Last Updated on July 10, 2022 by
Many recipes now include lemongrass as a flavoring, particularly those in Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. You’re losing out if you haven’t used it in your cuisine yet. While the distinctive herb does have a distinctive lemony scent, it may also give a brilliant depth of flavor to any meal. You may use a replacement if a recipe asks for lemongrass in a soup, but you don’t have any at home. Below are some lemongrass substitute in soup.
Here are some lemongrass substitute in soup.
- Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
- Lemon Verbena
- Kaffir Lime
- Japanese yuzu
- Cilantro and Ginger
What Does Lemongrass Taste Like?
We want to make sure we assist you in locating the best lemongrass substitute in soup. So let’s quickly discuss the flavor of lemongrass. Asian cuisine often uses lemongrass, particularly in stir-fries and soups. Purchase plenty of lemongrass paste if you want to cook a lot of Thai or Vietnamese cuisine.
We believe that the three main tastes of lemongrass are lemony, bitter, and herbal. Lemon and ginger together is the best way to describe the flavor. Finding a lemongrass substitute in soup that tastes like lemon and bitterness is simple, but capturing the fragrant, plant-like, or “herby” flavor of lemongrass is more difficult.
6 Best Lemongrass Substitute In Soup
Lemon Zest
The closest equivalent for lemongrass in terms of texture and taste is this one. One teaspoon of lemon zest is enough for every lemongrass a particular recipe calls for. As you gradually add the lemon zest, taste as you go to ensure the flavor is ideal for the food you prepare. If you dump a sizable spoonful of it, you could regret it.
The citrus taste will undoubtedly offer your cuisine a unique flavor. Lemon zest is relatively easy to make. Your lemon must first be washed and dried with a fresh paper towel. The peel of the lemon only has to be grated on the outside.
It has a strong lemon flavor; the only slight bitterness is in the aftertaste. To do this, be careful to grate the exterior, thin peel, excluding the white pith, which will undoubtedly make your dish extremely bitter. You are welcome to add some herbs to your lemon zest to give your soup a herbal undertone.
Lemon Juice
This is one of the best solutions if you’re looking for a lemongrass substitute in soup to give your food a citrus taste. The secret is choosing the proper lemon. Look for fresh lemons that feel softer when you choose them for this use. You can tell the lemons are juicy and have thin skin because they feel soft to the touch.
Slice your lemons, place the halves in a citrus juicer, and squeeze out the liquid to get lemon juice. Keep an eye on the amount of lemon juice as you add it to your soup. Your food will undoubtedly become acidic if too much of it is too much.
For accurate calculations, two little stalks of lemongrass will equal one medium-sized lemon. We advise using freshly squeezed lemon juice as opposed to packaged lemon juice. This is because the juice that has just been squeezed will provide greater outcomes for you.
Recommended Lemon Juice
Iberia 100% Lemon Juice
[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”500″ identifier=”B089X2V5ZK” locale=”US” src=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51088wVGnRL._SL500_.jpg” tag=”realikal-20″ width=”500″]
This lemon juice is an excellent lemongrass substitute in soup. You no longer need to chop or squeeze entire lemons when using this lemon juice; add a splash of Iberia lemon juice to your soup, and you are good to go. Without cutting and squeezing real lemons, Iberia 100% lemon juice makes it simple to add a delectable lemon taste to dipping sauces, marinades, or even sodas or drinks. Lemon juice from Iberia has a tart taste and a sour, fluid viscosity that integrates nicely into a range of foods and beverages.
Lemon Verbena
South American natives produce the potent plant lemon verbena. Its leaves contain a significant quantity of oil, but unlike its relatives throughout the globe, its citrus tastes are not bitter, making it a superb lemongrass substitute in soup. Lemon verbena is distinguished by its glossy, angular, green leaves.
Lemon verbena, like lemongrass, has both culinary and medicinal purposes. It also has a strong herbal scent, but it’s undoubtedly much stronger than the common lemongrass. So proceed with care if you want to use lemon verbena instead!
Fresh forms of this plant may be identified if you’re shopping for it by their lengthy leaves that finish in points and have a rough feel. This alternative for lemongrass contains significantly less lemon per inch while it is still lemony, so be sure to add the previously specified zest to it.
Use two leaves of lemon verbena for every stalk of lemongrass when replacing, and be sure to remove them before serving your dish. Nobody likes to take a piece of a tasty soup only to experience a sour aftertaste!
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Kaffir lime trees are tiny, thorny bushes with distinctive leaves. These leaves are easily identified by their peculiar hourglass form. This plant, like lemongrass, is commonly used in Thai, Cambodian, and Vietnamese cuisine, and it is a great substitute for lemongrass in soup.
