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    You are here: Home / How To

    How to Zest an Orange

    BY: Courtney PUBLISHED: Nov 11, 2021 1 Comment UPDATED ON: Nov 11, 2021

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
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    Learn How to Zest an Orange easily using a Microplane, zester, and box grater. Orange zest can be frozen and is perfect for drinks, baked goods, and more!

    hands holding an orange and zesting an orange

    Orange zest is full of flavor and you’re most likely throwing that flavor away and you didn’t even realize it! Before you enjoy your next orange simply zest the orange before you enjoy it!

    sliced oranges in a bowl

    WHAT IS ORANGE ZEST?

    Orange zest is the exterior of the orange. It’s a darker color than the pith and orange flesh inside. The orange zest is full of flavor and contains essential oils so the smell is incredible in addition to the flavor it packs. Zest adds flavor to food whether it’s drinks or baked goods.

    Once you zest an orange you have a perfectly good orange left behind, albeit it’s a bit softer since you’re mostly holding the pith, but it’s a delicious orange nonetheless.

    We always purchase citrus fruits when we plan to eat the peel, zest, or juice our citrus.

    zesting tools with an orange on a table

    HOW TO ZEST AN ORANGE

    1. Microplaine: Hold the orange in one hand and the microplane in another. Place the microplane against the orange and slice it down gently to remove the zest. Keep going until you have the desired amount of zest.
    2. Box Grate: Just like you would grate cheese or potatoes, move the orange up and down against the box grater carefully until you have the desired amount of dest.
    3. Citrus Ribbon Zester: Place the peeler against the orange and carefully put pressure on the orange peel it downward. Repeat until you have all the citrus ribbons you need.
    orange zest tools

    FAQs

    How much zest is in one orange?

    One orange will produce about 2-3 tablespoons of zest.

    What is the white part of the orange?

    The soft white part of the orange is called the pith. This is edible, but it’s not tasty, instead, it’s rather bitter. Only zest the exterior orange color and stop before you hit the pith.

    How to store orange zest

    We refrigerate orange zest for 2-3 days or freeze orange zest for about 2 months.

    orange zest with an orange behind it

    ORANGE RECIPES

    • Orange Honey Butter
    • Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Orange Glaze
    • Orange Carrot Juice
    hands holding an orange and zesting an orange
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    5 from 1 vote

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    How to Zest an Orange

    Learn How to Zest an Orange easily using a Microplane, zester, and box grater. Orange zest can be frozen and is perfect for drinks, baked goods, and more!
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: how to zest an orange, orange zest
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 62kcal
    Author: Courtney

    Ingredients

    • 1 orange
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Microplaine: Hold the orange in one hand and the microplane in another. Place the microplane against the orange and slice it down gently to remove the zest. Keep going until you have the desired amount of zest.
    • Box Grater: Just like you would grate cheese or potatoes, move the orange up and down against the box grater carefully until you have the desired amount of dest.
    • Citrus Ribbon Zester: Place the peeler against the orange and carefully put pressure on the orange peel it downward. Repeat until you have all the citrus ribbons you need.
    • Peeler: Alternatively you can also use a peeler in a pinch to peel the orange zest and then chop it up on your cutting board with a knife.
    Nutrition
    Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

    The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.

    nutrition disclaimer

    Did you try this recipe? Be sure to leave a recipe rating! Also, tag us @knowyourproduce on Instagram and hashtag it #knowyourproduce so we can share it!.

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    More How To

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    • How to Store Avocados
    • How to Freeze Avocados
    • How to Cut Butternut Squash

    POSTED IN: How To orange orange zest zest

    About Courtney

    Fruit and Veggie lover. I love making produce fun and delicious, not to mention taking tons of pictures in the process! :-)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda

      January 14, 2023 at 1:35 pm

      This video was very informative!

      I had no idea I could use a cheese grater for this!

      Looking forward to more content.

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply

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