Orange juice is delicious and refreshing. It is the most popular kind of juice, and it disappears from the refrigerator quickly. In addition to being a nutritious breakfast drink, it is used in many recipes.
There are several options to substitute for orange juice. Options include apple cider vinegar, lemon or orange zest, Grand Marnier, pineapple juice, and even Coca-Cola.
Orange juice is used in everything from baked goods to cocktails and smoothies. The substitute that you use will depend on what It is you are making. In some cases, you may need to add additional ingredients to emulate the taste and texture of orange juice.
Related Article: Can you freeze orange juice?
5 Recommended Substitute for Orange Juice
Our 5 recommended substitutions for orange juice are:
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Lemon or Orange Zest
- Grand Marnier
- Coca-Cola
- Pineapple Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar: Best Orange Juice Substitute
Apple cider vinegar is considered a cure-all by natural food aficionados. It has antibiotic properties, increases metabolism, and is excellent for digestion. It can also be used as a substitution for orange juice. Like Orange Juice, apple cider vinegar is acidic and has a tart quality.
As it is sweeter than most kinds of vinegar, it can be used as an alternative to orange juice in sauces and marinades. You can also use it to substitute for orange juice in marinades. It has fewer calories and less sugar than orange juice. Hence, it is a viable option for people who are trying to lose weight.
If the sauce or marinade you are making is supposed to be very sweet, you may want to add a tablespoon or two of sugar to the recipe just to balance out the flavor. Some people find vinegar to be a bit too acidic. Adding a bit of honey will tone down the acid in vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is one of the easiest things you can use to replace orange juice because you will not have to worry about modifying the recipe. A tablespoon of orange juice is equal to a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
Lemon or Orange Zest: Orange Juice Substitute in Marinade
A citrus fruit’s zest is part of its peel. Lemon zest has a more robust flavor than regular lemon juice, and it is much more pungent. You can use it as an orange juice alternative in sauces and marinades as well. It is an especially good substitute in baking because it is a dry ingredient. It will give baked goods a delicate quality. It has a sweet flavor and will work well with the baked goods that are served with butter.
Orange zest is the brightest part of the orange peel. It is the most aromatic part of an orange as well. Orange zest should only be used as an orange juice substitute in baked goods and not sauces. It adds the same citrusy sweet flavor that orange juice does. You will need a full teaspoon of zest to replace each half teaspoon of juice.
If you have excess lemon zest, you can preserve it by storing in the freezer. Read our lemon zest freezing guide.
Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier Is an orange liqueur and brandy that makes an excellent substitute for orange juice in a drink. In addition to mimicking the flavor of orange juice, it will make a cocktail stronger. Some variations of the liqueur will have notes of vanilla in it.
Obviously, you don’t want to use as much Grand Marnier as you would orange juice. Just half a shot will be enough to mimic the flavor of orange juice. You can add a bit of lemon or lime juice to add the orange juice’s acidity.
Grand Marnier is a classic cocktail that has been around since the late 1800s. It has a robust, highly developed flavor that people love.
Can’t find Grand Marnier? See grand marnier substitute.
Coca-Cola
Although it may not be exceptionally healthy, Coke or other colas can be used as a replacement for orange juice. Before you try making a soda screwdriver, you should know that cola should only substitute for orange juice in baked goods. You will also only want to put it in sweets as Coca-Cola is one of the most sugary drinks on the market.
Orange juice adds lightness and fluffiness to baked goods. The carbonation in Coke has the same effect. If you are making a cake, the cola will do double duty and substitute for the sugar in the recipe as well.
Although it is not as acidic as orange juice, Coke is very absorbent. It will enhance the flavors of other ingredients in the recipe.
Pineapple Juice: Substitute For Orange Juice In Smoothies
Pineapple is one of the best replacement for orange juice. It has a similar sweetness and acidity. It will work perfectly in smoothies and even most baked goods. You can use the same amount of pineapple juice as you would orange juice in any recipe.
If you are making non-alcoholic beverages, pineapple juice will work well as a replacement for orange juice because it has a similar tropical flavor. It will not work quite as well in an alcoholic beverage. Fewer cocktails call for pineapple juice than orange juice. Some people find it too heavy and strong.
It may work slightly better than orange juice in marinades because it will create a subtle yet delicious difference in marinades and sauces.
Related Questions
Can lemon juice be substituted for orange juice?
Lemon juice can be used as a substitution for orange juice, but it is not ideal. As you may know, lemon juice is quite a bit more tart than orange juice. It is also far more acidic. You can substitute one cup of orange juice with half a cup of lemon juice and half a cup of water.
Lemon is not nearly as sweet as orange juice, so you will need to add sugar or other sweeteners to mock OJ’s natural sweetness if you are using more than just a tablespoon or so.
Can you substitute water for orange juice?
If only a tiny amount of orange juice is called for, then you may be able to substitute it with water. You will need to add a bit of water to modify the flavor, such as with lemon juice. If you are making a smoothie, and you want to reduce the calories a bit, you may be able to substitute ice or cold water.
What is a healthy alternative to orange juice?
Orange juice has a lot of sugar and calories in it. Even if you are not much of a cook, you may be looking to find a different kind of juice to drink in the morning. Fresh-squeezed orange juice only has about 112 calories in a cup. However, The type you will buy from concentrate often has more.
Fortunately, several different kinds of juices are tasty and loaded with vitamins, just like orange juice.
Cranberry juice has vitamin K in it. Vitamin K helps the blood to clot. It also has vitamin E, which is very good for the skin. Tomato juice has just as much vitamin C in it as orange juice, and it is low in carbs, sugar, and calories. Prune juice has more sugar than any of the other juices, but it contains B vitamins and is very high in fiber.
Can I substitute orange marmalade for orange juice?
Orange marmalade can work as a replacement for orange juice in a crisis. You only want to use it in baked goods. Increase the amount of liquid ingredients in the recipe in order to make up for the missing orange juice. It is not good to use orange marmalade if a large amount of orange juice is called for.
Some types of marmalade can be somewhat bitter. It is best to use a sweeter marmalade as a substitute for orange juice.
Should I put orange juice in my smoothie?
Health experts will tell you that you should never add orange juice to a smoothie because of all the calories and sugar that it has in it. It is loaded with natural sugars, and people often drink smoothies because they are watching their weight.
However, orange juice can be a delicious ingredient if you make smoothies for their flavor. It combines well with frozen yogurt, coconut, and strawberries. It has lots of vitamin C and is high in antioxidants.