If you wish to soften the taste of your soup, you may use these Kaffir lime leaves (also known as Thai lime). When lemon gets a bit too overpowering, we all resort to lime. These are particularly ideal if your curry or soup contains coconut or seafood or if you want to give a drink a fresh touch.
Pick up some fresh leaves while you’re at the shop. A healthy one will resemble an hourglass and have a gloss from its natural oils. The preserved varieties (frozen or dried) are still delectable if fresh ones are unavailable.
Be aware that these leaves will be nearly as potent as your lemongrass when cooking with them. You may use one lime leaf instead of each stem. You’ll need to remove them before serving the meal, just as you would with lemon verbena.
Recommended Kaffir Lime Leaves
HO SHU 100% Organic Kaffir Lime Leaves
[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”500″ identifier=”B09V6G267X” locale=”US” src=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41e1fXN1n4L._SL500_.jpg” tag=”realikal-20″ width=”349″]
HO SHU 100% Organic Kaffir Lime Leaves may be used in soup as a lemongrass alternative since they are the Asian version of lemongrass. These edible leaves have a strong scent and taste. Bai Magud is a crucial component in preparing real Asian and Thai cuisine.
When using this product, soak it in hot water for 5 minutes or so before using it in cooking so that the dried Kaffir lime leaves revert to their fresh appearance.
Japanese Yuzu
The Japanese yuzu is another citrus fruit you could consider a lemongrass substitute in soup. This fruit is the size of a grapefruit and has a lemon-like outer hue. Yuzu juice’s zest features undertones of mandarin orange if you’ve ever drank it. Japanese yuzu is a prominent ingredient in sweet and savory meals like curries or seafood recipes in east Asian cuisine.
As a result of its bigger pips, it yields less juice than a lemon or lime, making it more challenging to extract the same quantity of juice. For measuring purposes, it could take at least two or three yuzu to extract enough liquid to replace two tiny stalks of lemongrass. Testing could be necessary since they give food a strong taste and might ruin your recipe.
Cilantro And Ginger
You probably already have these two ingredients in your kitchen, and they make a stunning match. The second most popular spice overall is ginger, which has a long history. The global consumption in 2018 was 2.8 million tons. This root spice shares a rhizome with cardamom and turmeric. It is regarded as an ayurvedic spice as well.
Another well-liked herb is coriander (or cilantro since we’re talking about the stalks here), and the great thing about it is that you can utilize the whole plant. The seeds are often coriander, while the stalks are cilantro. Most of the herbs on this list may be used with ginger alone and lemon zest to create a fantastic taste combination. However, using cilantro may get a lemongrass substitute similar to the original. The scent of your food will be richer and stronger thanks to the ginger/coriander blend.
These two are available readily in powdered and dried forms, but if you want to wow, go for fresh. Pick the fresh ginger root and the whole cilantro plant from your neighborhood store. Before adding them to your recipe, peel the root and trim the stalks. There is no need to remove the spices before serving since, unlike the previous two, they will cook down fine.
Here’s a fast suggestion for choosing these herbs in the market: give them (particularly the ginger) a quick sniff to ensure they have a strong, unique aroma. The cilantro stalks should be brilliant green, and the skin of the ginger should be flawless and silky. Neither should be discolored or moldy.
What Is The Culinary Use Of Lemongrass?
As the name implies, it provides a subdued citrus taste that goes exceptionally well with ethnic cuisines, such as Thai cuisines. Lemongrass is often used in curries, soups, and tea and is available in various forms, including fresh, dried, and even powder forms. Beef, fish, poultry, and vegetables all taste delicious when combined with their light and fragrant citrus flavor.
What’s The Difference Between Lemon And Lemongrass?
Although lemon and lemongrass are separate plants and fruit, they have similar tastes. While lemongrass grows as a stalk on the ground, lemon grows as a fruit on a tree. While lemon has a concentrated citrus flavor, lemongrass will taste more bitter and herbal.
Can I use dried lemongrass instead of fresh?
Instead of using fresh lemongrass, you may use dried lemongrass. Since dried lemongrass is more concentrated and has a stronger flavor, we advise using just half the recommended quantity.
Conclusion On Lemongrass Substitute In Soup
We hope you now know about the different functional lemongrass substitutes in soup. Your desire to prepare a certain meal does not have to cease just because you run out of lemongrass, which might be a crucial element in your recipe. The best lemongrass alternative will enhance the flavor of your food.
