The Absolute Best 17 Ways To Use Up Leftover Citrus Zest

There are some types of produce that are kitchen essentials. They're items that, even if you don't necessarily use them every day, you should always have on hand. The basic list includes a head of garlic, a bag of onions, and one of our personal favorites: lemons. Lemons are a must-have for cocktails, though they can also add a refreshing flavor to a whole host of recipes. And every home cook knows that store-bought lemon juice doesn't hold a candle to the fresh-squeezed stuff.

Besides juice, lemons also have another particularly valuable and tasty thing going for them: the zest. This outer skin of the lemon is filled with flavor nuances and complexities. Some recipes might call for a pinch of it here and there, which may leave you scratching your head about how to use the rest of it. On the other hand, you may have a recipe that calls for just the juice and feel a bit guilty about throwing out the rest of the lemon without putting its zest to good use. In order to help alleviate your lemon woes, we've assembled a list of the tastiest ways to utilize leftover lemon zest in your kitchen — for sweet, savory, and everything in between. 

Lemon pepper is one of the most underrated wing sauces. While it doesn't have the same fiery pop of Buffalo or the subtle hickory flavor of barbecue sauce, it does certainly stand in a league of its own. You don't need to buy a pre-made lemon pepper seasoning for your homemade wings — you can make your own with one key ingredient: lemon zest. 

Fresh zest is a must-have for homemade lemon pepper seasoning because it adds an uplifting, vibrant bite. Commercial lemon pepper seasonings are often made with citric acid, which lacks the same distinct pop as lemon zest. So, when you make this seasoning yourself, you'll get a much bolder and more well-rounded flavor if you use fresh citrus. 

You can't zest your citrus fruit, mix it with pepper, and call it a day, though. In order to prolong its shelf life, you'll want to toast and dry the lemon zest before combining it with your other seasoning components. After a quick trip in the oven, your seasoning will be ready to be ground and stored for future lemon pepper wings. 

One of our favorite ways to utilize leftover lemon zest is to add a sprinkle to frostings and icings. Frostings, like buttercream, cream cheese frosting, and even whipped cream frosting, tend to be heavy and one-note — that one note being sweet. A little bit of lemon zest will help cut through the richness and make for a more balanced bite. You can also add a little bit of lemon zest to glazes and lighter frostings, too. Our lemon shortbread cookie recipe, for example, calls for incorporating the lemon zest after the cookies are iced, though you can also add it directly to the frosting if you prefer. 

You don't have to stick to adding a lemon zest-infused frosting or glaze to only lemon-based baked goods, either. Pair complementary flavors, like blueberries, strawberries, and peaches, with your infused topping to elevate your favorite baked goods, be it cakes or muffins. 

Homemade salad dressing is easier to make and more versatile than you may think. Essentially, you can combine any ingredients that pair well together with a bit of oil and vinegar, and you have a tasty topping to use on your greens. Lemon zest is a great ingredient to add to your homemade salad dressing because its flavor pairs well with an array of herbs and alliums — including basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and shallots — all of which are no strangers to homemade dressing. 

While adding a pinch of lemon zest to your dressing is one way to go about infusing it with a bright pop of citrus, you could also build a whole vinaigrette around the fruit. Pair with complementary flavors, like Dijon mustard for heat, honey for sweetness, and oil for volume and mouthfeel, and watch it bring a bright, unique flavor to everything from arugula and spinach to romaine and iceberg. 

Pancakes can be dense and heavy, and the food you order at a diner but never finish in a single sitting. But this breakfast staple shouldn't just be relegated to that. One way to lighten up your short stack is to combine it with a light cheese and lemon zest. Enter: lemon ricotta pancakes. 

Our recipe gets a lift from the help of fluffy egg whites, which gives it a soufflé-like texture. The lemon zest and juice are added to the pancake batter, but we won't blame you if you add a little bit of zest to the macerated berry topping as well. It's the perfect springtime breakfast to make when you're craving pancakes but not the weighty feeling that comes after eating them. 

You can also add lemon zest to your regular ol' pancake batter to uplift its flavor. It's in good company with other pancake add-ins, like blueberries and raspberries. 

One of the best things about lemon zest is that it's packed full of flavor. This is because the exterior of the fruit contains fragrant and flavorful compounds tied up in its oil. The easiest way to extract its flavor — without any of the slightly bitter, tart notes — is to infuse it with sugar. 

