I love having fresh lemons on hand! They are colorful, delicious, and endlessly useful, but just how much lemon juice is in each one?
Find out with this closer look at all the juicy details on lemons!
How Much Lemon Juice is in One Lemon?
Lemon juice is vital to have around the house. Home chefs and DIYers can use lemon juice for everything from mixology to cooking to cleaning and beyond, but how many lemons will you need for your project?
The easiest way to decide is by knowing how much juice each lemon produces. With this knowledge, you can always buy enough lemons for whatever citrus surprise you have cooking.
Within one fresh lemon, there is about 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. The range of juice depends on the size of the lemon. A small fruit has about 2 tablespoons, an average lemon has about 2 ½ tablespoons, and a large lemon has about 3 tablespoons.
How Many Lemons Do I Need?
Fresh lemon juice cannot be topped, that is why I always choose Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice. However, calculating how many lemons you need can be a task.
Here is a handy chart to help you decide exactly how many lemons you will need for your citrus recipe.
How Many Lemons Do I Need?
| Lemon Juice Needed | Number of Lemons Needed |
| ½ Tablespoon | A Quarter of 1 Small Lemon |
| 1 Tablespoon | Half of 1 Small Lemon |
| 1 ½ Tablespoons | Half 1 Average Lemon |
| 2 Tablespoons | 1 Small Lemon or ¾ Average Lemon |
| 2 ½ Tablespoons | 1 Average Lemon |
| 3 Tablespoons | 1 Large Lemon or 1 ½ Small Lemons |
| 3 ½ Tablespoons | 1 ½ Average Lemons |
| ¼ Cup | 1 ¾ Average Lemons or 2 Small Lemons |
This table should help you out in the grocery store. As a general rule of thumb, always err on the side of caution and purchase one.
Ashley says
Thanks so much for this helpful chart! So good to know for recipes that call for fresh lemon juice!
Nora says
Thank you, Ashley! I am happy you like the chart!
Sonja says
Usually I just throw more lemon juice at recipes than things need, as I just like the acidity, but I really love your chart! So handy when calculating for a week or so. This will get pinned in my kitchen pantry door, to have it on hand anytime.
Nora says
Thank you so much, Sonja! I am glad it was helpful for you!
Juyali says
I love the chart! Bookmarked. Thank you! 🙂
Nora says
Thank you, Juyali! 🙂