Fresh squeezed orange juice is delicious, refreshing, and so easy to make! This homemade orange juice recipe has instructions for your electric juicer, hand juicer, and even blender. You can use pure orange juice for more than just drinking, but in savory recipes as well!
A glass of homemade orange juice is one of the most popular beverages for serving with breakfast and brunch, for good reason! Tart and sweet oranges are super juicy fruits, making them perfect for juicing. Orange juice also goes great with other juices to add acidity and sweetness like in Grapefruit Orange Juice, Carrot Ginger Turmeric Juice, and Green Goddess Juice.
Orange juice isn't just for breakfast though! Sweet orange juice is great for balancing out rich and savory dishes like Dutch Oven Beef Barbacoa and Dutch Oven Carnitas.
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Why this recipe works
- Fresh squeezed orange juice is easy to make and so much better than using orange juice concentrate!
- You can control the amount of pulp in your homemade orange juice.
- Ready in under 10 minutes.
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
All About Oranges
Oranges are one of the most popular citrus fruits, and are widely available all year round in the US. They have a bright orange peel with a segmented orange interior. They come in a few varieties like navel oranges, valencia oranges, and blood oranges. Blood oranges have a darker red to magenta interior.
These fruits are amazing for juicing, because they are really juicy! The best oranges for juicing are valencia oranges, but many other types of oranges work too. Valencia oranges are the best for juicing since they are sweet and seedless! Mandarins are very similar to oranges, but are smaller and usually sweeter. You can also make Mandarin Juice. Check out this in depth post on the Best Oranges for Juicing if you want to read more about it.
Oranges are high in vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. Their high vitamin C content may help with the immune system. Orange juice might be one of the most popular juices because of their health benefits, but they are also delicious! Oranges have a higher sugar content than a lot of fruits, so it's best to make your own homemade orange juice rather than store bought, since many store bought varieties have added sugars. (Source - 5 Surprising Health Benefits of Orange Juice)
For this simple recipe you will need about 5 fresh oranges.
Equipment
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Why make your own juice?
Grocery stores carry tons of varieties of different juices, but I prefer to make my own homemade fruit juices. Store bought juices can contain preservatives and added sugar. When you make your own homemade juice, you can control exactly what goes into it.
Of course a juicer helps, but you can also make many juices at home with a blender! Check out 20+ Best Juicing Recipes for some ideas on juices to make with a juicer or blender.
This orange juice recipe, Kiwi Juice, Ginger Juice, Pineapple Ginger Juice, and Lemon Ginger Cayenne Shots can all be made with a blender!
How to Make Orange Juice
You can make your own orange juice easily at home, and you don’t even need an electric juicer! You can make homemade orange juice by hand, with a blender, or a juicer if you have one. Let’s break down the different ways to make fresh-squeezed orange juice.
How to Make Orange Juice by Hand
Step 1. Cut oranges in half.
Step 2. Rotate orange halves over the citrus juicer or with a citrus reamer to extract the juice.
Step 3. Option to discard the pulp, or add it back in!
How to Make Orange Juice with a Juicer
Step 1. Remove the orange peels. Cut into segments small enough to fit in the juicer chute.
Step 2. Feed the pieces in your juicer on the TURBO setting to extract the juice.
How to Make Orange Juice with a Blender
Step 1. Remove the peel of the fruit and chop. Remove seeds.
Step 2. Add to a blender and blend until it’s a juicy, foamy consistency. Add a little water if necessary.
Step 3. For a smooth consistency, pour through a fine mesh strainer (affiliate link) or nut milk bag. If you prefer pulp for the fiber and taste, re-add the pulp at this stage.
Ways to Use Fresh Orange Juice
Besides drinking a delicious fresh glass of orange juice for breakfast, here are some different ways to use up that fresh squeezed juice!
- Grapefruit Orange Juice - Oranges help balance out the bitter taste of grapefruit juice.
- Orange Agua Fresca - This fun and refreshing beverage is a twist on plain orange juice.
- Savory recipes - Sweet orange juice helps balance the richness of beef and pork in Dutch Oven Beef Barbacoa and Dutch Oven Carnitas.
- Spiced Orange and Cranberry Simple Syrup - Don’t waste that leftover peel! Use them in this simple syrup recipe.
- Cocktails - Orange juice is a classic for cocktails like a screwdriver, or try 3 Ingredient Skinny Margarita or Spicy Skinny Margarita.
- Kale Quinoa Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing - Orange juice makes a delicious dressing for this quinoa salad.
- Juice blends - Orange juice pairs so well with other juices! Try Carrot Ginger Turmeric Juice, Pineapple Ginger Juice, Green Goddess Juice, or these zesty Ginger Turmeric Shots.
For more ideas on how to use orange juice, check out Substitutes for Orange Juice and Substitutes for Pineapple Juice (coming soon).
What to Serve with Orange Juice
Expert Tips
Fresh is best. Since you will be consuming the raw orange juice, it’s best to use high quality fresh ingredients.
Use the right oranges. Some oranges have way more juice than others and will affect the amount of juice you extract. See Best Oranges for Juicing to pick the best type of oranges.
Balance it: If your oranges are extra sweet, you can add a splash of lemon juice or even a pinch of salt to balance them out.
Storage: Orange juice will last about two hours at room temperature or 2-3 days in the refrigerator. For more information on how to best store your orange juice, check out How Long Does Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice Last.
Freeze it: To preserve the shelf life of your fresh orange juice, you can freeze it! I like to freeze it in ice cube trays so you can use as little or as much as you want later on. It will last about 6 months in the freezer.
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below so I know what you think! Follow Elise Tries to Cook on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and Subscribe via email to receive the latest recipes!
📖 Recipe
Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice Recipe
Equipment
- Hand juicer
Ingredients
- 6 oranges
Instructions
By Hand Juicer or Citrus Juicer
- Cut oranges in half.
- Depending on your hand juicer, you may need to either press the flat side down on the juicer or you may need to squeeze and rotate the orange over the element manually. Make sure that there is a bowl or measuring cup underneath to catch the fresh juice.
- If you prefer pulp for the fiber and taste, re-add the pulp at this stage
- Store in an airtight container with a lid or enjoy immediately.
By Juicer
- Remove the peel of the orange.
- Cut into pieces small enough to fit into the chute of your juicer.
- Feed the pieces in your juicer on the TURBO setting.
- Store in an airtight container with a lid or enjoy immediately.
By Blender
- Remove the peel of the fruit.
- Roughly chop the orange into smaller pieces. If there are seeds, remove them.
- Add to a high powered blender and blend for 45-60 seconds, until there results in a juicy, foamy consistency.
- If your oranges are not ripe, you may need to add some filtered water to get it going. Start with ¼ cup per orange and add depending on your taste and the ripeness of the fruit.
- For a smooth consistency, pour through a strainer or nut cloth and into a measuring cup. If you prefer pulp for the fiber and taste, re-add the pulp at this stage.
- Store in an airtight container with a lid or enjoy immediately.
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