Very Juicy! Our Top 20 Lemon Recipes (2024)

Lemons are as indispensable to everyday cooking as onions and garlic -- and even more versatile. They are as content keeping company with savory fish, meat, or fowl, as they are sharing the sweet life with innumerable baked goods, marmalades, custards, and sorbets. Next time a recipe needs a little something to take it from good to great, reach for a lemon.

In Season: Classic Eureka and Lisbon lemons, as well as pink lemons (also known as zebra lemons, these have a striped yellow-and-green or yellow-and-pink rind and a pink interior), are available year-round in supermarkets.

What to Look For: Choose lemons not much more than 3 inches from tip to stem and that are heavy for their size. The skin should be taut and thin; avoid those with very hard skin. Through skin, you should be able to feel the flesh inside. The lemon should give slightly when pressed. Wrinkled, dry-skinned, or dull-colored lemons are past their prime.

How to Store: Lemons can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for two to three weeks.

Martha's Extra-Lemony Lemonade

One of Martha's musts in the summertime! Her next-level recipe uses lemons three ways -- the juice, fresh slices, and a syrup made from the rinds.

Lemon-Date Bars

A layer of pureed dates adds intrigue to these otherwise classic lemon bars. They're just one of our Favorite Lemon Bar Recipes.

Braised Chicken With Artichokes, Olives, and Lemon

Garlic, artichoke hearts, Castelvetrano olives, chicken broth, fresh oregano, and paper-thin slices of lemon give this chicken dinner tons of flavor.

Lemon Shortcakes with Basil Berries

The ultimate summer dessert! Lemon zest amps up the buttery shortcakes, and lemon juice adds zing to the accompaniment of fresh berries, basil, and vanilla whipped cream.

Lemony Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies

Bright lemon zest and juice offsets the richness of the brown butter in these cookies perfectly. Cinnamon and vanilla round out the flavors.

Quick-Cooked Green Beans with Lemon

Thin slices of lemon perk up this fresh side dish. The recipes takes just 20 minutes from start to finish.

Lemon-Spice Ice Cream Sandwiches

Team lemon zest and juice with cinnamon, ginger, and molasses for these irresistible cakey cookies. Sandwich your favorite ice cream between them and serve.

Lemon Gateau

Lemon zest and juice and confectioners' sugar form a citrusy syrup that keeps this simple cake super moist. Want to show off a little? Top with candied lemon slices before serving.

Mafaldine with Shrimp and Lemon

Thin slices of lemon perk up this sunny pasta dish made with shrimp, mafaldine, butter, tomato paste, white wine, shallot, red-pepper flakes, and crème fraiche.

Upside-Down Lemon Meringue Pie

Our associate food editor Laura Rege has tweaked her grandma's lemon angel pie recipe, and the results are nothing short of spectacular.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Cloud Pancakes

Ordinary buttermilk pancakes get a batter boost from lemon zest and juice, poppy seeds, and whipped egg whites. Serve these fluffy crowd-pleasers with cane syrup, ricotta, and blueberries instead of the usual maple syrup and butter for a delicious change of pace.

Soy-Lemon Flank Steak with Arugula

Fresh lemon juice brightens the Asian-inspired marinade for this company-worthy steak. Serve with arugula and lemon wedges.

Lemon Ice Cream with Berries

You need a whopping 10 lemons to make this rich, refreshing ice cream. The recipe calls for both the zest and juice, so nothing goes to waste! Serve atop berries macerated with sugar and vanilla seeds.

Lemon-Yogurt Cupcakes

Lemon zest and juice amps up these whole-wheat cupcakes. Yogurt keeps them nice and moist, while an oh-so-simple raspberry frosting ups the wow factor.

Snapper with Oregano and Lemon

You only need lemon zest and juice, fresh oregano, and a glug of olive oil to make red-snapper filets really shine. The best part? You can get them on the table in just 10 minutes.

Lemon Crunch Cake

We love the contrast between the moist, buttery cake and the crisp, crackling shell in this showstopping lemon dessert.

Baked Lemon, Feta, and Artichoke Dip

For a quick and easy appetizer, surround feta with lemon zest, artichoke hearts, fresh oregano, and red-pepper flakes, douse the whole lot in olive oil, and heat through.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

Fresh lemon juice and zest are the trick to these flavorful cookies -- they're mixed into the batter and whisked into the glaze.

Lemon-Raisin Scones

Bright lemon zest and plump raisins gussy up these morning treats. Make the baking mix in advance, and you can get them on your brunch buffet table in just 35 minutes.