10 Greatest Orange Juice Substitutes

Orange juice has repeatedly shown to be more than simply a traditional refreshing beverage in the kitchen.

It has a well-balanced acidity and sweetness, as well as a high concentration of antioxidants and micronutrients including vitamin C, folate, and potassium, making it excellent in fruit cakes, meat marinades, smoothies, and salad dressings.

Yet, if the case calls for it, there are various orange juice replacements that provide equal advantages while without interfering with your recipe too much.

Of course, no component can beat orange in the orange-flavor competition. But you can get close, particularly if you use any of these substitutes: apple cider vinegar, orange liqueur, orange marmalade, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and so on.

Best Substitutes for Orange Juice

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

If you’re short of oranges, this is a great orange juice substitute, particularly for fruit baking, salads, marinades, vinaigrettes, and dips.

It adds acidity to your dish but takes away the orange taste.

In your local grocery shop, you may find a variety of vinegars. Maybe, instead of using normal vinegar, apple cider vinegar is always preferred.

The reason for this is because it has more nutrients that provide several health advantages, as well as an unique sweetish-tart flavor that is excellent in sweeter pickles, salad dressings, and cooking, particularly if it has the mother identified on it.

Nonetheless, the acidic flavor of apple cider vinegar may be strong and impossible to ignore. But don’t worry.

Stir the vinegar with the water gradually until you reach the appropriate quantity. To reduce the acidity, you may also add some sugar or honey. It would refill the acid as well as the sweetness.

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2. Orange Marmalade

Instead of traveling to the shop after a lengthy journey to acquire a carton of orange juice, utilize the jam (Orange Marmalade) as a backup choice.

It’s one of my favorite items to use while preparing barbecue sauce and marinade. And it works perfectly.

Unfortunately, it is not suitable for baking.

The taste is really sweet. As a result, if you don’t require as much sweetness, just lessen the amount utilized. Instead, squeeze a little amount of lemon to provide acidity to balance out the sweetness of the meal.

Also see: Best Lime Marmalade Substitutes

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3. Orange Liqueur

There are several orange liqueurs on the market, including Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, and Cointreau.

To be honest, it doesn’t matter whatever brand you choose.

You’ll always sense its tanginess and sweetness, as well as the delightful scent of the oranges, which is somewhat different from that of orange juice.

Despite their varying levels of heat, they are perfect for sauces, soups, and marinades. Therefore be cautious with the stuff you use.

A shot of orange liqueur may be used in place of a cup of orange juice.

Also, you won’t have to worry about the alcohol burning off throughout the cooking process. However it may still taste somewhat boozy.

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4. Orange Extract or concentrate

This is definitely one of the greatest orange juice substitutions, particularly if your recipe asks for a dessert with an orange taste.

While orange extract is only the oils in the peel of an orange, its taste is fairly intense, so dilute it with water before using it.

The additional benefit of employing this alternative, on the other hand, is that a few drops not only go a long way but also produce delightful meals.

Apart from baking, it works well in cocktail beverages, marinades for meats or fish to remove funkiness, sauces, salad dressings, and smoothies.

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5. Orange Extract Plus Water 

Orange extract is a flavoring that imparts a strong citrus flavor as well as a sweet, orange flavor to beverages and sweets.

However, it will lack the sugar found in orange juice, so add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar, honey, or maple syrup to compensate.

Instead, add 1.5 teaspoons of extract to half a cup of orange juice.

Also see: Top White Balsamic Vinegar Substitutes

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6. Pineapple Juice 

Indeed, despite its unique taste, pineapple juice may be used in orange-based dishes without causing any perceptible modifications.

The reason for this is because pineapple juice is inherently sweet and acidic.

However, it will not work for all recipes. But, I am certain that it will offer a fantastic taste character to any baked items.

Because of its acidity and enzymes that help soften the meat, it tastes fantastic in sauces and makes an excellent meat marinade.

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7. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another great replacement for orange juice in any recipe. But, there are a few things you should keep in mind while utilizing them.

For starters, lemon juice is sourer and more acidic than orange juice.

Additionally, since baking needs all of the components to come together in a precise manner in order to get the right rise and texture, the strong acidity of this juice will impact the baking powder.

As a result, you should reduce your lemon juice in half and add some water to balance it out. Better still, just add a spoonful of honey to sweeten.

But, if you’re making marinades or salad dressings, there’s no need for such exact proportions. So go ahead and add it now.

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8. Meyer Lemons 

Meyer Lemons are a tasty citrus fruit that is a cross between lemons and mandarins.

They are not as sour as lemons, nor are they as sweet as mandarins or oranges. Yet, their taste is appealing and enhances most dishes that pair well with orange juice.

If you use more than a tablespoon of Meyer lemon, you may wish to dilute it with water and sugar to balance the taste.

3 cup of water, add roughly a spoonful of sugar, maple syrup, or honey. 3 cup Meyer lemon juice extra 1So here’s the catch: use 2

Apart from that, if you want to boost the taste of your meal, zest the Meyer lemon.

You may not expect it, but zesting citrus fruits is a terrific method to boost flavor without adding more moisture to your meal.

It will enhance the taste of salad dressings, sauces, soups, and baked products while having no effect on the chemical structure of the finished product.

Also see: Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes

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9. Cola Flavored Beverages

I know cola sounds disgusting, but bear with me.

Since cola beverages are carbonated, they may provide airiness, fluffiness, and a moist texture to baked products such as cookies and cakes.

Cola is a sugar-laden soda drink. If you wish to substitute it for orange taste, try adding a drop of orange essence for some acidity; otherwise, it will be solely sweet.

Instead, you may reduce the quantity of sugar in the remainder of the dish.

Take notice that it contains roughly 23 grams of sugar per cup, which is somewhat higher than orange juice.

To avoid items from being too sugary, I’d suggest reducing 1 tablespoon of sugar for every half cup of cola you use in your baking.

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10. Sweetened Grapefruit Juice 

Grapefruit juice may not be your ideal substitute since it may cause you to pucker up.

Agreed! It is neither as sweet nor as sour as orange juice. But, since it is somewhat bitter, it falls somewhere in the middle.

Moreover, many keen chefs find the citrus taste to be so fresh and tasty that it works amazingly well in sauces, salad dressing, baking, and even smoothies.

Adding a sweetener to any grapefruit juice in your meal is the fastest and simplest approach to boost its flavor.

Other natural sweeteners, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup, may be used, however they all modify the taste and color, with the exception of white sugar.

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Conclusion

Thus, anytime you need orange juice in the kitchen but don’t have any on hand, or if the flavor isn’t to your preference, these orange juice alternatives will come to your rescue.

Yet, if you want personal recommendations, phew! Lemon juice, orange extract, apple cider vinegar, orange marmalade, orange liqueur, or orange water are my suggestions.

If you don’t like the flavor of citrus fruit but need the acidity in your baking, their Citric acid is a good substitute.

Although they may not taste precisely like orange juice, they will provide a comparable flavor to your regular soups, spaghetti, and salads.

As a result, depending on your availability and taste preferences, you may utilize any of the above to make your dishes exceptionally delectable.

Also see: Lemon Zest vs Lemon Juice