14 Unexpected Ways To Cook With Orange Juice

If the only time you crack open a carton of orange juice is during breakfast or when you feel a cold coming on, it's time to rethink that way of life. Orange juice, especially the kind that consists of 100% fruit, is packed full of vitamins and antioxidants. About a cup of orange juice can meet or exceed the recommended daily vitamin C intake for adults. That makes it a simple and refreshing way to boost your immune system function and contribute to a happy and healthy heart.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to reap the benefits of orange juice beyond chugging a glass with your eggs and bacon. Take advantage of the juice's sweetness by turning it into a summery sweet treat, or utilize its flavor to enhance everything from salads to meat. These unique cooking methods will make sure you never have an unused carton of juice sitting around again — and both your body and taste buds will thank you for it.

Marinades are a surefire way to make sure meat comes out flavorful and juicy. Whether you're cooking chicken, beef, or pork, a good balance of acid, fat, and seasonings will help lock in moisture and make sure the meat's flavor is more than just surface-level. The importance of acid, in particular, can't be overstated, and that's where trusty OJ comes in.

Ask a steakhouse chef, and you'll find that citrus juice is actually one of the key ingredients you should be adding to your steak marinade. In fact, in several cultures, meat and orange juice are a common pairing. In Mediterranean cuisine, a combination of orange juice and oregano stars in many meaty dishes. Mojo criollo, a popular Cuban marinade, also uses sour orange juice to give dishes a bold pop of flavor.

The acid in orange juice helps break down the proteins in meat, making it softer. You can say goodbye to the days of tough, fibrous slabs of meat by adding just a splash of orange juice to your next marinade. The brightness of the oranges also helps cut through the richer flavors of the meat, making for a more well-balanced final dish.

A cold cup of juice can provide a refreshing reprieve during hot summer months, but even better is turning that juice into a frozen treat. There are plenty of options for taking orange juice from plain to something that's ice cream truck-worthy. The ingredients and prep time for these desserts are easy; you'll just have to practice some patience before you can savor the first bite.

You could go the simple route and make popsicles by pouring juice into molds and freezing. Enhance the popsicles by adding a little sugar and lemon juice to help balance out the flavors. To take things a step further, whip up an orange sorbet. Using orange peel and orange liqueur in the base will enhance the natural flavor of the juice and make your dessert as fit for the dinner table as it is for the pool.

But if you're looking to mirror the nostalgia of childhood summers, you'll want to try your hand at an orange creamsicle-inspired ice cream. It's surprisingly simple to make, with no churning necessary. Just pick up a tub of your favorite vanilla ice cream and a can of frozen OJ, mix them together, and enjoy.

Caramel sauce is notoriously difficult to perfect. Ideally, it comes out silky smooth and ready to pour over top of ice cream, cake, or straight into your mouth. But if you don't watch caramel closely while it's on the stove, it's quick to burn. If the fussiness of the process has prevented you from trying it out for yourself, there's good news. Orange juice can not only enhance the flavor of your caramel sauce, but it can also help prevent your sauce from going awry.

Other than burning, another common caramel pitfall is recrystallization. In mere seconds, a promising caramel sauce can turn into sad clumps of sugar. In those cases, acid can act as a buffer. Acid breaks down some of the sucrose in the caramel, making a kind of invert sugar that prevents the sugars from crystallizing. A common acid choice is lemon juice, but orange juice makes a great alternative. Once added, you'll end up with an orange caramel sauce that cuts through the intense sweetness of the caramel with the brightness from the orange. You could even replace the cream completely with orange juice to lean into the fruit's lighter flavor.

Soups are the perfect canvas for experimentation. They get their flavor from all sorts of different ingredient combinations, each providing a unique flavor profile. They could be chock full of fancy add-ins or built from the ground up with a base of water and whatever leftover ingredients the fridge has to offer. But one ingredient often left out of the running is orange juice. It might seem unusual, but the orange actually complements vegetables well.

