5 from 24 votes
Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute Recipe
This Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute softens lemon slices in a syrupy, salty lemon juice by gently simmering thin slices with salt and fresh lemon juice. It replicates the texture and tang of traditional preserved lemons in much less time, making it useful for recipes that call for preserved lemon without the lengthy preservation process.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings:
5
Calories:
16 kcal
Course:
Condiments
Cuisine:
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Persian, Moroccan
Ingredients
- 2 lemon ends trimmed and sliced thinly, small or 1 big
- ⅓ cup lemon juice from 2 to 3 lemons, fresh
- 2½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Pick out and discard any seeds from lemon slices. Then add the lemon slices, juice and salt to a saucepan for which you have a lid. Place it over medium heat. As soon as the lemon juice starts to simmer, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cover it with a lid.
- Cook the lemons for 12 to 14 minutes – gently stirring halfway through. The juice will reduce to a thick syrupy consistency as the lemon slices soften.
- Allow the quick preserved lemons to cool to room temperature.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- If the lemon juice reduces too quickly before the lemons soften, add a splash of water and continue cooking gently.
- Store the finished preserved lemons in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for up to one month, always keeping the lemons submerged in the syrup.
- To use as a puree substitute, blend the cooked lemon slices with the syrup using a stick blender or mash with a mortar and pestle.
- One heaped tablespoon of this substitute replaces one preserved Beldi lemon in recipes.
Nutrition Information
Calories
16kcal
(1%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
0.2g
(0%)
Saturated Fat
0.02g
(0%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.04g
(0%)
Monounsaturated Fat
0.004g
(0%)
Sodium
1164mg
(49%)
Potassium
77mg
(2%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
10IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
29mg
(32%)
Calcium
13mg
(1%)
Iron
0.3mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 16
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 16kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 0.2g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.02g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.04g | 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.004g | 0% |
| Sodium | 1164mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 77mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 10IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 13mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.3mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.