What does lemongrass taste like?
Lemongrass tastes bright and lemony but softer than lemon, with a floral, slightly gingery and grassy edge and none of the sourness of lemon juice.
Lemongrass
lemon perfume without the sour
Lemongrass is a tall tropical grass with a woody stalk, and it tastes like lemon candy smells: citrusy and floral, with a little ginger warmth and a fresh, green edge. It has the scent of lemon without the acid, so dishes taste bright but not sour. Cooks bruise it to release the oils, then either simmer it whole and fish it out or pound the tender inner part into curry pastes. In Thai and Vietnamese food it's a quiet backbone more than a headline.
Where you’ll see it
In tom yum and tom kha soups, Thai curries, Vietnamese grilled lemongrass chicken, pork or beef, bánh mì, pho broths, and lemongrass tea and cocktails.
Order it if you like citrusy, fragrant food that tastes fresh without being sour.
Quick questions
- Do you eat lemongrass?
- Only the tender inner part, minced fine. Big woody pieces in soups and curries are there for flavor, so push them aside.
- Does lemongrass taste like lemon?
- It smells like lemon but is not sour. Think lemon peel and flowers with a little ginger, not lemon juice.