10 Orange Juice recipes to zest up your life

Orange juice isn’t just for brunch, breakfast or mimosas, and we’re here to give you the lowdown on what the nation's favourite juice can do to your mealtimes. Ever heard of orange carrots? Apart from the obvious, they’re actually a succulently sweet addition to your Sunday roast. We’ve searched high and low, to find 10 perfect dishes to juice up your life.

1) Chocolate orange cake

Coming in at number one is the whole family's favourite treat. Why, it's a chocolate orange cake, of course. Moist, decadent and easy to make, this recipe comes in at only 32 minutes beginning to end. Because who said midweek desserts were impossible? All you need is some baking paper, 2 9-inch round cake tins, 2 large bowls, a hand mixer or whisk and you’re ready to go. 

Ingredients:

• 210g plain flour
• 180g granulated sugar
• 90g unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 60g vegetable oil or olive oil
• 2 eggs 
• 3 teaspoon orange extract 
• 120g buttermilk
• 60ml Eager orange juice 
• 60g water

2) Glazed orange carrots

If you’re in a race against the clock, then this recipe is a winner by a landslide. Coming in at only 15 minutes, including preparation time, our Eager orange juice will turn your carrots into everyone’s favourite vegetable. 

Ingredients:

• 600g baby carrots 
• 1 ½ tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp Eager orange juice
• handful of parsley leaves, chopped

3) No-bake orange oat bars

As a breakfast, on-the-go snack, or indulgent as a guilt-free dessert, these orange oat bars are 100% raw but delicious. With no baking required, they’re gluten, dairy, and soy free, making them suitable for dietary requirements, and catering for family and friends. 

Ingredients:

• 240g of gluten-free oats
• 200g of dates (de-stoned)
• 3 tbsp of Eager orange juice
• Zest and segments from 4 small oranges (clementines or tangerines)
• Pinch of salt

4) Chicken in balsamic, orange & rosemary sauce

Want to take the orange carrots, on an extra zesty new adventure? We’ve found your main. Serve as a winter warmer for the colder months, or a perfect protein accompaniment to your summer salads, this chicken dish is an easy and simple way to use up your favourite Eager orange juice.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 150ml/¼ pint Eager orange juice
• 150ml/¼ pint chicken stock
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp light muscovado sugar
• knob of butter
• orange segments and fresh rosemary sprigs to garnish

5) Orange pasta 

Stick with us for this one, we know it seems a little out of the box. This orange pasta recipe is the perfect switch-up to your regular tomato and basil classic dish, but boy it works. Filled with cream, pancetta, and orange juice, it’s the winter meets summer love-affair we’ve been looking for. 

Ingredients:

• 25g Pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 115g pancetta or bacon (the dish is otherwise vegetarian if you leave this out)
• 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
• 120ml Eager orange juice
• 60g tomato paste
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 80ml half-and-half or heavy cream 
• 25g grated Parmesan cheese 
• zest of 1/2 an orange
• handful basil (julienned)

6) Ultimate orange cake 

Packing a citrus punch with every bite, this cake is the ideal choice for the non-chocolate lovers. Use this recipe to make a Bundt cake, two loaf cakes, or use a muffin pan for individual cakes, the choice is yours.

Ingredients:

• 300g all-purpose flour sifted
• ¾ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 180g granulated sugar
• 60ml oil
• 60g butter melted
• 150ml Eager orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange zest plus more to taste

7) Duck à l'Orange

Not every night needs to be quick bites and late night scrambles. We’ve found the most succulent duck infused with orange juice that will make the perfect centrepiece for any dinner party. Fancy? We know.

Ingredients:

• 40g sugar
• 40g Eager orange juice
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons duck or chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fine julienne of fresh orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler

8) Chocolate orange brownies

Yes, this is the second chocolate recipe on the list, but who’s complaining? Chocoholics unite with the ultimate decadent brownies laced with orange juice. Zesty, zingy and ever so fudgy.

Ingredients:

• 200g dark cooking chocolate - 70% cacao
• 120g unsalted Butter
• 80g brown Sugar
• 80g caster Sugar
• 3 eggs - medium size, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoon orange zest - about 2 medium oranges
• 120 ml Eager orange juice
• 100g plain / all-purpose flour
• 1/3 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 orange - optional, for the topping

9) Orange sauce

No stir-fry is complete without the perfect sauce to bring everything together. This orange sauce can be used in your favourite vegetable dish, over deep fried chicken, and any other Asian specialities you care to make. 

Ingredients:

• 40ml water
• 60g Eager orange juice
• 40g brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 30ml soy sauce
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or other neutral oil

10) Orange marmalade recipe 

Breakfast will never be the same again, with your very own homemade marmalade. Spread it on your toast, swirl it into oats, or try it with scones, this zesty marmalade tastes delicious!

Ingredients:

• 300ml Eager orange juice 
• 200g orange pulp 
• 60g orange rind, julienned 
• 250g granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

 Tuck in, enjoy, and tag us in your own creations over on Instagram.