All you need to do is combine 1 cup of granulated white sugar with 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Once you've zested the fruit into your bowl of sugar, you can let the two meld together or take the hands-on approach and manually rub your zest into the sugar. This will aggravate and release those essential oils, flavoring the sugar and releasing a beautiful aroma. 

There are tons of ways that you can use this infused sugar; one of our favorites is to rim cocktails with it. That way, when you take a sip, you'll be greeted by the citrusy, punchy aroma — without any of the pithy, bitter undertones that tend to accompany lemons. 

Compound butter is relatively easy to make and allows you to use the flavor of lemon zest for a whole host of recipes. The basic formula for making compound butter is to take a softened stick of butter — any type will work, but ones with higher fat content, like Irish butter, are especially tasty — and whip it together with your add-ins of choice. While you can just add lemon zest to your butter, if you're after flavor, you're going to want to spice (or, should we say, herb) it up with seasonings like chopped thyme, rosemary, and parsley. 

Once your butter is whipped, you can pop it back into the fridge to harden, making it easier to slice later. A lemon-infused butter would be an excellent topping for salmon or freshly grilled shrimp, or you can spread it on warm biscuits for a simple, carby side. 

One way to add lemon to your baked goods is to whip up a glaze or a frosting with it. However, if you want a more mellow lemon flavor, you may want to try adding it to the batter or dough instead. This hack can work for a whole assortment of lemon-flavored baked goods — think lemon poppy seed muffins or lemon drizzle cake — though it's also helpful for adding acidity and brightness to heavy, non-lemon baked goods. For example, if your mixed berry scones are craving a pop of acid, you may want to try adding a little lemon zest to them. 

Lemon zest can also be added to savory bakes, though you'll want to exercise caution when working with flavor pairings. It's tasty paired with herbs, like in scones or savory breads, but should not be used in excess, as you don't want to overwhelm the flavor of your bakes. 

Your nonna's Sunday sauce recipe probably didn't call for lemon zest, but that's not to say that you can't experiment with it. Lemon is acidic, so it can help balance out a sauce with a little too much sugar added. It can also be an asset if you're working with out-of-season tomatoes that need an extra acidic boost. You'll want to add the lemon at the end of the cooking process, rather than when you add the tomatoes or saute the aromatics, since you'll want the brightness to come through fully.

You can also use lemon zest to craft a non-tomato sauce. One of Giada de Laurentiis' favorite recipes, for example, pairs lemon zest with high-quality olive oil, Parmesan, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. A sprinkle of zest on top of your pasta would offer an even more vibrant flavor and complement add-ins like shrimp or asparagus. 

One of the easiest ways to convert the acidic and tangy taste of citrus zest into something more approachable and sweet is to candy it. While it will take a little bit of time, as the rinds need to dry before they can be used, the process is more than worth it. 

There are two secrets to making this recipe work. The first is to use long strips of zest, removed from the fruit via a peeler rather than a microplane grater, so they're easier to handle. You'll also want to blanch the zest to remove its bitterness before you plop it into the boiling sugar syrup. 

The candied zest is a beautiful and sweet garnish for cakes and baked goods, though we won't blame you if you also sneak a shameless, quick bite straight from the rack that it dries on. The sugar syrup turns the tart zest's flavor into something more approachable. 

Lemon is a versatile flavor for both sweet and savory things. And it doesn't get more savory than meat and seafood. The citrus zest may be the pop of flavor and color you didn't know your favorite protein needed. 

For one, you can use lemon zest in a flavorful salmon glaze. Pair it with brown sugar and drizzle it over the filet as it's grilling. You can also make a lemon marinade for your chicken. Simply pair together lemon juice, zest, mustard, garlic, and oil, and use it to marinate your chicken breasts, wings, or thighs. Since it contains an acidic component, just make sure not to leave it for too long, as the meat may become mushy. If you want the lemon flavor to be paramount, you can also add the zest to the sauce that's served with your protein after it's cooked. 

Soups are notorious for being very warm and comforting — but also very heavy. If you want to lighten up the flavor of your next bowl, you may want to grab a lemon and a microplane grater. This addition will make your bowl of soup extra cozy and help balance out a particularly salty or heavy broth.

Not only can you simmer the peels directly into the broth itself, which will help mellow out the flavor of the citrus, but you can also just grate a little zest on top before serving. This will work for an array of soups, but it's an especially compelling addition to something like a basic chicken noodle soup. The acid will brighten up your palate and call attention to the veggies and the salty broth. You can also use lemon for sweet-leaning soups, like butternut squash or pumpkin soup.  

