4 Unusually Delicious Valencia Orange Recipes to Make Right Now

Valencia oranges provide the perfect ratio of sweet to tart flavor, making them a versatile citrus fruit. Check out four tasty Valencia orange recipes below!

The Valencia orange, named after the Spanish city famous for its citrus production, is one of the most refreshing summer treats around.

While they're delicious when eaten straight off the tree, Valencia oranges are more versatile than we often give them credit for. Unlike navel oranges, which get bitter after being exposed to air, this variety's flesh stays sweet. This makes them perfect for juicing and as an unexpected addition to your favorite dishes.

Ready to get busy in the kitchen? Here are four fabulous valencia orange recipes to take you through dinner, drinks, and dessert.

Drinks: Copycat Starbucks Valencia Orange Refresher

This hit summer beverage from America's favorite drink chain is easier to make than you might think. All you need to do is juice a few valencia oranges (one per person) and pour the juice into a cup filled with ice until it's half full. Fill the glass the rest of the way with your favorite lemon iced tea and stir in a spoonful of simple syrup.

If you don't have simple syrup, dissolve sugar in the same amount of hot water and allow it to cool. To take this drink from daytime to evening, add in a splash of your favorite liquor. Garnish with a thin slice of orange on the rim of the glass.

Dinner: Valencia Orange Salad With Olive Vinaigrette

For dinner, let's bring out the freshness of citrus with a light salad. Start by mixing your favorite greens with pecans, sliced almonds, and sections of an orange.

Next, blend some chopped kalamata olives, orange zest, fresh garlic, salt, pepper, orange juice, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. Pour this dressing over the greens and toss with more kalamata olives and feta cheese. This salad is excellent when served with grilled orange chicken.

Dessert: Orange Cake

This is a great orange cake recipe to wow your friends at a dinner party. Start by boiling two valencia oranges in water for two hours or until you can easily puncture them with a fork. Take them out and let them cool before sectioning them and blending into a smooth paste.

Then, mix four eggs, 3/4 cups of honey, two cups of flour, one teaspoon baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Fold in the orange paste, pour into a greased pan, and bake for 60 minutes. Top with candied orange slices.

Bonus: Candied Orange Peels

Now that you've cooked an entire meal with Valencia oranges, you're probably wondering what to do with all the peels lying around. Don't let them go to waste—use this candied orange peel recipe instead.

Start by removing as much of the pith (white part) from the peels as possible. Slice the peels into strips and boil them twice in plain water, discarding the liquid after each time. Then, add two cups each of water and sugar to the saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add the orange peels, simmer them until translucent (approx. 45 min), let them dry, and coat them in sugar.

Make the Most of Your Citrus With These Valencia Orange Recipes

These orange recipes are only the start of what's possible when you're working with Valencias. Try experimenting by adding them into marinades, cocktails, and other baked goods.

Try our seasonal citrus box while its available...the Craft Citrus Club!

Our Rio box is a 15-lb curated box of our fresh-harvested citrus from South Texas. The fruit is NOT gassed, rather it is tree-ripened. Our season runs from Nov-May for oranges, grapefruit and mandarins.

Our Grande box is a 30-lb box of either fresh-harvested Rio Red Grapefruit or Sweet Oranges from South Texas.