SaurabhMore than just a classic beverage for breakfast or for every meal, orange juice has proven its diversity in the kitchen. It’s well-balanced acidity and sweetness can make a good ingredient for fruit cakes, meat marinades, and salad dressings. The list goes on.
The best substitutes for Orange Juice are Apple cider vinegar, coca-cola, orange marmalade, orange liqueur, orange water, orange extract, and lemon juice.
Substituting Orange Juice
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Instead of using regular vinegar, it’s always best to opt for apple cider vinegar instead. Truth be told, it has more nutrients and health benefits, especially if you get the one that has the label “with the mother”. If you don’t have orange juice, this is one of the best substitutes that you can use especially for salad vinaigrettes, dips, marinades, and even in baking.
This brings the right amount of acidity that your recipe needs. Just in case the apple cider is too strong for you, no worries. Just add some sugar or honey to mellow down the acidity. It would replicate the acid and sweetness of the regular orange juice.
2. Coca Cola
This might be a surprising substitute on the list but yes, regular coke can do some wonders. Orange juice has some sweetness and advantages when added to baked recipes such as cakes. It adds a fluffier and moist texture to the cake. The same goes when using coke to substitute orange juice.
Because of its bubbling air, it aids to fluff up and rise the cake fast while maintaining the right moisture. However, the acidity that you’re looking for will not be there. It will only be just the sweetness and the fluffy goodness that it can offer to your favorite cakes and pastries recipes.
3. Orange Marmalade
When you don’t have the orange juice but the jam instead or orange marmalade, it can still work. Save yourself from a trip to the store just to get a box of orange juice. Orange marmalade works just fine. It’s my favorite go-to ingredient for making a barbecue glaze and marinade.
Take note though, that it can get really sweet. So if you don’t like too much sweetness, you can always squeeze a little bit of lemon just to add some acidity to it. Then, you can use it for salad dressings or even dips for garden parties.
4. Orange Liqueur
There are different kinds of orange liqueur that you can find in the market. But, it doesn’t matter which brand you should really choose to be honest. Orange liqueur is a perfect substitute when making stews, sauces, marinades, and soups. Don’t worry about its alcohol content as it evaporates as soon as you cook it.
Apparently, you will only taste its tanginess and sweetness, plus the wonderful aroma of the oranges. You would also notice a slight difference between the orange juice. You can tell the strong aroma of orange liqueur, so just be mindful of the contents you’re putting. For a cup of orange juice, a shot of orange liqueur will do just fine.
5. Orange Water
Orange water is the same as an orange liqueur because of its alcohol content. Then again, take note that this is much stronger than just the orange juice. Orange water is a helpful ingredient for baked goods to add tanginess and a hint of sweetness. If it’s too strong for you, add some more sugar or squeeze some lemon to elevate the acidity.
You can also make your own orange water at home. There are so many recipes that you can find online and follow. The only downside is the waiting time, which could take up to 2-3 weeks to make sure that the liqueur is much concentrated. Still, it’s rewarding because you’ll have a long supply of orange water for your kitchen needs.
6. Orange Extract
Orange extract or concentrate is purely the oils from the orange itself. Also quite strong in flavor and very aromatic at the same time. You can treat this the same as how you would use vanilla extract.
The good thing about using this substitute is that you won’t need much content since a few drops can already bring some wonders. If your recipe calls for an orange flavor dessert, this is your best bet.
Aside from baking, it’s also perfect to use as marinades for meats or fishes to take out the funkiness, a great addition for salad dressings with a squeeze of lemon, and even for cocktail drinks. A few drops will not only go a long way but it can also make delectable dishes.
7. Lemon Juice
Then last but not least, is of course the lemon juice. If you have fresh lemons at home, simply squeeze all the juices or use a juicer if you have for convenience. This is one of the easiest substitutes that you can use when you don’t have orange juice. The substitution is only following the ratio of 1:1.
Although it’s a lot more acidic than orange, just add a teaspoon of honey to mellow down. But if you’re using it for marinades or salad dressings, just simply add it directly since the acidity is required for these dishes.
FAQs
Can I substitute lemon juice for orange juice in a recipe?
Yes, definitely. Especially if you don’t like too much acid in the dish, orange juice is a better option for a sweeter taste. Whether it’s for a stew, baked dish, marinades or dressings, orange juice can measure up with lemon juice.
Can I substitute apple cider vinegar for orange juice?
Yes, depending on what type of recipe you’re trying to make. For salad dressings, orange juice is a great choice for a less acidic and more sweet salad dish. You can do the same with other dishes that call for apple cider vinegar and just replace it with orange juice.
Can I substitute milk for orange juice?
Actually yes, especially for baked dishes. However, take note that milk has little to no acidity. So to retain the acidity of the dish, just add a squeeze of lemon and your recipe should be good.
That ends with this article’s list of orange juice substitutes. All these are proven effective and helpful when orange juice is unavailable in the kitchen.
Let us know down the comments below if any of you have tried these substitutes. Feel free to share your own experience. Also share other substitutes that you have tried before that are not on our list.
