Food With Citrus

Hey everyone!

I’m [name], and I’m here today to talk about one of my favorite things: food with citrus.

I’m not sure why, but there’s something about the smell of lemons or limes that makes me feel like I can do anything. Maybe it’s because citrus fruits are so bright and cheery—they’re just so happy to be alive.

And the smell isn’t the only thing that makes me feel that way—it’s also what happens when you combine citrus with other flavors. For example, take limeade: It might sound weird at first (or maybe even disgusting), but when you add ice cubes and some sugar to that lime juice, it becomes something totally magical. The sweetness of the sugar counteracts the sourness of the lime juice so well that it almost seems like a mistake for it not to happen naturally!

So next time you need a little inspiration or motivation in life, try cooking up something with some citrus in it. It might just change your life!

Food With Citrus

These citrus recipes are proof that there is still beauty and growth and pretty colors to be found in the world! Despite plenty of evidence that nothing (and no one 👋) is thriving right now, there’s a few things that, come winter, always are: Limes! Grapefruits! Oranges! You get the picture. The fact that citrus is in season during the colder months is one of nature’s more genius moves. Because, you know what? These colorful little jewels are also packed with vitamin C and minerals—all of which can’t hurt your immune system right now. Though, the most compelling reason to eat them might be that juicy, zesty flavor. We love to see it in everything from beautiful grapefruit tarts to crunchy salads and peppy lime-braised meats. Whether you’re after drinks, dinner, or dessert, these citrus recipes won’t let you down.SUBSCRIBEGet unlimited recipes from Bon Appétit & Epicurious for just $40  $30SUBSCRIBE

• Photo By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Yekaterina Boytsova1/37Charred Kale With Citrus and Green TahiniNo more free massages for stubbornly tough greens. Here, a quick char in a hot skillet tempers the raw edge of kale and balances its vegetal flavor.VIEW RECIPE
• Photography By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling By Elizabeth Jamie2/37Chicken Salad With Citrus and Chile OilWith plenty of protein, a double punch of acid from citrus and vinegar, and a garlicky chili oil, this salad is made for dinner.VIEW RECIPE

• Photography By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling By Elizabeth Jamie3/37Crispy Rice With Ginger-Citrus Celery SaladTo get the best texture, evenly distribute the rice in your pan and gently press down to flatten it. Don’t touch until you hear it crackle!VIEW RECIPE
• Photograph By Laura Murray, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio4/37Citrus-Ginger Raita With Spice OilGinger and orange juice give this raita a holiday feel. Treat it like cranberry sauce–it goes with everything.VIEW RECIPE
• Photograph By Kelly Marshall, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio5/37Raw and Crispy Kale Salad With Ginger and CoconutIn this refreshing Thanksgiving salad, half the kale gets crisped up in the oven like chips while the rest is tossed with a gingery soy-tahini dressing.VIEW RECIPE

• Photo By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou6/37No-Fail Roast Chicken with Lemon and GarlicOnly 6 ingredients, and you’ll always know when it’s done.VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susan Spungen, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski7/37Grapefruit Bars with Candied ZestThe twice-cooked curd method ensures that these bars are extra sturdy and have a smooth, shiny surface.VIEW RECIPE
• Alex Lau8/37Pomelo Salad with Chile, Lime, Peanuts, and CoconutA palate cleanser packed with sweet, sour, and salty flavors; taste and tweak the seasonings as you go.VIEW RECIPE

• Photograph By Laura Murray, Food Styling By Sue Li9/37Ginger-Citrus CookiesBlanching the citrus peel in several changes of boiling water removes bitterness while still leaving plenty of bright flavor behind.VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski10/37Scrunched Cabbage Salad with Grapefruit and ChilesNot just for slaw, cabbage is a snappy base that can handle lots of refreshing acidity—in this case from torn grapefruit and hot-and-sour chiles—without withering.VIEW RECIPE
• 11/37Citrus-and-Dill GravlaxMany gravlax recipes will instruct you to drain, turn, and babysit the fish while it cures. Not this one: Set it and forget it.VIEW RECIPE