Rice, quinoa, and other grains tend to have very little or no flavor. But with the help of some extra tasty add-ins, you can have a fluffy and flavorful grain-based side within minutes. 

Lemon is a great pairing for grains because it will add depth without distracting too much from the texture. While it can be the secret ingredient you're looking for in a bowl of rice, it can also enhance the flavor of a more elaborate grain-based dish, like a risotto or a quinoa and veggie combo. The lemon pairs well with the salty and savory broth that grains are often cooked in, as well as veggies like onions, garlic, asparagus, and broccoli. For the boldest lemon flavor, zest your citrus on top of your plate right before serving. 

Roasting vegetables is the perfect way to add texture and introduce a unique flavor profile to otherwise ho-hum pieces of produce. Adding a little bit of lemon zest to your veggies can help accentuate their slightly charred flavor even more. 

There are certain veggies that pair better with lemon zest than others. Asparagus, for one, has a beautiful grassy and sulfuric undertone that meshes well with the bright pop of flavor from lemon zest. You can toss your spears with a little Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and lemon zest right before serving. We'd also recommend trying roasted broccoli with lemon zest, as the woody undertones and charred flavor are a great foil to the citrus' brightness. Make a summery side dish with thinly sliced asparagus or summer squash and lemon zest, and add a sprinkle of thyme for an even more beautiful flavor contrast. 

You probably don't look at pizza sauce and think about lemon zest, but it turns out that it might just be the acidic reprieve that your sauce is craving. Lemon zest is a balancer; its acidity will help bring attention to lackluster tomatoes or help tone down a sauce that's a little too sweet. Plus, red sauce is also usually brimming with complementary herbs — like thyme, basil, and parsley, making lemon zest anything but a strange bedfellow. 

You can also add lemon zest to your non-tomato sauce-topped pizzas, such as white sauce in seafood pizza. You can take inspiration from New Haven's white clam pie and add a sprinkle of zest alongside flavorful toppings like chopped clams, bacon, oregano, and garlic. It would also be an excellent garnish for a veggie-topped pie since the zest would contrast with the charred flavors of both the produce and the crust. 

Lemon curd is a really beautiful thing — so beautiful that you may be kicking yourself if you haven't tried making it yourself before. You can even make homemade lemon curd in the microwave by combining lemon zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a microwave-safe dish (like a ramekin or bowl). Slowly add in the melted butter, as adding it all at once may cause your eggs to curdle. From there, your curd needs to be nuked in the microwave in short increments and stirred in between to ensure that it comes out smooth, creamy, and custardy. 

Lemon curd is remarkably easy to use, and you'll find tons of sweet recipes that can benefit from its sweet profile and creamy mouthfeel. For one, you can use it in cake filling or adorn the top of your cupcakes with it. Or, drizzle it on your pancakes for a simple springtime stack that all your brunch-goers will love. 

Dips sure are tasty, especially when you figure out the right kind of chip to pair with them. But, many dips, including the likes of Buffalo chicken, spinach artichoke, whipped feta, and more, can taste awfully heavy at times. Luckily, lemon zest is here to save the day yet again. 

You'll need to be smart about how you pair this ingredient with your dips, as you want to only add enough to brighten it rather than hijack its entire flavor profile. You may only need a few teaspoons of zest to right your savory spinach artichoke dip; the artichokes and lemons are a great pairing, and any dip lover can appreciate how the lemon helps balance out this dip's innate richness. It can also help sequester a hot dip, like Buffalo chicken, if you tend to be a little heavy-handed with your sauce. 

One of the things we love most about lemon zest is that it doesn't just make a great addition to foods and beverages from a flavor perspective but also from a visual one. If your cocktails are looking a little boring, consider using lemon zest to boost sugar rims for a unique color and texture. 

You can mix a little bit of finely grated lemon zest into your sugar (or salt) rim or stick to a zest-only variation. Once you have your glasses ready, be sure to give them a little dip in water (or lemon juice) before rolling them in the zest. Your taste buds and nose will be met with nothing but brightness as you lean in and take a sip. 

There are many beverages deserving of a zesty rim upgrade, including the French 75, a citrusy margarita, or a Tom Collins. You can also use it to garnish an ABV-free beverage, like a souped-up lemonade.