Orange juice shines the most in fall-inspired soups, such as carrot and orange soup or pumpkin and orange soup. It doesn't overpower the soup. Instead, it adds a layer of acidity that gives the soup a subtle tang, and, when combined with warming spices such as nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, makes for the equivalent of a hug in a bowl. Of course, you can also go for a more literal take on fruit soup. Make a base with orange juice, sugar, and spices to taste, and load it up with fresh sliced fruit for a light summer snack.

Many home cooks aren't well-versed in the art of candy making. Some of the oldest candy shops in the U.S. have been passed down through generations, alongside the recipes for their famous candies. It can seem like somewhat of an exclusive club. But even if you aren't quite ready to start sugar pulling, you can make simple three-ingredient gummy bears right at home.

All you'll need for orange-flavored gummies is orange juice, honey, and unflavored gelatin. Let the mixture simmer on the stove, then pour it into molds and refrigerate until set. The orange juice is just sweet enough to make these taste like candy while still adding a nice sour note. The final product is also a much more wholesome sweet treat than what you'll likely find in your local store. You can even omit the extra sweetener, depending on your preference.

Another option is to make something akin to a fruit roll-up with a more jelly-like consistency by following similar steps. Instead of using bear molds, pour the mixture into a tray, refrigerate, dust with powdered sugar, and roll and slice into pieces. Replace the gelatin with agar agar, and the vegetarians and vegans in your life will get to partake in the fun, too.

A tried and true method for getting in your daily servings of fruits and veggies is to mix them all up in a big salad. The combination of crunchy and juicy textures topped off with a zingy dressing can make any salad a simple yet satisfying meal. But getting the ratio of ingredients in your dressing wrong can throw off the whole dish. A good salad dressing should be balanced, and having the right amount of acidity is crucial.

The good thing about orange juice is that it adds some of the sour notes you would get from lemon juice, but with a little extra touch of sweetness. It works well in a vinaigrette, combined with balsamic and black pepper, or in a creamy dressing to cut through the fat. Orange juice can also be added to balance out a salad dressing that's gone astray. If it's a little too bitter, the sweetness of oranges can help counteract that flavor. If a dressing tastes a tad too dull, a splash of orange juice will bring it right back to life.

Protein shakes can be hit or miss. There are good ones out there, but the bad ones come out tasting chalky and can even have a strange texture. While you may be tempted to throw in a ton of other ingredients to mask the flavor, you don't always need them. Even one simple addition, like orange juice, can make a world of difference.

Orange juice's strong flavor can distract from the taste of the protein powder itself. Using juice as a base for your shake is also a great way to complement other fruity and tropical flavors. Mix orange juice with mangoes or bananas for a shake that packs both protein and vitamins. You could even make an orange creamsicle protein shake by mixing frozen orange juice with milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla-flavored protein powder. The combination of creamy and bright flavors makes this feel more like a dessert than a health food. One sip and you'll forget all about the protein powder (and the gym waiting for you after).

Acid is a key component of the pickling process. One of the quicker and more common methods is to pickle vegetables in vinegar. Another is to use a salt brine to ferment the vegetables. Both methods create an acidic environment that prevents the growth of bad bacteria. That's why the food remains preserved for a longer time. While vinegar is important, adding other acidic ingredients can enhance the flavor of the pickled vegetables.

For example, orange juice complements pickled onions particularly well. The tanginess of the orange pairs nicely with vinegar's sourness while also adding a bit of sweetness, so it isn't all one note. For an even better flavor, squeeze the orange juice yourself and try out different types of oranges. If you prefer less sweetness, using Seville oranges will impart a tangy and slightly bitter flavor. You can use the onions as a topping for tacos or bowls, or add them to salads and sandwiches.

Have you ever wondered what happened to frozen orange juice? Those juice tubes that were all the rage back in the day, though not nearly as popular now, are still around. While frozen juice from a can may not be the exact same as the fresh-squeezed stuff, there are certainly plenty of ways to put it to use in your kitchen. If you're a lemon meringue pie lover, you can use frozen orange juice to put an orange-flavored spin on the classic pie.