• Photo By Laura Murray, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio12/37Tangy Vinegar Chicken With Barberries and OrangeA fragrant, sweet-and-sour, perfectly acidic roast chicken. VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Alex Lau13/37Grapefruit-Orange CrostatasWhile these mixed citrus tarts bake, the semolina flour in the frangipane absorbs the juices and turns into a slightly puffed, airy layer surrounded by flaky pastry.VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio14/37Mole-Spiced Ribs With Orange and Pickled OnionThese ribs are tenderized with tangy kombucha—yep!—and flavored with Mexican mole spices.VIEW RECIPE

• Photo And Drink Styling By Emma Fishman15/37Citrus ShandySummer’s most accessible cocktail is much like the season itself: easy, relaxing, refreshing, sunny, and filled with fruit and flavor.VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio16/37Chicken Braised in Lime and Peanut SauceA spiced and braised chicken that tastes like summer in the dead of winter.VIEW RECIPE
• Photographs By Laura Murray, Food Styling By Simon Andrews, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio17/37Labneh and Lime Ice Cream With GranolaThis no-churn ice cream is tangy, lime-y, and maaaybe even healthy.VIEW RECIPE

• Photo By Laura Murray, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou18/37Brothy Tomato and Fish Soup With LimeThis sour-salty soup was made for using up sweet, late-season tomatoes.VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Chelsie Craig, Food Styling By Kate Buckens19/37Pasta al LimoneThis creamy lemon pasta recipe is luscious and amply cheesy, but still bright and fresh. Best part: You can make it for dinner in just 15 minutes.VIEW RECIPE
• Alex Lau20/37Blood Orange Buttermilk Upside-Down CakeBe sure to invert the cake after it’s baked while it’s still warm; if you wait too long, the oranges will stick to the pan.VIEW RECIPE

• Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Pearl Jones, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio21/37Spicy Citrus RefresherA big batch of jalapeño-spiced orange-lime juice that you can top with seltzer or spike with rum. Your call.VIEW RECIPE
• Alex Lau22/37Blood Orange–Chia PuddingWhy drink O.J. with your yogurt when you can mix it in?VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Alex Lau23/37Sour Candied Citrus PeelsThese are like homemade Sour Patch Kids, and we can’t stop eating them.VIEW RECIPE

• 24/37Citrus Salad with Orange-Flower Water, Pistachios, and Pomegranate SeedsOrange-flower water can give even a simple fruit salad a faraway lilt, but adding too much of it leaves a dish tasting like old-fashioned soap. Use this ingredient with serious discretion—start with 1/8 tsp.VIEW RECIPE
• Photo By Ditte Isager25/37Slow-Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Citrus, and ChilesDon’t bother trying to divide this fillet into tidy portions. Instead, use a spoon to break it into perfectly imperfect pieces.VIEW RECIPE
• 26/37Citrus-Marinated Chicken ThighsAn aggressively seasoned marinade delivers big flavor.VIEW RECIPE

• Chris Gentile27/37Rosemary-Tangerine CoolerSo tangerine-y we’d almost consider his tasty rum cocktail a wellness tonic. Almost!VIEW RECIPE
• Photo And Food Styling By Sarah Jampel28/37Citrusy Chicken ThighsThe zest and juice of lime and lemon deliver a simple but powerful flavor-packed punch to this everyday staple.VIEW RECIPE
• Gentl & Hyers29/37Blood Orange and Mixed Bean Salad with SproutsBeans can roll with virtually any flavor profile, including bright fresh citrus, lime juice, and chiles in this wintery salad.

food pairing with citrus

When it comes to fruit, we all intuitively know some flavor combinations that work well. Apple and caramel? Check. Pineapple and rum? Of course!

But, when you start to dig deeper, you can discover some amazing flavor combinations. And when I’m experimenting in the kitchen, I love to try and find these unique flavor pairings.

