This Healthy Orange Sauce Recipe is flavorful and goes perfectly with a stir fry, baked tofu, or chicken (if you eat meat). It’s easy to make and has quickly become one of my go-to stir-fry sauces.
I’ve used this Healthy Homemade Orange Sauce in a few recipes 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 us are familiar with Panda Express orange chicken. I used to love it before I went vegetarian. Now, I make my own orange tofu using this sauce, and it’s pretty amazing!
The recipe is similar to my Best Stir Fry Sauce Recipe, so if you enjoy that one, you will love this!
Orange Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Orange juice – It’s not necessary, but I like to use freshly squeezed orange juice when I make this. That way, I know it’s pure orange juice with nothing else added.
- Fresh garlic and ginger – I have occasionally used garlic and ginger powder when I didn’t have the fresh stuff on hand, and it worked, but I prefer it fresh.
- Pure maple syrup – For this recipe, Make sure your maple syrup is pure. Avoid the artificial stuff found in the pancake aisle!
- Toasted sesame oil – Make sure you get toasted sesame oil, not regular sesame oil. It adds so much good flavor!
- Arrowroot powder or cornstarch – You can use either arrowroot or cornstarch. But don’t leave it out! It thickens the sauce, so it’s really important.
How To Make Healthy Orange Sauce
I love this sauce. It has so much great orange flavor and a really nice orange color. Once heated, it gets nice and thick and coats anything you put on. It does congeal if you refrigerate it, but you can fix it by heating it up for a few minutes. You can make this orange sauce ahead of time if you like. I suggest not adding the arrowroot or cornstarch until ready to use.
- Add all ingredients to a jar or bowl and whisk until completely combined. Heat a skillet or small pot over medium heat and pour in the orange sauce.
- 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 as a stir-fry sauce by pouring it on top of your stir-fry in the last few minutes of cooking and letting the sauce thicken with your stir-fry.
How To Use This Homemade Orange Sauce Recipe
- As a stir-fry sauce – You simply mix it all together, add it to your stir-fry, and cook for a few minutes until thickened. The first recipe I ever used it with was these zucchini noodle and chickpea stir-fries, and it was delicious!
- On protein – This is basically a stir-fry sauce, but I sautéed some tofu and chickpeas and then added the sauce at the very end. It made some great meal-prep bowls!
- Orange Tofu – My Vegan Orange Tofu combines my Crispy Baked Tofu with this Homemade Orange Sauce, and it’s so good!
Have a question about this orange sauce? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Delicious Sauce Recipes?
Vegetarian Sheet Pan Dinner with BBQ Tahini Sauce
Favorite Fish Taco Sauce Recipe
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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.