How to Eat Yuzu—a Unique Citrus Fruit That Chefs Adore (2024)

Yuzu, even its name is alluring. A member of the citrus family with a tart juice and famously fragrant skin, yuzu is hard to find but as culinary pros explain, well worth seeking out. What is so magical about this diminutive fruit, and what are the best ways to use it? We spoke to cooking teachers, a citrus farmer, and a pioneering liqueur maker to find out when and where to use yuzu in drinks, sauces, and more.

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What Makes Yuzu So Special?

Yuzu is “the small Japanese fruit with a big appeal,” says Tony Marquez, farmer, owner, and operator of Pearson Ranch in Porterville, CA. Fans are passionate about its unique qualities. Los Angeles spirits owner Ann Soh Woods loves the unique and heady aroma and flavor of yuzu so much that she created a liqueur, Yuzuri, with it—and even named her dog after the fruit. Fernando Marulanda, a chef-instructor at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, praises yuzu as a treat for the nose and palate, calling it a "marriage celebration between floral botanicals, citrus fruits, and sunlight."

Marquez explains this aromatic citrus is native to East Asia, and importing it into the United States is illegal, so any yuzu fruits you buy in the U.S. will be grown in California. Yuzu is also available as bottled juice.

How to Eat Yuzu

Yuzu is a refreshing switch-up from the wonderful but ubiquitous lemon and lime, says Ann Ziata, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus. Like lemons and limes, yuzu is not usually eaten on its own. The juice is the most frequently used part of the fruit, appearing in sauces, dressings, marinades, and a meat tenderizer for fish, pork, or chicken. The zest and peel are also used.

Flavors That Pair Well With Yuzu

Caramel and green tea are good partners for yuzu says Meghan Dillon, senior nutrition associate at HelloFresh. She also suggests using the citrus with sweeter foods such as jellies, jams, and desserts. Ziata says yuzu also plays well with passion fruit and sesame.

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Using Yuzu Raw

Yuzu juice and zest can be used without heating. Ziata says yuzu zest is lemony with hints of white blossoms, lime leaf, and grapefruit; the pith is quite bitter; and yuzu juice is tart and reminiscent of grapefruit juice with a few drops of mandarin.

When using raw yuzu, Ziata recommends treating the fruit much as you would a lemon. “Give it a little rinse in cold water and dry before zesting. There are seeds too, so you’ll want to strain the juice before using,” she says.

In general, Marulanda says you can use yuzu in any recipe that requires citrus. He encourages this approach to allow experimentation and to find the right balance for your palate.

  • Try it in place of lemon or lime juice in salad dressings
  • Mince yuzu peel as a garnish for broiled or sauteed fish
  • Add finely grated zest and juice to tuna tartare
  • Make a yuzu-infused vinegar

Using Yuzu in Drinks

Yuzu is an unsung hero of mocktails and cocktails, where it's also generally used uncooked. Soh Woods says you can usually replace yuzu for lemon in drink recipes, and if you’re making a lemon or lime twist for a martini, try substituting yuzu peel. She recommends this approach to enjoy the incredible scent that is unlike any other citrus fruit. Ziata is a fan of making a yuzu Tom Collins, a simple, elevated sparkling lemonade cocktail. “All you need is gin, yuzu juice, simple syrup, club soda, and ice,” she says. Another favorite is a yuzu margarita—just swap the lime juice for yuzu juice.

You can also make refreshing, non-alcoholic yuzu drinks by adding the juice to ginger ale, seltzer, and green tea.

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Cooking with Yuzu

The whole yuzu fruit is used for making marmalades or other preserves but most of the time you’ll likely just use the rind for zest or the juice.

Marulanda and Ziata shared ideas for cooking with yuzu:

  • Add a few pieces of yuzu peel to miso soup to give it a whole new dimension of flavor
  • Use yuzu in a simple butter sauce or Hollandaise to use with savory proteins
  • Make candied yuzu peel to garnish ice cream or sorbet.
  • Add the juice and zest to custards or sorbet.

Make Ponzu Sauce: Perhaps the best-known use of yuzu is as an ingredient in ponzu sauce, which is made from citrus juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and dashi, says Ziata. There are many recipes for ponzu sauce, some involve cooking, some a little cooking. Ziata suggests combining a splash of yuzu juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and a drop of honey for a no-cook version for stir-fried vegetables. Garnish with lightly toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions, and finely grated yuzu zest if you like. Ponzu sauce can also be used as a marinade or a dipping sauce.

Try Yuzu Granita: For pure yuzu flavor, Marulanda suggests his three-ingredient granita:

  1. Make a simple syrup, using two parts water to one part sugar.
  2. Remove the rind from the yuzu and finely dice it.
  3. Squeeze the juice out of the fruit.
  4. While the simple syrup is still hot, incorporate the flesh and juice into it and mix until fully incorporated.
  5. Transfer the mixture into a glass Pyrex or casserole dish, cover and place in the freezer. Freeze for 4 hours; scrape the mixture with a fork every half hour to one hour.

Note: If you can't find the whole yuzu fruit, you can also use yuzu juice, about ¼ to ½cup for the granita.