After stopping by the farmer’s market to see what fruit is in season, I like to think about what spices and flavors might pair well with that fruit. Oftentimes, the best pairings can be a bit unexpected, and to me, that’s what makes cooking and baking so exciting! There is always something new to discover and try out.

All that being said, to help you out with your cooking and baking, I’ve created this ultimate fruit flavor pairing chart.

Honestly, the reason behind making this chart is a bit selfish—I wanted a resource that I could refer to while experimenting with new recipes. After searching online for a while, I struggled to find many resources out there that showedcased all these great flavor pairings.

I hope this chart helps you out and empowers you to make even more delicious food in your kitchen!

How to Use This Chart

To narrow down the list, you can use the search bar at the top right-hand corner of the table to search for a particular ingredient.

If you are viewing the chart on your phone, I recommend turning your phone horizontally to display all the columns.

And if you can’t find the ingredient you’re looking for, let me know in the comments below—I will routinely update this chart to make sure it’s as helpful as possible for you!

Want your own copy?

Simply fill out the form below, and you’ll get a PDF version of the chart sent straight to your inbox.SUBSCRIBE

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Fruit Flavor Pairing Chart

Search:

	Fruit	Herbs and Spices	Nuts	Spirits	Miscellaneous
Apple	Apricot, blackberry, cherry, cranberry, currant, date, lychee, mango, orange, pear, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, pumpkin, quince	Allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, star anise, thyme	Almond, chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut	Armagnac, bourbon, brandy, calvados, cognac, Cointreau, Kirsch, Madeira, rum, sherry, vermouth	Caramel, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla
Apricot	Apple, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, cranberry, lemon, orange, peach, pineapple, plum, prune, raspberry, strawberry	Cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, saffron	Almond, hazelnut, pine nut, pistachio, walnut	Amaretto, brandy, cognac, Kirsch, orange liqueur, rum	Caramel, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Banana	Apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, date, guava, lemon, lime, mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry	Allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, macadamia, nutmeg	Cashew, hazelnut, peanut, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Armagnac, banana liqueur, brandy, calvados, cognac, Kirsch, Madeira, rum	Caramel, chocolate, coffee, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla
Blackberry	Apple, apricot, banana, blueberry, lemon, mango, melon, nectarine, orange, peach, plum, raspberry, strawberry, watermelon	Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mint	Almond, hazelnut	Brandy, champagne, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Kirsch, orange liqueur	Caramel, crème fraîche, honey, mascarpone, vanilla
Blueberry	Apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, fig, lemon, mango, melon, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry, watermelon	Allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, lavender, mint, nutmeg	Almond, hazelnut, pecan, pine nut, walnut	Cognac, Kirsch, orange liqueur, port, rum, triple sec	Crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, molasses, ricotta, vanilla
Cantaloupe	Grapefruit, melon, raspberry	Basil, cilantro, ginger, mint, star anise, tarragon		Port
Cherry	Apricot, coconut, lemon, melon, nectarine, orange, peach, plum, quince, raspberry	Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, sage, thyme	Almond, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Amaretto, Armagnac, bourbon, brandy, cassis, Grand Marnier, kirsch, red wine, rum, vodka	Caramel, chocolate, coffee, crème fraîche, honey, mascarpone, vanilla
Coconut	Apricot, banana, blackberry, cherry, date, grapefruit, guava, kiwi, kumquat, lemon, lime, lychee, mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple	Allspice, basil, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, Kaffir leaf, lemongrass, mint, nutmeg	Almond, brazil nut, cashew, macadamia, peanut, pistachio	Rum	Caramel, chocolate, crème fraîche, honey, mascarpone, rose water, vanilla
Cranberry	Apple, apricot, lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pumpkin, quince, tangerine	Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, star anise, thyme	Almond, hazelnut, pistachio, walnut	Cognac, Grand Marnier, white wine	Honey, maple syrup, vanilla
