Key Lime

Key Lime

Key Lime in 500grams is a small, aromatic lime from Vietnam, valued for its sharp sour juice, lime green skin and bright citrus fragrance. It is suitable for customers looking for key lime, small lime, green lemon, lime green citrus, 青柠, fresh lime juice, cooking lime and drink garnish.

These Vietnamese key limes are commonly used for drinks, dipping sauces, marinades, seafood, noodles, salads, soups and desserts. The juice is sour and refreshing, while the peel can add a fragrant lime aroma when zested lightly.

Key lime is sometimes searched together with calamansi, calamansi lime, Lime and calamansi, and green lemon because these small sour citrus fruits are used in similar ways. However, key lime and calamansi are not exactly the same fruit. Key lime is a lime-type citrus, while calamansi is a different small citrus often called calamondin or Philippine lime.

Origin: Vietnam. Pack Format: 500g. Product photos are for reference only. 

Key Lime Quick Facts

Taste and Texture

Key lime has a sharp sour fruit taste with a bright citrus aroma. Compared with larger Persian limes, key lime is usually smaller, more aromatic and more intense in flavour. The juice is highly acidic and works well when you need a clean sour lift in food or drinks.

The peel is thin and fragrant, while the flesh is juicy and sour. Some fruits may contain seeds depending on the batch. Key lime is rarely eaten alone like a sweet fruit; it is usually squeezed, sliced, zested or used as a seasoning citrus.

• Vietnam Key Lime in a 500g pack
• Small lime with bright sour juice
• Useful for lemon-lime drinks, sauces and marinades
• Suitable for customers searching green lemon or 青柠
• Can be used similarly to calamansi in some recipes, but it is not exactly the same fruit
• Best washed before cutting, squeezing or zesting

What is Key Lime?

Key lime is a small sour citrus fruit with a thin peel, strong aroma and sharp lime flavour. It is commonly used for fresh lime juice, cocktails, sauces, marinades, desserts and savoury cooking.

In Singapore, some customers may call small green limes “green lemon” or 青柠. This page uses Key Lime as the main product name because the fruit is sold as a lime-type citrus from Vietnam.

Key lime is useful when you want a stronger sour citrus flavour than regular lemon. It gives a clean, bright and slightly floral acidity that works especially well with seafood, chicken, chilli, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, honey and mint.

Lime and Calamansi

Lime and calamansi are often used in similar ways, especially for drinks, dipping sauces, noodles, seafood and Southeast Asian cooking. Both are small sour citrus fruits, but they are not exactly the same.

Key lime is a lime-type fruit with a sharper, cleaner sour taste. Calamansi is a different small citrus often known as calamondin or Philippine lime, with a more orange-like aroma and a sweet-tart mandarin-lime character when ripe.

If a recipe asks for calamansi and you only have key lime, you can sometimes use key lime as a substitute for sourness. The flavour will be sharper and less orange-like than calamansi.

Small Lime for Cooking and Drinks

Key lime is useful as a small lime for everyday kitchen use. It can be squeezed over noodles, grilled seafood, soups, salads, rice dishes, fruit, tacos, marinades and dipping sauces.

The juice is strong, so a little goes a long way. Start with a small amount, taste, then add more if you need extra sourness.

• Squeeze into iced water or soda water
• Use for fresh lime juice drinks
• Add to Thai, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian sauces
• Squeeze over grilled fish, prawns or squid
• Use in marinades for chicken, beef and seafood
• Add to salads, noodles and soups
• Use for key lime pie, lime curd or desserts
• Pair with honey, mint, chilli, garlic, fish sauce and soy sauce

Fresh Lime Juice

Fresh key lime juice has a sharp, sour and aromatic taste. It works well in both sweet and savoury recipes, especially when you need acidity to balance salt, sugar, chilli or richness.

Lime Leaf Note

Some customers searching for lime leaf may land on lime fruit pages. This product is fresh key lime fruit, not lime leaves.

For Thai curries and Southeast Asian dishes, lime leaf usually refers to makrut lime leaf, which is a different aromatic leaf ingredient. Key lime fruit is best used for juice, slices and zest, while lime leaves are used mainly for fragrance in curries, soups and sauces.

How to Use Key Lime

Wash the limes under clean running water before cutting, squeezing or zesting. Roll the lime gently on the table before cutting to help release more juice.

• Wash before use
• Roll gently to loosen the juice
• Cut in half and squeeze by hand or with a citrus press
• Remove seeds if needed
• Use juice immediately for the brightest flavour
• Zest only the green outer peel and avoid the bitter white pith
• Keep cut limes covered and refrigerated

Key Lime Nutrition Overview

Key lime can be enjoyed as part of everyday cooking and drinks. Like other limes, it naturally contains water, carbohydrates, dietary fibre and vitamin C. It is mainly used for sourness and aroma rather than eaten in large amounts.

Nutrition values vary by variety, size, juice yield, ripeness and batch. Lime is fresh fruit and is not a medical treatment.

Customers tracking calories, sugar or carbohydrates closely should weigh the edible portion or measure the juice used because lime size and juice yield vary by batch.

Storage and Handling Guide

Keep whole, unwashed key limes at room temperature if you plan to use them soon. For longer freshness, refrigerate the limes dry in a produce drawer, breathable bag or container.

Wash only before cutting, squeezing or zesting. Cut limes should be covered and refrigerated. Fresh lime juice can also be stored covered in the refrigerator for short-term use or frozen in ice cube trays for longer storage.

• Keep at room temperature for short-term use
• Refrigerate for longer freshness
• Store dry and unwashed
• Wash before cutting, squeezing or zesting
• Keep cut limes covered and refrigerated
• Freeze extra lime juice if needed
• Remove mouldy, leaking or overly soft limes early

Why Buy Key Lime from SKC Fruits

SKC Fruits offers fresh produce for customers in Singapore who want convenient online ordering and delivery. Key Lime from Vietnam is suitable for shoppers looking for key lime, small lime, green lemon, 青柠, fresh lime juice, lime green fruit and sour citrus for cooking or drinks.

• Fresh Key Lime from Vietnam
• Small lime with sharp sour juice
• Useful for drinks, sauces, marinades and seafood
• Supports green lemon and 青柠 search terms
• Includes safe comparison for lime and calamansi searches
• Clear note that this is key lime fruit, not lime leaf
• Convenient fresh lime delivery in Singapore from SKC Fruits