Health + Wellness

Recipes Using Oranges That Aren’t Dessert

There are a wealth of recipes using oranges for marmalades, breads and sweet desserts – but we appreciate oranges for their addition to more savory dishes as well. Once you start cooking with oranges, we think you’ll agree that the fresh, zesty flavor is a refreshing component to a variety of lunch and dinner recipes to make during the colder months.

By Lauren Moreno

February 2021

Founder Amy loves oranges and tries to work them into recipes despite husband, and co-founder, Leo’s strong disdain for orange juice. (It’s a long story, but we have heard that it involves being served way too much orange juice on the plane when he first moved to America).

Amy’s favorite way to eat oranges is a variation of this colorful and tasty salad. It’s the perfect light lunch or dinner side dish that makes use of your in-season oranges.

“I’ve always made a version of this. I love the vinegar beets and the bright bold colors mixed together. I like some extra funk added to it with some feta cheese and some arugula for that peppery taste.” – Amy

Mixed Beet and Orange Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 oranges in mixed varieties (Cara Cara, navel, and blood orange)
• 1 ½ pound beets in mixed varieties (red, golden, and chioggia)
• ¼ cup microgreens, or watercress sprigs or arugula (really any leafy green will do the trick!)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ cup EVOO

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.

2. Finely grate 1 teaspoon of zest from 1 orange.

3. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the remaining zest in long strips. Cut the orange in half horizontally and squeeze enough juice until you have 2 tablespoons (½ of an orange should be plenty)!

4. Using a sharp knife, cut the peel and pith from the remaining 3 1/2 oranges. Cut orange into ¼” thick rounds and place in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

5. Separate the beets by variety and place each variety on its own sheet of foil. Drizzle the beets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and top with the strips of orange zest. Wrap up each bundle to seal it.

6. Roast the beets until tender, about 40 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the size of the beets). Peel the beets when they are cool enough to handle. Let cool completely.

7. Add your dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid: shake the 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, the shallot, vinegar, mustard and allspice. Add the EVOO and shake to blend. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

8. Cut the beets into ¼” thick rounds. Arrange the beets and orange slices on a platter; season. Top your greens and dressing.

More Orange Recipes

Looking for other ways to make the most using citrus? Here is a round up of orange recipes that we can’t wait to try:

• Blood Orange Salad with Olives
• Roasted Fennel, Red Onion & Orange Salad
• Orange Wheat Shandy
• Green Salad with Citrus Dressing
• Orange Braised Carrots & Parsnips

comments comments

PF MAG: Founder Amy Voloshin is passionate about creating a space that speaks to our brand, shares unique perspectives from pattern enthusiasts and finds ways to promote more sustainable living. Our blog PF Mag covers creative topics on all things lifestyle - including behind the scenes looks, fashion, design, travel, and home decor, as well as interviews with some of the people who inspire us most.