32 Bloody Delicious Blood Orange Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What flavors make up blood orange? ›

Navel and blood oranges have slightly different tastes. Oranges are known for their zest and sweet flavor. Blood oranges are more on the bitter side with a complex, tart flavor and a hint of raspberry.

Tarocco blood oranges are the sweetest of the blood orange varieties, and have long been cultivated in Sicily and other Mediterranean-like climates. There are at least three varieties of Tarocco oranges commercially available in California.

Because of their reddish-pink flesh, Cara Cara oranges are sometimes compared with blood oranges. Blood oranges, like Cara Caras, are also winter cultivars of Citrus sinensis. But the flesh of blood oranges is darker, ranging in color from a rosy pink shade to red, maroon, and a deep purplish, nearly black hue.

Blood oranges are also full of potassium. It's important to get enough potassium in your diet, but too much can cause problems for people who have been prescribed beta-blockers. These medications increase potassium levels as well, which can result in damage to your heart in excess.

Blood oranges will keep for a week at room temperature and longer in the fridge. In a citrus salad: Using a small, sharp knife, cut off the peel and white pith from a couple of blood oranges, pink grapefruits, and tangerines. Slice the fruit crosswise into rounds.

There are three common reasons why fruit may taste more sour than expected: 1) The fruit came from the rootstock portion of the tree; 2) The fruit wasn't fully mature when picked; or 3) the tree is infected with Huanglongbing (HLB) a.k.a. citrus greening or yellow dragon disease.

The difference between these two varieties of orange is that blood oranges have an antioxidant called anthocyanin. This antioxidant gives blood oranges their distinct color, but it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Also, the blood orange is less tangy than a navel orange but has a floral tart taste.

Blood oranges are highly nutritious and contain several important vitamins and minerals, including fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. They may also be linked to many health benefits, including weight loss, improved gut health, and better immune function. Plus, this citrus fruit is simply delicious.

Anthocyanins and particularly cyanidin 3-glucoside, found in a large variety of fruits including Sicilian blood oranges, can help to counteract weight gain and to reduce body fat accumulation through the modulation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and metabolic pathways.

You might be wondering what makes these seemingly regular-looking oranges so special—with one bite, you'll know. Cara Cara oranges are less acidic and much sweeter than most other varieties of oranges. This combination makes them extra orange-y (some people say they taste like orange candy).

How do you eat a cara cara orange? ›

Use in fruit salad or add to a bed of greens; or make a salsa for chicken or fish. Create delicious co*cktails using the juice and zest. Cover them in chocolate (like these chocolate-dipped clementines) or dip in chocolate fondue. The folks at Sunkist shared with us a deliciously healthy recipe using cara cara oranges.

They are typically a little more expensive than regular navel oranges, but I think worth it. If you do get to pick out your Cara Cara oranges, select those that are firm, shiny, and heavy for their size. The fruit should be free from soft spots or wrinkles.

The top fruits for lowering blood pressure include bananas, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, raisins, kiwis, mangoes, watermelon, pomegranate, plums, prunes, avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, tomatoes, citrus fruit, berries, and more.

ACE inhibitors, such as captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril, and ramipril are designed to lower blood pressure, so if you take them while eating a lot of bananas you could inadvertently send your potassium levels through the roof which can lead to an irregular heart-beat.

Given their potassium content, oranges and orange juice likely need to be avoided or limited on a renal diet. Grapes, apples, and cranberries, as well as their respective juices, are all good substitutes for oranges and orange juice, as they have lower potassium content.

*BLOOD ORANGE ALTERNATIVES: If blood oranges are out of season, you can use Cara Cara oranges, navel oranges, or any other ripe, fresh orange. Fresh clementine or tangerine juice also works!

Blood orange: Pairs well with almond, cardamom, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, fig, ginger, honey, and other citrus fruits. Currants (black and red): Pair well with chocolate and citrus.

Our fresh-squeezed blood orange juice is a stunning color, our blood orange juice is made from 100% Sicilian blood oranges. Rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins (antioxidant) & folate, which may support healthy immune function & reduce inflammation.