Lime Frozen Yogurt with Black Pepper

Lime frozen yogurt with black pepper is a perfect summertime treat. A light refreshment after dinner or something sweet that won’t weigh you down during those long, hot afternoons. Black pepper may sound unusual and counterintuitive, but trust us, it works.

Three assorted bowls of lime frozen yogurt with black pepper with a spoon on the side.

Adapted from Sabrina Ghayour | Simply | Mitchell Beazley, 2020

Why I didn’t think of this recipe years ago is beyond me. Simply put, if you want something to refresh your palate after a heavy meal and give you just a hint of sweetness and plenty of satisfaction, then this is for you. It’s probably the most surprising little sorbet you could try–it sounds like it shouldn’t work but it really, really does.– Sabrina Ghayour

WHY WOULD YOU PUT BLACK PEPPER IN FROZEN YOGURT?

So, you might be taken back at the suggestion of swirling a little bit of black pepper into your lime frozen yogurt but it’s actually a truly inspired idea. Black pepper is primarily used in savory dishes for a touch of heat but it has sublime floral and fruity undertones. And the creamy fat in the yogurt tamps down the spiciness a little bit, leaving you with a flavor profile that works really well with the lime frozen yogurt. Use whole black pepper that you’ve ground freshly for the occasion, it makes all the difference.

Lime Frozen Yogurt with Black Pepper

Three assorted bowls of lime frozen yogurt with black pepper with a spoon on the side.
I love it so much that I could happily eat it every day, especially when the weather is warmer.

Prep 10 mins
Churn Time 15 mins
Total 25 mins
Dessert
Middle Eastern
6 servings
82 kcal
5 / 5 votes
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Equipment

  • Ice cream maker

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups store-bought or homemade Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1 fat lime preferably organic
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
 

  • In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, lime zest and juice, and pepper.
  • Pour the yogurt mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn for about 15 minutes, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This frozen yogurt is best served straight from the ice-cream maker.
Print RecipeBuy the Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes cookbook

Want it? Click it.

Show Nutrition

Serving: 1portionCalories: 82kcal (4%)Carbohydrates: 14g (5%)Protein: 7g (14%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Trans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mg (1%)Sodium: 24mg (1%)Potassium: 110mg (3%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 79mg (8%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

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Recipe Testers’ Reviews

As the recipe mentions, this is a refreshing frozen yogurt. I feel like it would make a great dessert after a spicy meal. The only funky part was finding crushed peppercorns now and then in my mouth when eating it. I added a pinch of coarse salt, which I add to all ice cream recipes. I also appreciate that this didn’t make a whole quart of frozen yogurt, I like the scaled-down amount.

Bright refresher with a crisp balance of lime and creamy yogurt, and the accent of black pepper that makes this lime frozen yogurt with black pepper completely enticing. The black pepper and lime seem to boldly go in independent directions, yet together create a delicious tension. The math-inclined side of the household described it as orthogonal (at right angles), a word I’ve never used to describe food before. These are such intense elements, yet together they build an accord with the creamy tartness of the yogurt that I don’t think you’d get with milk or cream.

This recipe comes together with so little work, the biggest decision is to make sure your ice cream maker bowl is in the freezer the night before. I almost always have Greek yogurt on hand as well as limes. No worries about if you should use full fat, it delivers a creamy result with non-fat. I did sift the powdered sugar so there were no lumps and tossed the zest and pepper in a bit of the sifted sugar to help make sure the zest didn’t clump.

Normally my ice cream maker takes about 20 minutes, but I think I’d stop short of that next batch, maybe 15 minutes, as getting the last frozen layer out called for some creative persistence, but after one taste I wasn’t about to leave any behind. Although this seems like a small batch, I think the refreshing intensity works so well I’d serve it as a palate cleanser in smaller portions. Two small scoops in a cortado or affogato-size cup were a perfect cooler on a triple-digit summer day.

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

#leitesculinaria on Instagram If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a fantastic ending to an Indian dinner party. I made especially for a dinner guest who can’t eat eggs, thus this simple frozen yogurt fit the bill. The black pepper was unexpected and surprising, and I’ll make it again.

  2. 5 stars
    This recipe was very quick and easy to make. I made mine with 2% Greek yogurt and it came out very creamy. The black pepper is much more subtle than I expected, but goes very well with the lime. I ate a small bowl right away, and then put the rest in popsicle molds to enjoy later.

    1. I’m so pleased to hear that you loved this, Tara. Love the popsicle suggestion!

  3. Not convinced that lime yogurt with pepper is something I need but I think I do need that green bowl. Is that something that’s available?

    1. Right, Rainey? It’s quite spectacular. (As is the frozen yogurt!). I’ll check with our product specialist and see if she’s seen anything similar.

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