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!
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!
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.
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.
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
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
This Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe has so much flavor and is great for adding to a stir fry!
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, stirring consistently, about 5 minutes. Mix in or pour over desired foods.
- 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
Can I omit the oil?
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.