Substitute for Lemon Pepper

 

Lemon pepper is a seasoning blend that is used mostly in fish and poultry dishes. Lemon pepper can also be used in other foods like veggies, meat, and others. There are no nutrition concerns over lemon pepper; however, if you run out of supply, you can depend on the following effective alternatives for your home seasoning requirements.

1. Home-made blend

Primarily, lemon pepper contains ground peppercorns and lemon zest. These are the main components; however, there may be more. For your home DIY exercise, you need black pepper, lemon zest (dry), and other spices such as celery, salt, garlic, etc. So, basically you will be required to take ½ teaspoon of the lemon zest, mix it with ¼ teaspoon pf salt and any other spice, and then sprinkle some black pepper powder. The appropriations would be similar to those you would use for lemon pepper.

2. Lemon Thyme

Lemon thyme is a herbal supplement with a flavor of lemon. It naturally comes with lemon zest flavor and can be used in place of lemon zest. With lemon thyme, You can use it as it is but in extended amounts, or you can add black paper into the mixture to make a striking seasoning closer to that of the lemon pepper. Lemon pepper comes with a citrus flavor which is balanced by the herbal flavor. This element will definitely make your dish savory.

3. Shichimi Togarashi

This is a Japanese blend of seven spices. It is commonly used to season some of the Japanese’s fancy grilled and braised dishes. The primary flavors in this blend include peppercorns, Szechuan, and orange peels. The orange peels and the citrus in the peppercorn enablers it to be used as a great alternative for lemon pepper. The ration of alternation should be more than what you would have used lemon pepper.

4. Lemon curry powder

Dry lemon zest and powdered lemon juice are the primary ingredients in some of the curry powder blends in the market. Usually, curry powder blends different flavors, and if this included these two ingredients, then it becomes the best other option to replace lemon pepper in your recipes. However, using curry powder changes the appearance and color of your food by making it yellow. The color is due to the presence of turmeric.

5. Minced onion and lemon thyme

You can make a substitute for lemon pepper by using minced onion and dried lemon zest or thyme. The mixture is then preserved in an airtight container. Usually, if you want I teaspoonful of lemon pepper, you will use ¼ of an onion, ¼ tablespoon of thyme, and/or one teaspoonful of lemon zest. Mix the two and then preserve as instructed. In another instance, you can mix the minced onion with black pepper and lemon juice. The mixture will still present the same integrity as lemon pepper.

Summary Table

Substitute	Flavor Profile	Texture	Best Used In	Source
Home-made Blend	Customizable	Varies	Cooking, Seasoning	Self-made
Lemon Thyme	Citrusy, Herbaceous	Leaves	Cooking, Seasoning	Herb
Shichimi Togarashi	Spicy, Complex	Ground Spice Blend	Japanese Dishes	Japanese Spice Blend
Lemon Curry Powder	Citrusy, Spicy	Ground Spice Blend	Curry Dishes	Specialty Blend

FAQs

What does lemon pepper seasoning contain?

Lemon pepper seasoning typically contains dried lemon zest or peel, black pepper, salt, and sometimes additional herbs and spices. It provides a tangy flavor to dishes.

Can you substitute lemon juice for lemon pepper seasoning?

While lemon juice can add a citrusy element to dishes, it won’t directly substitute for lemon pepper seasoning. Lemon pepper seasoning includes lemon flavor and the warmth of black pepper and salt. You might need to adjust other seasonings if you substitute lemon juice.

What does lemon pepper do to food?

Lemon pepper seasoning enhances the flavor of food by combining tangy citrus notes from the lemon and mild spiciness from the black pepper. It adds brightness and depth to dishes.

Does lemon pepper taste like lemons?

Yes, lemon pepper seasoning has a distinct lemon flavor due to the presence of dried lemon zest. However, the flavor is balanced by the peppery and salty elements in the seasoning blend.

The bottom line

Lemon pepper is made from black pepper and dried lemon zest, among other secondary spices. You can make your blend at home as a substitute.