Betty Crocker was sharing recipes for frozen orange juice pie as far back as the 1950s. The recipe relies on simple, affordable ingredients that are easy to put together. The filling is made by cooking diluted frozen orange juice, sugar, cornstarch, eggs, and butter together in a saucepan. The mixture is topped with a light and fluffy meringue and baked for a short time until the meringue browns nicely on top. It's one of the more innovative ideas on this list and worth a trip to the past. If you prefer a more modern take, use cream cheese and whipping cream for a substantial, creamsicle-esque filling.

There are plenty of boxed cake mix hacks out there to make something store-bought taste a little more like home. One that you probably haven't tested out yet is replacing some or all of the water with orange juice as a liquid ingredient. This is one of the easiest ways to use up any leftover juice you may have sitting in your fridge. You can just swap in orange juice and leave everything else the same. You'll still get a nice hint of orange throughout your cake.

If you want to go even further, you can add other ingredients alongside the orange juice. Orange zest inside the batter would add some vibrancy and bring out more of the citrus flavor. Adding a package of instant vanilla pudding is another well-known hack that, when paired with the orange, would be reminiscent of an orange creamsicle flavor. When the cake is finished, mixing some orange juice into the icing would be the cherry (or orange) on top.

Sweet potatoes are the unsung heroes of Thanksgiving. Though the big, juicy turkeys and steaming dishes of mac and cheese hog most of the spotlight, nothing beats the subtle sweetness of sweet potatoes, whether they're made into a casserole or mashed into a creamy side dish. If the latter is your preference, next Thanksgiving, mashed orange sweet potatoes should be on your menu.

The sweet potatoes are cooked as normal. Once they're done, they're mashed together with butter, orange juice, and flavorful additions such as ground nutmeg, ginger, and brown sugar. The spices give them the same homey feel as sweet potato casserole, but with the added zing of citrus. If you fancy some extra sweetness, adding a bit of maple syrup to the potatoes complements both the tang of the orange and the warmth of the other spices. This dish is sure to make you the star of your next family gathering.

When cooking anything, one of the first steps is typically to remove the packaging. Well, if you're whipping up beer can chicken, that's not quite the case. Beer can chicken is made by cooking the bird with a can of beer inside. The goal is to steam the inside so that the meat gets nice and moist, while the outside gets a crispy layer. The concept supposedly originated in the South, and, despite sounding somewhat unorthodox, is fairly popular.

Beyond booze, orange juice can also play a key role in beer can chicken. Some recipes recommend using a marinade composed of beer (obviously), garlic, and orange juice. The orange juice, combined with your choice of beer, adds a slight citrusy flavor to the meat, which complements the more savory flavors in the dish. If you're feeling particularly committed, you can swap out the beer completely and use a can of Sunkist Orange or a canned orange juice to really amp up the citrus flavor.

Grains are the ultimate staple foods. They can be eaten on their own or used as bases for all kinds of dishes. But despite their versatility, it's easy to fall into the habit of cooking them the same way time and again. Next time you cook rice or another grain, try using orange juice as a liquid instead of water. The juice's flavor complements grains like couscous and bulgur wheat, as well as the classic white rice.

You can replace all of the liquid with orange juice or only part of it if you prefer a more subtle flavor. Whichever you choose, the grains will be cooked normally. Orange rice can be served with spicy foods to cut through the heat and pairs well with a variety of meats and vegetables. Bulgur cooked with orange juice makes for a hearty grain bowl. When ready to serve, topping with a dash of orange zest can be a flavorful and aromatic addition that takes your dish to the next level.

If you're having orange juice for breakfast, it's probably being served up in a glass next to a plate of eggs, not as a two-for-one special. But if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone so early in the morning, a surprising way to sweeten up your scrambled eggs is to add orange juice. A hint of citrus alongside the richness of salty, buttery eggs works shockingly well. Plus, adding a small amount of orange juice, an acid, helps make your eggs fluffier.

The protein inside the eggs, when met with the acid from the orange juice, changes structure. The extra little air bubbles mean you get perfectly textured eggs that melt in your mouth. The added liquid also contributes to a better mouthfeel. If you're worried about the flavor being overpowering, be sure to add a generous amount of salt to balance everything out. Orange scrambled eggs might not be for everyone, but they are worth a chance. If it doesn't work out, they can always go back to playing a supporting role on the breakfast table.