Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
Fresh squeezed Orange Juice is such a refreshing drink to make in the cold Winter months. Citrus is in season so grab a bag of your favorite oranges let’s go!
If you’ve never made this treat before, you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to make with 0 sugar added or fancy gadgets. All you’ll need is a dozen oranges, a knife and your hands.
Orange juice made from scratch has a special place in my heart because of how I grew up drinking it.
I first tried this juice made fresh in Morocco, after walking through a marketplace for hours. It was the perfect thirst quenching drink that changed my perspective of freshly squeezed juice completely.
It’s made with one ingredient, no sugar and yet it’s such a satisfyingly sweet treat.
It’s one of my favorite aspects of Moroccan food and culture; such simple ingredients can create such magical flavor. If you like this classic Moroccan drink, you’ll love this Moroccan mint tea.
Picking Your Oranges
When it comes to picking your variety of orange, I recommend trusting your gut. I’ve experimented with Navel oranges, Blood oranges, Cara Cara, and Valencia and had great success with all.
Some varieties of oranges will result in sweeter juice while others will have a more tart result. Pick your favorite variety and get started!
How to Make Your Own OJ
Like most juice recipes, there are a few different ways you can achieve the final result. I like to minimize my kitchen gadgets as much as possible, so I’m sharing a method that requires no fancy gadgets first:
It’s a great addition to your kitchen if you find yourself juicing oranges, lemons or any kind of citrus on a regular basis. Plus it’s just fun to use!
Featured Review
I want to share that my daughter wants to have an orange juice stand instead of lemonade stand. My husband asked her why and I realized it started with me making her a glass of fresh orange juice last summer. She never forgot it and when she saw lemonade stand ideas she just kept thinking “I can make orange juice!” I was looking up recipes and came across yours and really appreciated your story about trying it in Morocco. It’s a very special connection.
Marissa
Orange Juice in Marrakech
In Marrakech, you will find vendors selling this juice all throughout the marketplace (also known as the Medina). Their carts heaping with pyramids of oranges stacked high, with pitchers of fresh juice and their warm voices calling out to offer you a glass.
Growing up, my dad would take us to his hometown and we would spend hours walking through the Medina. He grew up in this globally known market, playing soccer in the corridors, walking to school with his friends and saving up for a glass of cold orange juice.
Pulp vs No Pulp
The great debate of pulp vs no pulp in our orange juice has been going on as long as I can remember. I honestly don’t have a preference and enjoy orange juice in all forms.
If you have strong feelings about having no pulp, consider running your juice through a mesh strainer several times. This will help remove as many solids as possible.
Happy juicing!
Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 glasses 1x
- Category: Beverages, Drinks, Juice
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: American, Moroccan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Fresh squeezed Orange Juice is the perfect summer drink and you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to make with 0 sugar added or fancy gadgets. All you’ll need is a dozzen oranges, a knife and your hands!
Ingredients
- 12 oranges (you can use Navel, Cara Cara, Valentine, etc.)
Instructions
With your Hands:
- Start by rinsing your oranges well, then slice them in half and start squeezing into a glass. Keep going until you’ve made enough for a full glass! This tool can make things a lot easier.
With a Blender:
- Start by peeling your oranges with a perry knife, then chop into fourths before tossing into your blender. Blend until consistent in texture and then pour through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth to separate all solids from the juice.
With a Juicer:
- Start by giving your oranges a good wash and a rough chop and throwing them in your juicer, peel and all! The machine should do the work of separating the solids from the liquids and result in an awesome cup of juice.
The Moroccan Way:
- You will need a manual press tool for this method. Simply slice your oranges in half, place in the well and pull down the lever to squeeze the juice into your glass. Continue until you’ve made enough juice.
Notes
This juice should keep in an airtight jar in your fridge for 2 days. Freeze in ice cube trays and enjoy for up to 2 months after preparation.
I want to share that my daughter wants to have an orange juice stand instead of lemonade stand. My husband asked her why and I realized it started with me making her a glass of fresh orange juice last summer. She never forgot it and when she saw lemonade stand ideas she just kept thinking “I can make orange juice!” I was looking up recipes and came across yours and really appreciated your story about trying it in Morocco. It’s a very special connection.
Hi Marissa, Thank you for your comment and review. I love that your daughter is thinking outside of the box with her orange juice stand, how adorable! I wish her lots of success this summer and appreciate your support.
Hi! How many cups does this recipe make? I see a serving of “2” so does that mean 2 cups? I am making a batch for mimosas for 14 people and need to calculate how much to multiply this recipe by!
Hi Kendra, this recipe makes about 2 cups of orange juice. Hope this helps!