Jalapeño Lime Marinade (Low-Carb, Sugar-Free)

Try this delicious, gluten-free Easy Jalapeño Lime Marinade on meats and vegetables. It’s a versatile, bright, and spicy blend that adds big flavor without extra effort or preservatives.

This marinade is packed with garlic, lime, Worcestershire and jalapeño, so it brings bold flavor to chicken, beef, seafood, tofu and vegetables. Use it as a marinade, a finishing sauce, or a flavorful dressing for wraps, quesadillas, salads and more.

What ingredients do you need for Jalapeño Lime Marinade?

Below is a quick ingredients list; the full printable card appears in the recipe section.

• Juice and zest from 1 lime (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and diced (or 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños)
• Spices: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

This yields roughly 3/4 cup of marinade, enough for about 1.5 pounds of meat or vegetables. It’s easy to double or triple for larger batches. Store the marinade in an airtight, non-metal container in the refrigerator for several weeks.

How do you make Jalapeño Lime Marinade?

1. Combine the lime juice and zest, olive oil, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cumin in a bowl.
2. Stir in the chopped green onions and the seeded, diced jalapeño (or pickled jalapeños).
3. Pour the marinade over meat or vegetables and refrigerate. For best flavor chill 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the protein or vegetable.

How long should I marinate different meats and vegetables?

• Boneless, skinless chicken: 30 minutes to 3 hours
• Bone-in chicken: 2 to 6 hours
• Whole chicken: 4 to 12 hours
• Tender beef (ribeye, tenderloin): 15 minutes to 2 hours
• Medium-tender beef (sirloin, tri-tip, flank): 2 to 6 hours
• Tough beef cuts (chuck, brisket, round): 6 to 18 hours
• Seafood: 15 minutes to 1 hour
• Veggie proteins (tofu, tempeh, plant-based meats): 30 minutes to 4 hours
• Soft vegetables (greens, tomatoes): 10 to 20 minutes
• Semi-firm vegetables (green beans, asparagus, peppers): 30 minutes to 4 hours
• Firm vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets): 30 minutes to 18 hours

Turn meats and vegetables occasionally while marinating so all pieces are evenly coated. Store the marinade in a glass or food-grade plastic container to avoid metallic reactions with the lime juice.

What can I make with Jalapeño Lime Marinade?

This marinade is excellent for tacos—use marinated chicken or beef with low-carb tortillas, or add it to a chicken taco salad. It also works well on shrimp, on tostadas, or as a spicy topping for roasted vegetables. Try marinating sliced green tomatoes before frying for a spicy take on fried green tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella and basil.

How should I store this marinade?

Store the marinade in an airtight, non-metal container in the refrigerator for several weeks. Metal containers can react with acidic ingredients and change the flavor, so glass or food-grade plastic is best. You can freeze the marinade for several months, but avoid freezing meat or vegetables in the marinade, as prolonged acid exposure may alter texture.