they are in season and freeze their juice for later.
- Time-efficient & easy to use – Squeezing lime juice every time you need it is time-consuming. Having a ready supply of frozen lime juice will cut down on your recipe prep time.
Related Questions
Now that you’ve learned how to freeze lime juice, keep reading to learn the answers to some other common lime related questions.
What are the benefits of lime juice?
Besides the obvious taste improvements that lime provides to different foods, it is also extremely beneficial for our health in a number of ways.
Below are some of the key health benefits:
1. Improves eyesight – Limez contain high levels of vitamin C and this powerful antioxidant can help protect the eyes from infections and macular degeneration.
2. Helps with respiratory diseases – Flavonoid-rich lime oil is widely used in anti-congestion drugs such due to the presence of kaempferol. Inhaling the aroma of lime peel helps to relieve congestion and nausea.
3. Treats skin problems – Thanks to the large amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants, lime juice helps with various types of skin problems such as acne, sunburn, and even bruises.
4. Improves skin health – Eating limes can also reduce blemishes, fight infections, and give the skin a fresh glow. Lime juice can even be used as an exfoliant to remove dead cells.
Are limes just unripe lemons?
Many people do not distinguish between lemons and limes, instead believing that green limes are simply unripe lemons. Of course, these citrus fruits are not the same at all!
Lemons are yellow, sour, and grow in the subtropics. Limes are green, with a slightly bitter taste, and are grown in the tropics. These two fruits are used differently in cooking and are not interchangeable.
However, did you know you can also freeze lemons?
How do I pick the perfect lime?
As with any other fruit or vegetable, there is a perfect state at which the food is at its peak.
When choosing fresh limes, look for brightly colored, smooth peels. Shiny skin is another sign of a perfect lime. Avoid any limes with dull or wrinkled peels.
Sometimes you will see small brown areas on the surface of the lime. Don’t let these worry you – they do not affect the taste.
If you want to make sure that the fruit is juicy and fleshy, put it on the scales – it should surprise you with its weight, given its small size.
Can I drink lime water every day?
If you have a hard time drinking plain water, why not make it more flavorful with a few drops of lime juice? While you should not over-consume, it is absolutely safe to add some lime juice to your water on a daily basis.
After all, we all need to drink a sufficient amount of water every day if we want to remain healthy. If adding lime juice to your water makes it more appealing to you, go for it!
How do you make limeade?
If you’re interested in freezing lime juice because you’re thinking about making cubes for mojitos, margaritas, or limeade, you’re on the right track.
Using frozen lime juice cubes instead of water ice cubes can keep your drink from getting watered down, but you may want to add a bit of sugar to keep the juice from tasting too sour and acidic.
Limeade is an especially popular drink to make with lime juice. If you’re craving a refreshing citrusy, summery drink to cool off with in the heat, we’ve found an awesome limeade tutorial from Stephanie Manley on YouTube. Check it out!