Date	Apple, apricot, banana, coconut, lemon, lime, orange, prune, quince	Cinnamon, ginger, rosemary, thyme	Almond, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Armagnac, brandy, red wine, rum	Caramel, chocolate, coffee, crème fraîche, maple syrup, mascarpone, orange blossom water, vanilla
Grape	Apple, lemon, pear, raspberry, strawberry	Cayenne, cumin, ginger, mint, paprika, rosemary	Almond, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Brandy, cognac, rum	Honey, white chocolate
Grapefruit	Avocado, banana, coconut, lemon, lime, melon, orange, papaya, pineapple, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, tomato	Basil, ginger, mint, rosemary, star anise, tarragon, thyme	Cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, walnut	Campari, champagne, gin, Grand Marnier, port, rum, tequila, vodka	Caramel, crème fraîche, grenadine, honey, vanilla
Guava	Banana, coconut, lemon, lime, orange, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberry	Ginger	Cashew, macadamia	Rum	White chocolate, honey, mascarpone
Honeydew	Blackberry, cantaloupe, grapefruit, lemon, lime, nectarine, peach, strawberry	Basil, cardamom, coriander, cumin, ginger, mint, tarragon		Champagne	Coconut milk, honey
Kiwi	Banana, cherry, coconut, grapefruit, lemon, lime, lychee, mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberry		Hazelnut, macadamia	Kirsch, rum	Chocolate, honey
Kumquat	Coconut, cranberry, date, lemon, lime, mango, orange, papaya, persimmon, pineapple, pomegranate, pumpkin, quince, strawberry	Cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg	Hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Brandy, rum, white wine	Caramel, chocolate, honey, vanilla
Lemon	Apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, cranberry, date, gooseberry, grapefruit, grape, guava, kiwi, lime, mango, nectarine, orange, papaya, passion fruit, peach, pear, persimmon, plum, prune, quince, raspberry, rhubarb, tangerine	Basil, bay leaf, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, mint, oregano, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, sage, thyme	Almond, chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut	Gin, orange liqueur, red wine, rum, vodka	Caramel, chocolate, coffee, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Lime	Apple, apricot, avocado, coconut, date, gooseberry, grapefruit, guava, honeydew, kiwi, lemon, mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit, plum, raspberry, strawberry, tomato	Cilantro, ginger, mint	Hazelnut, macadamia, peanut, pecan	Rum, tequila, vodka	Caramel, coconut milk, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla, white chocolate
Lychee	Blackberry, coconut, honeydew, kiwi, lemon, lime, mango, orange, passion fruit, pear, pineapple, plum, raspberry	Ginger		Rum	Honey
Mango	Apple, avocado, banana, blackberry, blueberry, coconut, grapefruit, kiwi, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry	Basil, cayenne, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mint, nutmeg, star anise	Almond, cashew, macadamia	Amaretto, champagne, Kirsch, orange liqueur, rum, sake, vodka	Caramel, coconut milk, coffee, crème fraîche, honey, mascarpone, vanilla, white chocolate
Nectarine	Apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, lemon, orange, peach, plum, raspberry, strawberry	Allspice, cinnamon, ginger, mint, nutmeg	Almond, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio	Brandy, champagne, Kirsch, orange liqueur, peach liqueur, red wine, white wine	Caramel, chocolate, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Orange	Apple, apricot, avocado, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, cranberry, date, grape, grapefruit, guava, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, mango, nectarine, papaya, passion fruit, peach, pear, persimmon, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, prune, pumpkin, quince, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry, tomato	Basil, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mint, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, saffron, star anise, thyme	Almond, chestnut, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut	Almond liqueur, Amaretto, Armagnac, brandy, cognac, Kirsch, orange liqueur, red wine, rum, tequila, vodka, white wine	Caramel, chocolate, coffee, grenadine, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Papaya	Banana, coconut, grapefruit, kiwi, kumquat, lemon, lime, mango, nectarine, orange, passion fruit, peach, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry	Cilantro, cinnamon, ginger, mint	Cashew, macadamia, peanut	Port	Caramel, honey, vanilla, white chocolate
Passion fruit	Banana, coconut, kiwi, lemon, lime, mango, orange, papaya, peach, pear, pineapple, strawberry	Cilantro, ginger	Almond, cashew, macadamia	Champagne, Cointreau, ice wine, rum, tequila	Caramel, chocolate, vanilla
