Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (2024)

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This Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe is so flavorful and goes perfectly with a stir fry, baked tofu or chicken (if you eat meat). It’s so easy to make and has quickly become one of my go-to stir fry sauces!

Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (1)

I’ve actually used this Healthy Homemade Orange Sauce in a few different recipes that are already on the blog, but it’s so good I wanted to give it its own post! Whether we eat meat or not, I feel like most of are familiar with Panda Express orange chicken. I used to love it before I went vegetarian but now I make my own orange tofu using this sauce and it’s pretty amazing! (Orange Tofu recipe coming soon)

The recipe is pretty similar to my Best Stir Fry Sauce Recipe, so if you enjoy that one, you will love this one!

Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (2)

What You’ll Need To Make This Orange Sauce Recipe

  • Orange juice – It’s not necessary but I always like to use freshly squeezed orange juice when I make this. That way I know it’s just pure orange juice with nothing else added.
  • Fresh garlic and ginger – I have used garlic and ginger powder on occasion when I didn’t have the fresh stuff on hand and it did work, but I much prefer it when I have the fresh stuff on hand.
  • Pure maple syrup – You want to make sure that your maple syrup is pure maple syrup. You really don’t want to use the other stuff that you may see in the pancake aisle for this recipe!
  • Toasted sesame oil – Make sure you get the toasted sesame oil an not just regluar sesame oil. It adds so much good flavor!
  • Arrowroot powder or cornstarch – Don’t leave this ingredient out! It is what thickens the sauce so it’s really important. You can use either arrowroot or cornstarch.

Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (3)

I love this sauce has so much great orange flavor and it also has a really nice orange color. Once it’s heated it gets nice and thick and just coats anything you put it on. It does congeal a little bit if you refrigerate it, but you can fix that by just heating it up for a few minutes.

You can make this orange sauce ahead of time if you like. I would just suggest not adding in the arrowroot/cornstarch until ready to use.

Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (4)

How To Use This Homemade Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe

  • As a stir fry sauce – You just mix it all together and then add it to your stir fry and cook for a few minutes until thickened up. The first recipe I ever used it with was these zucchini noodle and chickpea stir fry and it was delicious!
  • On protein – This is basically like a stir fry sauce but I just sautéed up some tofu and chickpeas and then added in the sauce at the very end. It made some great meal prep bowls!
  • In a few days I will post the recipe for my Vegan Orange Tofu that combines my Crispy Baked Tofu with this Homemade Orange Sauce and it’s so good!

Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (5)

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Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (6)

Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe

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  • Author: She Likes Food
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
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Description

This Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe has so much flavor and is great for adding to a stir fry!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1/2 cup orange juice, I like to use fresh squeezed
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a jar, or bowl, and whisk until completely combined. Heat a skillet or small pot over medium heat and pour orange sauce in.
  2. Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, stirring consistently, about 5 minutes. Mix in or pour over desired foods.
  3. This can also be used a stir fry sauce by pouring on top of your stir fry in the last few minutes of cooking and letting sauce thicken with your stir fry.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (7)Carol Dean says

    Can I omit the oil?

    Reply

    • Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (8)She Likes Food says

      You could try, If so I’d suggest adding in a little more water or orange juice so it’s the same amount of liquid.

      Reply

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Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How can I thicken my orange sauce? ›

To thicken the sauce, pour it into a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a cornstarch slurry. Once the sauce starts to bubble in the pan on the stovetop, add the cornstarch slurry and stir to combine.

What is the orange chicken sauce made of? ›

How to make the orange chicken sauce. The orange sauce is made from a mixture of the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar. This is bubbled up in the wok until slightly thickened. The chicken is then added back in, and tossed in the sauce until fully coated.

Why isn t my orange chicken sauce thickening? ›

If you don't have rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar instead. Sauce is like gravy in that if it's not thickening as much as you want after you've added the cornstarch, turn the heat up a little and continue to cook. Keep an eye on it though, as it can thicken quickly.

Is orange chicken good for you? ›

No, it is not. Traditional orange chicken is full of fats, carbohydrates, added sugars and a lot of salt, all things that are not good for your body, weight management, or overall health.

