Last Updated on July 3, 2025 by Jennifer Osborn
How to zest a lime? There are a few different ways but the best and easiest and the right way to zest is with a rasp-style grater.
And there's a certain technique to use so that you're zesting a time the right way and zesting every last spot of green flesh without leaving any unused.
A rasp style grater, Microplane makes a fantastic one, contains sharp, tiny teeth on one side.
The other side is slightly hollow for capturing the lime peel once its been grated into bits.
How to Zest a Lime the Right Way
- Hold the Microplane in your dominant hand, upside down so the tiny teeth face up.
- With your other hand, hold the lime. Gently move the lime across the Microplane in a smooth, back-and-forth sawing motion, rotating the lime as you go to avoid hitting the bitter white pith.
- The zest will collect on the underside of the grater—just tap or scrape it off when you're done.
Zesting Citrus the Wrong Way
I used to zest citrus by holding the Microplane teeth side up and holding the fruit over the top rubbing it back and forth.
I wasn't rotating the fruit as I zested it.
But, I couldn't see the fruit that way so I ended up with spots of white where the zest was removed amid spots of green, where the colored peel, still remained.
Tips for Using a Grater
Put a piece of wax paper down as a work space to catch the little bits of lime peel.
Always grate limes before slicing them to juice or to use for garnish.
Did you know you can freeze lemon and lime zest?
Several businesses sell rasp style graters but Microplane is probably the most well-known. And Microplane is a reliable brand.
These kitchen tools generally last a few years.
Bonus tip: rasp graters are perfect for shredding hard cheese like Parmesan or grating a block of chocolate.
Recipes for Using Fresh Lime Zest
Infuse your desserts, such as Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Pie, Key Lime Pie Bars and No-Bake Key Lime Pie.
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