How to Eat Orange Peel

Co-authored by Maria Short and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 7, 2023 References

Oranges are a delicious and healthy fruit, but did you know that orange peels are also nutritious? They’re full of vitamin A, multiple B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, folate, and copper—not bad for a part of the fruit that gets tossed out more than it gets eaten!^{[1]
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Research source} Although the peels don’t taste great on their own, they can be a quick, easy, and tasty addition to a variety of dishes, snacks, desserts, and other treats.

Ingredients

Carrot Smoothie

1 cup (150 g) of carrots, sliced
½ tsp (1 g) of orange peel, shredded
1 cup (240 mL) of orange juice
1½ cups (222 g) of ice cubes

Marinade

⅔ cup (67 g) of scallions, chopped
½ bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp (2 g) of grated lime zest
1 tsp (2 g) of grated orange zest
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of lime juice
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of orange juice
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil
1 tbsp (17 g) of salt

Vinaigrette

¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL)} of orange juice
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of honey
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) of black pepper

Candied Orange Peels

2 oranges, large
4 cups (804 g) of white sugar
3 cups (710 mL) of water

Muffins

2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 g) of white sugar
3 tsp (14 g) of baking powder
½ tsp (2.9 g) of salt
³⁄₄ cup (180 mL) of orange juice
¹⁄₃ cup (79 mL) of vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tbsp (6 g) of orange zest

Marmalade

3 pounds (1,400 g) of oranges
6 to 8 cups (1,400 to 1,900 mL) of water
2 lemons
5-6 cups (804-1005 g) of white sugar

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Washing and Peeling the Fruit

1
Sanitize a bristled produce brush in a bleach solution. Fill a large bucket, sink, or basin with 1 US qt (0.95 L) of water. Mix in 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of bleach to make a sanitizing solution, then wash your brush in the mixture. Once it’s clean, rinse off the brush thoroughly with cool water.^{[2]
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- Always wear gloves when you handle bleach.
2
Clean off the peel with fresh water to sanitize the rind. Scrub your oranges with a bristled brush under cool, running water. Brush over the entire rind to get rid of any dirt, germs, or pesticides that are sticking to the surface of the peel. Afterward, blot the fruit dry with a clean towel.^{[3]
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- Avoid using any soaps or cleaners to wash off your oranges. Since you’ll be eating the peel, you don’t want to be tasting any soap or harmful chemicals.
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3
Remove the rind with a knife and spoon. Create a thin, ¹⁄₈ in (0.32 cm) deep cut around the orange, then dig the curved edge of a spoon beneath the cut. Move the spoon around the orange so you can lift and remove the top half of the rind. Once part of the peel is removed, repeat the process with the other half.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Orange Peels as Toppings and Garnishes

1
Add some zest to your smoothies with a few strips of orange peel. Pour in 1 cup (150 g) of sliced carrots, 1.5 cups (350 mL) of ice cubes, and 1 cup (240 mL) of orange juice into a blender. Sprinkle in a ½ tsp (1 g) or so of shredded orange peel a flavorful finishing touch. Blend everything together until the drink looks smooth.^{[5]
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- You can also try adding orange peel to your other favorite smoothies!
2
Garnish your yogurt with fresh orange zest. Scoop a plain or flavored yogurt of your choice into a bowl. Sprinkle a small spoonful of shredded orange zest on top of the salad, along with any other ingredients that you like!^{[6]
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- If you’d like to give your yogurt some extra texture, mix in some dates or rhubarb chunks.
3
Top your salads with orange peel as a tasty garnish. Take your orange rind and slice it into thin slices that are about 3 to 5 millimetres (0.12 to 0.20 in) wide. Serve your salad in a bowl and sprinkle the thin sections of peel over top as a finishing touch!^{[7]
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4
Whip up a flavorful marinade for savory dishes. Mix ½ bunch of chopped cilantro, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tsp (2 g) of grated lime zest, 1 tsp (2 g) of grated orange zest, ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of lime juice, ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of orange juice, ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (17 g) of salt, and at least ⅔ (67 g) of chopped scallions in a food processor. Blend the ingredients together until they form an even consistency, which you can use to coat entrees like chicken thighs.^{[8]
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5
Create a zesty vinaigrette for your salad with orange peel. Mix ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of orange juice, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of honey, and ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) of cracked black pepper into a jar or other thin container. Shake the ingredients together thoroughly. If you don’t plan on using the vinaigrette right away, label and store it in the refrigerator for about 1 week.^{[9]
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- You may need to shake the dressing again before you use it.
6
Mix dried or fresh orange peels into a cup of tea. Pour 2 to 3 cups (470 to 710 mL) or so of water into a saucepan and add in a handful of dried or fresh orange peels. Wait for the water to boil, then let your homemade tea sit for 15 minutes. After this, pour the drink into a mug and enjoy.^{[10]
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- To sweeten your tea, mix in a spoonful of honey.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Baked Goods and Other Treats

1
Candy your orange peels to enjoy them as a sweet treat. Peel 2 oranges and slice the rinds into thin, ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) wide pieces. Boil these pieces in hot water for 15 minutes, then mix them in a sugar syrup made with 3 cups (603 g) of white sugar and 3 cups (710 mL) of water. Stir the peels into the syrup, then sprinkle 1 cup (101 g) of extra sugar on top.^{[11]
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- When, you candy orange peel, make sure to remove all of the whites which is the pith to prevent bitterness.
- Candied orange peels taste best when you let the sugar coating dry completely.
2
Spice up your muffins with a sprinkling of orange zest. Set your oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and set aside a muffin baking tray. Mix 2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) of white sugar, 3 tsp (14 g) of baking powder, ½ tsp (2.9 g) of salt, ³⁄₄ cup (180 mL) of orange juice, ¹⁄₃ cup (79 mL) of oil, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (6 g) of orange zest together in a bowl. Pour the batter into the muffin tins, making sure that the individual tins are filled completely. At this point, cook the muffins for 20-25 minutes.^{[12]
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3
Use fresh orange peel to make a flavorful marmalade. If you have a lot of time to spare, peel and slice some oranges into thin, ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) strips. Add your orange strips to 6 cups (1,400 mL) of water, then wait for the water to boil. At this point, stir several cups of sugar into the mixture, depending on how much fruit you used. After boiling it for a bit longer, you can eventually store your marmalade and enjoy it later on!^{[13]
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4
Prepare a zesty batch of trail mix with dried orange peel added in. Mix up your favorite trail mix, using both sweet and savory ingredients. To add some extra flair and flavor to your snack, include a few pieces of dried orange peel or zest.^{[14]
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- For instance, dried orange peel, dried chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flakes can make a delicious trail mix.

Warnings

Like a lot of produce, oranges can have traces of pesticides on the peel. Be sure to wash your fruit thoroughly before eating it!^{[15]
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Try not to add any orange seeds into your dishes and drinks, as they have a small amount of cyanide.^{[16]
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