Grapefruit juice is a great orange juice substitute for cocktails and other drinks. It has a tart and tangy flavor that will add depth to your recipe. It can also be used in marinades and vinaigrettes.
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Brilliant Orange Juice Substitute
Here are 18 brilliant ways to substitute for orange juice if you’re in a pinch or don’t like the taste.
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, several easy substitutes can take its place.
The Best Ways to Substitute for Orange Juice
1. Orange Extract – Orange Juice Substitute
The 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 the 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.
2. Citric Acid – Orange Juice Substitute
Citric acid is a great substitute for baked goods that rise like cakes, muffins, and bread. It’s also a good substitute for those who don’t like the orange flavor.
When baking, substitute orange juice with 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid per cup of sugar.
3. Orange Concentrate – Orange Juice Substitute
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 – Orange Juice Substitute
Here’s a great noncitrus 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 – Orange Juice Substitute
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 – Orange Juice Substitute
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 – Orange Juice Substitute
Zest is the colorful part of the orange peel. And it has an intense orange flavor and a slightly bitter aftertaste. You can use the 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 – Orange Juice Substitute
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 – Orange Juice Substitute
Pineapple juice is an excellent substitute for orange juice and has a similar tangy-sweet flavor. It works perfectly as a substitute for orange juice in smoothies and your favorite cake recipe.
Use pineapple juice to substitute for orange juice 1 to 1.
10. Orange Liqueur
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.
Recipe of Orange Liqueur
Ingredients
- 30 grams (1/2 cup, unpacked) fresh navel orange peel, from 2 medium oranges
- 2 1/2 cups vodka
- 10 grams (2 tablespoons) dried bitter orange peel
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Steps to Make It
- Gather the ingredients.
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from two navel oranges.
- In a 1-quart jar, add the vodka, fresh orange peel, and dried bitter orange peel. Seal, shake well, and let infuse in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks (or up to 1 month), shaking the jar every day or two.
- The day the infusion is complete, make a rich simple syrup: Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved and the syrup is clear. Reduce to a simmer. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let cool completely.
- Strain the orange peels from the vodka using a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.
- Rinse out the infusion jar and use it to blend the orange liqueur by adding 3/4 cup of the simple syrup to the orange-infused vodka. Shake very well for at least 30 seconds. Taste the liqueur and add more syrup to sweeten to taste.
- Transfer the orange liqueur to a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid and use it in your favorite cocktail recipes.
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.
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 substitute for orange juice. 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 tartiness.
15. 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, similar to coke. But it’s best for recipes that require less than ½ cup of orange juice as it’s particularly sweet.
More Frequently Asked Questions
Orange juice is a good one-to-one substitute for lemon juice in most recipes. It’s less acidic, sweeter, and less tart than lemon juice. Plus, it has a different flavor profile. In recipes in which a large amount of lemon juice is needed, substituting it with orange juice may significantly impact the flavor.
Orange juice doesn’t taste quite the same, but if it’s all you’ve got you can use it as a 1-for-1 substitute for lime juice.
A clinical study reported that drinking 100% orange juice following exercise contributed to hydration equally as well as water or a sports drink, making 100% orange juice a viable and healthy option as a post-exercise beverage.
Lime Juice Substitutes. Other citrus juices: In most dishes, a 1:1 substitute of lemon juice will work just fine. (Cocktail chef Matthew Biancaniello is even using lemon in margaritas.) Depending on the recipe you could also try grapefruit juice or orange juice, bearing in mind that these are sweeter than lime.
Nutritionally, they’re almost identical and share many of the same potential health benefits. Both fruits are acidic and sour, but lemons tend to be sweeter, while limes have a more bitter flavor. These flavor differences typically drive their different culinary uses.
Conclusion
Grapefruit juice is a great orange juice substitute for cocktails and other drinks. It has a tart and tangy flavor that will add depth to your recipe. It can also be used in marinades and vinaigrettes. 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, several easy substitutes can take their place.
Orange juice is a good one-to-one substitute for lemon juice in most recipes. It’s less acidic, sweeter, and less tart than lemon juice. Plus, it has a different flavor profile. In recipes in which a large amount of lemon juice is needed, substituting it with orange juice may significantly impact the flavor.
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