Grapefruit Substitutes

Out of grapefruit? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert grapefruit between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the grapefruit converter.

What to use instead of grapefruit

  • Orange

    Produce swap

    1 cup grapefruit segments = 1 cup orange segments (1:1 by volume)

    Orange (190 g/cup) is lighter than grapefruit (240 g/cup) and significantly sweeter with none of the bitter edge. Works in salads, marmalade, and dressings. Add a small squeeze of lemon or reduce sugar slightly to keep the tartness if the bitterness was load-bearing in the recipe.

    See orange substitutes →

  • Lemon

    Produce swap

    1 cup grapefruit juice = 1 cup lemon juice (1:1 by volume)

    Lemon is sharper and more purely acidic than grapefruit, without the bitter, floral notes. Both sit at 240 g/cup as juice. Use lemon when you want clean citrus acid in dressings, marinades, and cocktails; add a pinch of sugar if the recipe relied on grapefruit's hint of sweetness.

    See lemon substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for grapefruit?
There are 2 workable substitutes for grapefruit, depending on what you have on hand and which property of grapefruit matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup grapefruit segments = 1 cup orange segments (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting grapefruit change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the grapefruit converter
How do I measure grapefruit accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The grapefruit converter on this site converts between whole items, cups, US cups, grams, ounces, and pounds, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the grapefruit converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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