Categories: Recipe

18 Brilliant Ways to Substitute for Orange Juice

Published by
James marcus

Need a good substitute for orange juice? Here are 18 ingredients you can use to replace orange juice in a pinch, plus 4 delicious recipes!

Here are 18 brilliant ways to substitute for orange juice if you’re in a pinch or don’t like the taste.

You’ll find the best substitutes for baked goods, marinades, smoothies, cocktails, and more. Plus, I share 4 delicious recipes that call for orange juice so you can try out your favorite stand-ins.

Orange Juice 101

Fresh orange juice is the quintessential morning beverage. But, it’s also a key ingredient in dessert recipes, marinades, and salad dressings mixed with olive oil and herbs.

This healthy juice is packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, and micronutrients like folate and potassium.

Oranges and various orange juice products are readily available in stores. And you can find juice with pulp, pulp-free, reduced sugar, mixed with other juices, in concentrated form, and more.

But if you don’t like citrus fruits, have an allergy, or simply run out, there are several easy substitutes that can take its place.

The Best Substitutes for Orange Juice

1. Orange Extract

Orange extract has a stronger citrus flavor than regular orange juice. And it consists of water, alcohol, and orange rind oil.

Because it has a stronger flavor, consider toning it down with added water. You can use orange extract as a 1-to-1 substitute for marinades, sauces, dressings, and baking.

However, if you use it for a baking recipe that requires acidity, you’ll need to add a squeeze of lemon.

RELATED: 15 Easy Ways to Substitute for Almond Extract

2. Citric Acid

Citric acid is a great substitute for baked goods that rise like cakes, muffins, and breads. It’s also a good substitute for those who don’t like orange flavor.

When baking, substitute orange juice with 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid per cup of sugar.

3. Orange Concentrate

You can use this substitute for almost any recipe. Orange Juice concentrate is regular orange juice, processed to have the water content removed.

Substitute 1 cup of orange juice with 1/4 cup of orange juice concentrate and 3/4 cups water.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Here’s a great non-citrus substitute for orange juice – apple cider vinegar! Just add a sprinkle of sugar or sweetener to mask the sour notes.

Mix equal parts vinegar and water to the required amount of orange juice for the dish.

5. Orange Marmalade

Marmalade has a sweet flavor and thick consistency that’s great for marinades and sauces. And you can add some vinegar or lemon juice to help cut the sweetness.

Start with a 2 to 1 ratio (orange juice to marmalade) and add some extra liquid if needed.

6. Grand Marnier

You can use Grand Marnier to substitute for orange juice in chicken recipes, marinades, and sauces. However, it does have a less intense orange flavor. So, you may need to increase the ratio if possible.

Grand Marnier is a cognac liqueur and does contain alcohol, so keep that in mind when cooking.

7. Orange Zest

Zest is the colorful part of the orange peel. And it has an intense orange flavor and slightly bitter aftertaste.

You can use orange zest as a substitute in recipes that don’t require the liquid from the orange, but only the orange flavor.

You’ll need 1 teaspoon of orange zest per 2 tablespoons of orange juice.

8. Lemon Zest

You can also use lemon zest the same way you would orange zest. However, your dish may have a more tart and sour taste.

You can compensate by adding additional sweetener or liquid depending on the recipe.

Use 1 teaspoon of lemon zest for every 2 tablespoons of orange juice.

9. Pineapple Juice

Pineapple juice is an excellent orange juice substitute and has a similar tangy-sweet flavor. It works perfectly as a substitute in smoothies and your favorite cake recipe.

Use pineapple juice to substitute for orange juice 1 to 1.

RELATED: 17 Awesome Ways to Substitute for Pineapple Juice

10. Orange Liqueur

Orange liqueur has a mild orange flavor. And it works great for beverages, desserts, and some baked goods.

However, it does contain an alcohol content of 30-40% so be aware of that when cooking.

Use orange liqueur as a 1-to-1 substitute for orange juice.

11. Grapefruit Juice

If you don’t mind the slightly bitter taste, you can use grapefruit juice in place of orange juice for baking, smoothies, and sauces.

It has a fresh citrus flavor that works well with similar ingredients. However, you may want to add sugar or another sweetener to tone down the bitter notes.

Use grapefruit juice as a 1-to-1 substitute.

12. Lemon Juice

Here’s a similar citrus fruit you can use to replace orange juice. Lemon juice is much more tart, but it has similar flavor notes.

This substitute works well for marinades to tenderize the meat, salad dressings, and grilled recipes. But you may need to add a little sweetness like a drizzle of honey.

RELATED: 17 Easy Ways to Substitute for Honey

13. Lime Juice

You can use lime juice to substitute for orange juice the same way you would lemon juice. It’s another great meat tenderizer and marinade ingredient for the grill.

You can also use lime juice for salad dressings and citrusy sauces.

14. Meyer Lemons

If you’ve never heard of Meyer lemons, they’re a hybrid fruit native to China. And it’s a mix between lemon and mandarin.

Meyer lemons are less sour than regular lemons, so they’re a great orange juice substitute. You can use them anywhere you would orange juice. And they’re especially great for smoothies.

If you’re using more than a couple of tablespoons, you might need to add some sweetener with water to minimize the tartness.

RELATED: The Best Meyer Lemonade Recipe

15. Coke

If you’re in a pinch, you can use coke to substitute for orange juice. It might not seem like the most obvious replacement, but it’s a great leavening agent for baked goods.

Your cookies and cakes will come out super airy and fluffy!

Use as a 1-to-1 substitute, but be sure to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe as coke is very sweet!

16. Orange-Flavored Soda

While orange soda doesn’t have the fresh citrusy taste of orange juice, it does have a similar orange flavor.

You can use orange soda as an orange juice substitute for baked goods, similarly to coke.

But it’s best for recipes that require less than ½ cup of orange juice as it’s particularly sweet.

17. Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a great replacement for orange juice in baking recipes. And perfect if you don’t like orange flavor. You can use buttermilk as a 1-to-1 substitute.

And if you don’t have any on hand, you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk or almond milk to create a suitable replacement.

However, it’s not a good replacement for orange juice in recipes for a glaze.

18. Tamarind Paste + Water

Here’s a unique orange juice substitute that may take you out of your comfort zone a bit. But, it’s a great replacement for baked recipes.

Tamarind paste comes from the sour and sweet sticky fruit from the tamarind tree. And it’s popular in Asian and Latin cuisine.

You can find it in specialty foods stores and sometimes in the world foods section of a regular grocery store.

To use tamarind paste as an orange juice substitute, reconstitute 1 tablespoon of the paste with 1 tablespoon of water in a one-to-one ratio, plus a tablespoon or two of sugar or sweetener.

FAQs

Yummy Recipes to Try

Here are some easy and delicious recipes that call for orange juice to try out your favorite way to substitute above!

Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese and Oranges

Crockpot Cinnamon and Honey Carrots

Delicious Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Grilled Sausage Kabobs with a Honey Mustard Glaze

Orange Julius

This post was last modified on 11/10/2023 14:28

James marcus

Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.

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Published by
James marcus

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