Limes come in bags. Recipes ask for a squeeze. Somewhere between the two, half a lime dries out on a saucer.
Here are three dinners for one from the 3Onions app that each use lime, so the one you cut tonight gets used again later in the week.
Three dinners that use it up
Lime is in all three. Shop once, cook it three ways. Anything left goes into next week’s plan first.
20 min · uses ½ lime
Shrimp tacos
Ingredients and steps
Ingredients for one
½ lb shrimp
2 tortillas
½ lime
¼ head cabbage
From your pantry: salt, oil, chili powder, garlic powder
Steps
Make the slaw. Shred the cabbage thin and toss with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt. It softens a little while you cook.
Season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry, peeling them first if needed, and toss with salt, chili powder and garlic powder.
Sear the shrimp. Cook in a little oil in a hot skillet over medium-high, 1–2 minutes a side, until pink and opaque all the way through.
Fill the tacos. Warm the tortillas in the same pan, 30 seconds a side. Fill with shrimp and slaw and squeeze over the rest of the lime.
20 min · uses ½ lime
Chicken tacos
Ingredients and steps
Ingredients for one
½ lb chicken breast
2 tortillas
1 bell pepper
½ lime
¼ cup shredded cheese
From your pantry: salt, black pepper, oil, chili powder
Steps
Slice and season. Slice the bell pepper, then the chicken, into thin strips. Toss the chicken with salt, black pepper and chili powder.
Sear the chicken. Cook the chicken in a little oil in a hot skillet over medium-high for 3 minutes. Add the pepper and cook 3–4 minutes more, until the pepper is soft at the edges and the thickest strip reads 165°F.
Warm the tortillas. Tip everything onto a plate and warm the tortillas in the same pan, about 30 seconds a side, until soft and a little toasty.
Build the tacos. Fill the tortillas with chicken and pepper, then top with cheese and a squeeze of lime.
25 min · uses ½ lime
Burrito bowl
Ingredients and steps
Ingredients for one
½ cup rice
½ can black beans
1 bell pepper
½ lime
¼ cup shredded cheese
From your pantry: salt, oil, ground cumin, chili powder
Steps
Get the rice going. Bring the rice, twice as much water and a pinch of salt to a boil, then cover and simmer on low about 18 minutes. Leave it covered off the heat.
Char the pepper. Slice the bell pepper and cook it in a little oil in a skillet over medium-high, about 5 minutes, until soft and charred at the edges. Season with salt and cumin.
Warm the beans. Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pan with a splash of water and a pinch of chili powder. Stir until hot, 2–3 minutes.
Build the bowl. Fluff the rice with a squeeze of lime, then top with the beans, pepper and cheese. Squeeze the rest of the lime over the top.
How to store a cut lime
Wrap the cut side tightly, or keep it cut side down in a small container, in the fridge, and use it within two or three days. Whole limes last far longer in the fridge than in a fruit bowl, often a few weeks.
FAQ
Can you freeze limes?
Yes. Squeeze the juice into an ice cube tray, or freeze wedges in a bag. Both are best for cooking and drinks.
How do you get the most juice out of a lime?
Roll it firmly on the counter first, then cut it lengthwise. A room-temperature lime gives more juice than a cold one.
