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Limes Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to limes
Limes add a refreshing twist to many dishes and drinks. Instacart makes it easy to find fresh limes any time of year. Use the Instacart app to add limes to your cart, and our dedicated Instacart shoppers will do the rest. With our fast, reliable delivery, you can often enjoy your limes in as little as 2 hours!
About limes
Limes are known for their bright-green skin and sour flavor with a touch of sweetness. This popular citrus fruit is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Today, limes are grown in India, China, Mexico, and the United States. Although limes are available year-round, the peak season is from May through October.
You can find several kinds of limes on the supermarket shelves today. The most common lime varieties are:
- Persian limes: Persian limes are also known as seedless limes, Bearss limes, and Tahiti limes. This lime is a hybrid of key lime and lemon. Persian limes are larger than key limes and have smooth, thin skin. Seedless and juicy, Persian limes are the most common limes in stores and produce the most juice.
- Key limes:Â These limes are also known as Mexican limes, West Indian limes, or bartender's limes. Key limes are small and highly aromatic. Key limes change from green to yellow when ripe. These small, seedy limes are sweeter than many other varieties.
- Kaffir limes: Kaffir limes are also called Makrut limes. These limes are highly scented and have a very strong lime flavor. The skin of a kaffir lime is bright green, thick, and wrinkled. Both the leaves and fruit of the kaffir lime are used in South Asian dishes. The leaves can be added to curries and soups. The fruit can be thinly sliced and added to cooked dishes or preserved. Kaffir limes produce very little juice.
- Finger limes:Â Finger limes have a unique, elongated finger-like shape with bright-green dimpled skin. The Australian lime, or "caviar lime," is the most common finger lime. Unlike other limes, the finger lime is unsegmented. The flesh of a finger lime is made up of many tiny juice-filled pearls.
How to pick out limes
Limes should be firm but not hard. They should also feel heavy for their size. Avoid soft, mushy limes with deep scars or pitted skin. Limes that have matte, leathery skin or feel light are probably old or dried out.
How to prepare limes
Lime juice, zest, and pulp are important ingredients in many recipes. In particular, Mexican, Vietnamese, and Thai dishes prominently feature limes. Limes pair well with all kinds of meat, garlic, avocado, coconut, black beans, and cilantro. Limes can be used in place of lemons or vinegar in most recipes.
A squeeze of lime juice helps balance out flavors and lighten heavy dishes. Lime juice can be added to marinades, sauces, dressings, and dips. Many popular cocktails use lime juice or muddled lime, including Margaritas, Whiskey Sours, Mojitos, and Caipirinhas. Key lime juice is used to make a refreshing key lime pie. To prevent browning, dip fruits and vegetables in a water bath spiked with lime. To get the most juice out of your lime, roll it on your kitchen counter or microwave it for 15 to 20 seconds before juicing.Â
The thick skin of Kaffir limes is a key ingredient in Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Lime zest can be used in salad dressings, sauces, marinades, compound butter, and baked goods. You can also infuse oils and vinegar with fresh lime flavor by adding lime zest and allowing them to age.
Finger limes are among the few limes that can be enjoyed fresh. Squeeze out the finger lime "caviar" and serve with crackers, aged cheeses, and good wine. Slices of lime can also be dried or made into a sweet-tart marmalade.
When cooking with limes, avoid using aluminum pans. Aluminum will react with the acid in limes, causing them to turn gray.
Limes Near Me
Buy your favorite Limes online with Instacart. Order Limes, Persian Limes, Key Limes, and more from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.