What are 2 ways to thicken sauce? ›

Ways To Thicken Sauce
  • Tomato Paste. If your soup or stew is watery, adding tomato paste may help! ...
  • Arrowroot. You might prefer to avoid gluten in your recipes. ...
  • Flour. ...
  • Reduce Your Liquid. ...
  • Puréed Vegetables. ...
  • Egg Yolk. ...
  • Yogurt. ...
  • Rice.
Jul 15, 2022

How do you thicken orange sauce without cornstarch? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

What is the orange Chinese sauce called? ›

Duck sauce (or orange sauce) is a condiment with a sweet and sour flavor and a translucent orange appearance similar to a thin jelly. Offered at American Chinese restaurants, it is used as a dip for deep-fried dishes such as wonton strips, spring rolls, egg rolls, duck, chicken, fish, or with rice or noodles.

How long can you keep orange sauce? ›

Store-bought orange sauce, unopened, can last in your pantry for up to 12 months if stored at constant room temperature, but once opened needs to be refrigerated and typically lasts for 1-2 weeks after the printed date on the package. However, if you freeze it, the sauce can extend its life for up to 6 months.

What is the Chinese version of orange chicken? ›

This dish may have originally come from the "tangerine chicken" dish from Hunan, China. In Chinese, this dish is known as "陳皮雞", literally "dried citrus peel chicken", referring to dried orange or tangerine peel.

What are 3 methods for thickening sauces? ›

Three Ways to Thicken Sauce (Cornstarch, Roux, Beurre Manie) | Cook's Illustrated.

How to make a sauce more creamy? ›

Cheese and dairy give sauces creaminess while butter and oil give them richness. You also don't need to use a lot — these are just for finishing and rounding out the flavors in a sauce. Whole Milk or Heavy Cream: Add a splash and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

Does lemon juice thicken sauces? ›

Step 4: Mix the Sauce

It was time for the secret weapon: lemon juice. Turns out, the acidity of the juice acts as a thickening agent, which reacts with the proteins in the dairy to increase the viscosity. It's a similar concept to adding vinegar to milk to make buttermilk, said Clark.

What is the healthiest Chinese food to order? ›

We asked nutrition experts for some of their healthiest Chinese food dishes, plus their best menu hacks for sneaking in even more nutrients.
  • Moo Goo Gai Pan. ...
  • Szechuan Tofu. ...
  • Shrimp with Broccoli in Garlic Sauce. ...
  • Beef and Broccoli. ...
  • Spring Rolls. ...
  • Cucumber Salad. ...
  • Lo Mein of Chow Fun with Veggies or Protein. ...
  • White or Brown Rice.
Apr 29, 2024

What is the healthiest thing to eat at Panda Express? ›

Here are the healthiest Panda Express menu options that go lighter on calories, sodium, sugar, and fat, and load up on protein and veggies.
  • String Bean Chicken Breast. ...
  • Black Pepper Angus Steak. ...
  • Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. ...
  • Firecracker Shrimp. ...
  • Grilled Teriyaki Cub Meal. ...
  • Mushroom Chicken. ...
  • Super Greens. ...
  • Brown Steamed Rice.
Feb 20, 2024

What Chinese food is healthy? ›

Healthy Chinese food takeout sides include steamed brown rice, sautéed or steamed vegetables, spring rolls, soups, and veggie-based items like edamame, lettuce wraps, or salads.

How do you thicken a sauce that's too watery? ›

Use one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon cold water (aka a cornstarch slurry) for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix the cornstarch and water together, then pour into your sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

How do you fix a sauce that is too thin? ›

For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

How can I thicken a sauce quickly? ›

Use these tips and tricks to fix thin, runny soups and lackluster gravies without thinking twice.
  1. Flour. ...
  2. Cornstarch or arrowroot. ...
  3. Tomato paste. ...
  4. Reduce the liquid. ...
  5. Swirl in a pat of butter. ...
  6. Add an egg yolk. ...
  7. Puree some vegetables.
Apr 9, 2019

What is the best way to thicken fruit sauce? ›

The best way is to boil the sauce down until it's as thick as you want it, but it takes a lot of fruit to do it that way. There are other thickeners: tapioca starch, potato starch, agar, various kinds of grain and bean flour, pectin. Each has it's own flavour and texture.

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