Tips for Working With Yuzu

  • Buying yuzu for the first time? Like most citrus, says Dillon, yuzu ripens in the winter and when shopping for one at the grocer or farmers’ market, seek out fruit that feels heavy for its size with bumpy and firm skin.
  • When zesting, the most important rule of thumb is to only zest the top of the peel where the flavor compounds are and avoid grating the white bitter pith into the zest, says Ziata. And, always zest before juicing, she adds.
  • If you have more yuzu than you plan on using, we envy you! Ziata says the juice can be frozen. Alternatively, make a big batch of yuzu marmalade.
How to Eat Yuzu—a Unique Citrus Fruit That Chefs Adore (2024)

FAQs

How to Eat Yuzu—a Unique Citrus Fruit That Chefs Adore? ›

Yuzu can be eaten raw or cooked. The zest and juice are commonly used to flavor dishes similarly to how lemon or lime zest is used. Popular uses for yuzu include cooked with chicken, baked with scallops or other seafood, and simmered into ramen.

How do you eat yuzu? ›

Yuzu can be eaten raw or cooked. The zest and juice are commonly used to flavor dishes similarly to how lemon or lime zest is used. Popular uses for yuzu include cooked with chicken, baked with scallops or other seafood, and simmered into ramen.

Why is yuzu fruit illegal in the USA? ›

In the United States, the Department of Agriculture has a ban on the import of fresh yuzu (alongside most citrus plants) from abroad, including both the fruit and the trees. This is intended to prevent the spread of contagious diseases amongst domestic crops.

Can you eat yuzu like an orange? ›

Yuzu Basics

Larger than a mandarin orange but smaller than a grapefruit, yuzu's uneven skin is typically yellow or green, depending on its ripeness. Inside, yuzu flesh is similar to a lemon's and is very aromatic. Rarely eaten as a whole fruit, yuzu is mostly used for its zest and juice.

How do you use yuzu? ›

4 Ways to Cook With Yuzu
  1. Use the rind as a garnish. ...
  2. Use it as a condiment. ...
  3. Add it to sauces, dressings, and marinades. ...
  4. Add it to beverages.
Feb 28, 2024

Can you drink yuzu straight? ›

There are many ways to add yuzu flavor to your daily beverages. For example, try squeezing a few drops of yuzu juice into fresh or carbonated water the same way you would with lemon. You can also try drinking fresh yuzu juice straight as is in a shot glass (about 30ml) in the morning.

What food pairs with yuzu? ›

Savory yuzu pairings
  • Yuzu + Avocado – The creamy texture and subtle flavor of avocado enhance yuzu's bright and tangy taste.
  • Yuzu + Soy Sauce – The umami depth of soy sauce enhances the complex citrus notes of yuzu, perfect for savory dishes.
Jul 15, 2024

Why is yuzu so expensive? ›

Fresh yuzu is banned from being imported into the U.S. in order to protect American agriculture. "However, yuzu is now grown within the U.S., but the supply is scarce and therefore expensive,” explains Hung.

Can you get fresh Yuzu in the US? ›

Marquez explains this aromatic citrus is native to East Asia, and importing it into the United States is illegal, so any yuzu fruits you buy in the U.S. will be grown in California. Yuzu is also available as bottled juice.

How healthy is yuzu? ›

A diet high in antioxidants has been linked to disease prevention. Two compounds in yuzu fruit, hesperidin and naringin, can keep platelets (colorless blood cells that help clotting) from sticking to the lining of blood vessels. This antiplatelet activity can prevent blood clots and inflammation of blood vessels.

Is yuzu healthier than lemon? ›

“You're getting similar benefits from all of them. Yuzu is not a superior fruit by any means.” Yuzu and lemon are used similarly in cooking, too. Their juice and zest serve more as an accent or flavor enhancer for dishes or drinks — including coffee.

Does yuzu juice need to be refrigerated? ›

However, we recommend refrigerating for best taste, especially after opening. For maximum quality and longevity, we keep our juice in cold storage after production.

What is yuzu supposed to taste like? ›

Yuzu is very sour and tastes like a mix between a tangy lemon, bitter grapefruit and sweet orange. Its tart flavor profile is underscored with hints of floral and herbal notes. Compared to other more common citrus varieties, yuzu has a powerful aroma, giving off a zesty, honeysuckle-like fragrance when ripe.

Can yuzu be eaten raw? ›

Unlike other citrus fruits, such as oranges and clementines, yuzu fruits are intensely tart and are rarely consumed raw. Instead, the juice, rinds, and seeds of the yuzu fruit are used as ingredients in cocktails, teas, and sweet and savory dishes.

What spices go well with yuzu? ›

The flower blossom notes provide extra complexity to these fruits, and as a result, yuzu juice can be an interesting substitution for orange blossom water, and will work well alongside cinnamon, cloves, pistachio, and rose.

Why put yuzu in bath? ›

Yuzu baths are believed to guard against colds, treat the roughness of skin, warm the body, and relax the mind. Hot spring bathing is widely used for the regulation of human physical conditions.

What does yuzu do for the body? ›

A diet high in antioxidants has been linked to disease prevention. Two compounds in yuzu fruit, hesperidin and naringin, can keep platelets (colorless blood cells that help clotting) from sticking to the lining of blood vessels. This antiplatelet activity can prevent blood clots and inflammation of blood vessels.

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