How to Cut an Orange

5 from 117 votes

Learn how to cut an orange like pro. Whether navel, Valencia, or beautiful blood oranges. Slice them so they're all orange and with no waste.

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How do you cut an orange? It seems simple, right? But you want to get all the juicy flesh without leaving good parts on the cutting board. Follow along to get the most out of this portable sunshine and learn how to properly cut an orange.

Cutting to top off an orange
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Everyone knows about the vitamin C – the average orange has about 140 percent of your daily dose . But an orange will also give you about five percent of your needed calcium, along with vitamin A and 12 percent of your day’s fiber.

Tips for buying the best oranges

  1. Don’t use color is as an indicator of a good orange. That’s because some oranges are dyed, and perfectly nice ones – especially Valencias – can be greenish.
  2. Look for finely textured, healthy skin texture.
  3. Choose oranges that seem heavy for their size. If you can handle the fruit, pick it up and give it a test.
  4. Pass up oranges with obvious bruises or soft spots.
Orange on cutting board with the top sliced off

How to Cut an Orange (Video Tutorial)

How to cut an orange tutorial

This method, called supreme cuts, can be used on other types of citrus as well.applies to all citrus; grapefruits, lemons, limes, pomelo, etc.

Place the orange on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice about a half an inch off the top and bottom of the orange.

Then, stand the orange up so the flesh is exposed and begin to cut the skin off following the contour of the orange and the white pith.

Repeat this slicing all around the orange, using the exposed contour of the white pith as your guide.

Step by step shots for how to peel an orange before segmenting

Take note of the membrane that separates each segment.

Orange on cutting board with peel removed

Using a sharp paring knife, carefully hold the orange in your hand cut downward between the membrane and the segment.

Once the knife is almost to the center, you can either turn your knife upward to cut the other side of the orange, or you can stop and make another angled cut and the orange segment should pop right out.

Repeat, working your way around the orange, until you’ve cut out all the orange segments. Then you can use them in recipes, store for salads or just snack on them.

Step by step shots for how to segment an orange

Recipes with oranges

Peeled orange on cutting board with peels on the side

Frequently asked questions

How long do cut oranges last in the fridge?

They are best used within two or three days.

Can you freeze cut oranges?

Due to their high water content, oranges, even in segments, are one of those fruits that do not particularly freeze well. The result with be only so-so.

Isn’t there a French word for this method of slicing an orange?

Mais, oui,

Peeled orange on cutting board with peels on the side

There will be nothing basic about your fruit bowls when they contain gorgeously sectioned oranges. So good and so good for you. If possible, try to capture some of the delicious juice to pour over the cut fruit!

For more resources for cutting tutorials:

If you’ve found this cooking resource for How to Cut an Orange helpful or if you’ve tried any recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience with this technique. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

How to Cut an Orange

Learn how to cut an orange like pro. Whether navel, Valencia, or beautiful blood oranges. Slice them so they're all orange and with no waste.
5 from 117 votes
Servings 1 serving
Course Ingredient
Calories 62
Prep Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute
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Video

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Orange

Instructions

  • Place the orange on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice off a half inch of the top and bottom of the orange.
  • Stand the orange up so the flesh is exposed and begin to cut the skin off following the contour of the orange and the white pith.
  • Repeat the peeling technique using the exposed contour of the white pith as your guide
  • Take note of the membrane in between each segment.
  • Using a sharp paring knife, carefully hold the orange in your hand, cut downward between the membrane and the segment. Once you reach the center of the orange, stop and make a second angled cut in a similar way. And the segment should pop right out.
  • Repeat working your way around the orange until you remove all the segments.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last up to 3 days in the fridge. It is best not to freeze them though due to their high water content.
Photo Credit: Erin Jensen

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Potassium: 237mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 295IU, Vitamin C: 70mg, Calcium: 52mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Ingredient
5 from 117 votes (117 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Erlin A Walker says:

    Anyone peel an orange like how it’s showed in your presentation,is wasting a lot of the orange.
    If the they don’t want to waste the orange.
    Try asking a Jamaican how to peel a orange.

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      This is the proper way to segment an orange though and you can juice whatever is leftover or eat it still.

    2. Jen says:

      Erlin, She did quote “Slice them so they’re ALL ORANGE and NO WASTE.” and “you want to get ALL the juicy flesh WITHOUT leaving good parts on the cutting board” and also “Get the MOST out of this portable sunshine. Sorry Yumna, but I have to agree with Erlin on this one. Eventhough you did show a good, proper way to cut and segment an orange, this is definitely not the best way to get all the fruit and Wow! What a lot of juice left on the cutting board. Just saying.. Your headlines are misleading. Consider changing your headlines to “great way to cut and segment an orange” or “love oranges but hate peeling them? Then read on for a great way to cut and segment”. Anything alone those lines would’ve been great.