Peach	Apple, apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, lemon, lime, nectarines, orange, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, plum, raspberry, strawberry	Allspice, basil, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg, saffron, star anise, tarragon, thyme	Almond, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Bourbon, brandy, Calvados, Cassis, champagne, cognac, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Kirsch, Madeira, port, red wine, rum, Vin Santo, whiskey, white wine	Brown sugar, caramel, chocolate, crème fraîche, grenadine, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, molasses, vanilla
Pear	Apple, apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, date, lemon, orange, passion fruit, prune, quince, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry	Allspice, basil, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, star anise	Almond, chestnut, hazelnut, macadamia, peanut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut	Bourbon, brandy, Calvados, crème de cassis, champagne, Grand Marnier, kirsch, pear brandy, port, red wine, rum, whiskey	Caramel, chocolate, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Persimmon	Apple, avocado, grape, kiwi, kumquat, lemon, orange, pear, pomegranate	Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg	Almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, walnut	Bourbon, brandy, cognac, Kirsch, sweet wine	Caramel, coffee, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, white chocolate
Pineapple	Apricot, avocado, banana, coconut, grapefruit, kiwi, kumquat, lemon, lime, mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry	Allspice, basil, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mint, rosemary, saffron, star anise	Cashew, macadamia, pistachio, walnut	Brandy, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Kirsch, orange liqueur, rum, sweet wine	Caramel, chocolate, honey, maple syrup, vanilla
Plum	Apricot, cherry, lemon, nectarine, orange, peach, raspberry, strawberry	Allspice, almond, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg, sage, thyme	Hazelnut, pecan, walnut	Brandy, gin, Kirsch, rum, whiskey, red wine, sweet wine	Caramel, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, vanilla
Pomegranate	Apple, avocado, banana, coconut, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange	Allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, mint, nutmeg, parsley, turmeric	Almond, hazelnut, pine nut, walnut	Port, tequila, vodka	Honey, white chocolate
Pumpkin	Apple, coconut, cranberry, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange	Allspice, bay leaf, cayenne, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mace, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, thyme	Hazelnut, pecan, pine nut, walnut	Brandy, cognac, orange liqueur, rum, white wine	Caramel, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, white chocolate
Quince	Apple, cherry, cranberry, date, kumquat, lemon, orange, pear, raspberry	Bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, star anise	Almond, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut	Armagnac, brandy, Calvados, red wine, whiskey, white wine	Caramel, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Raspberry	Apricot, blackberry, blueberry, grapefruit, grape, lemon, lime, mango, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, quince, rhubarb, strawberry	Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mint, star anise, thyme	Almond, hazelnut, macadamia, peanut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio	Brandy, champagne, cognac, Cointreau, Framboise, Grand Marnier, Kirsch, orange liqueur, red wine, rum, tequila	Caramel, chocolate, crème fraîche, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla
Rhubarb	Apple, apricot, blood orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, nectarine, peach, plum, raspberry, strawberry	Bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mint, nutmeg	Almond, hazelnut, pecan	Brandy, Grand Marnier, Kirsch, port, white wine	Caramel, crème fraîche, grenadine, honey, maple syrup, mascarpone, vanilla, white chocolate
Strawberry	Apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, gooseberry, grape, grapefruit, guava, kumquat, lemon, lime, mango, melon, orange, papaya, passion fruit, peach, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, raspberry, rhubarb	Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint, nutmeg	Almond, hazelnut, peanut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut	Amaretto, brandy, champagne, cognac, elderflower liqueur, Grand Marnier, Kirsch, port, red wine, rosé, rum, sake, sherry, white wine	Caramel, chocolate, crème fraîche, honey, vanilla