Spicy Orange Ginger Juice (blender recipe)

Fresh orange juice mingles with grapefruit, lemons, limes and fresh ginger root in this spicy orange ginger juice. A hint of cayenne pepper take the heat up a notch as well. This juice is tart, spicy, and mildly sweet, however, it can be further sweetened to your preference. This recipe comes together quickly in a blender—no juicer needed.

This spicy orange ginger juice is meant to be consumed in small doses, similar to the commercially available citrus immunity juices or shots—I especially enjoy it during cold season for this reason. Serves 3-4.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• Step by Step Overview
• Helpful Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage
• More Recipes
• Spicy Orange Ginger Juice (blender recipe)

Why This Recipe Works

Every winter, I find those "immunity shots" in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. I have nothing against them, however, I find they can be wildly overpriced. I love to incorporate fresh citrus juices when cold season hits, but I also like to save myself money by making this recipe at home. I hope it becomes a go-to-recipe for you as well.

Warming ginger and a hint of cayenne do just the trick when mixed with fresh orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime juice. Mostly, what I love about this recipe is that it's a juice made in a high powered blender. Using a blender as opposed to a juicer makes consuming fresh juice so much easier and faster with minimal cleanup. Moreover, juice in a blender produces less waste—traditional juicers always leave pulp behind. If you don't mind pulp, you will love this recipe, too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the full list of ingredients and quantities of each, see the recipe card further down the post.

Fresh Oranges: naval oranges are best because they are a balance between sweet and sour. Cara Cara or Valencia oranges work as well—any variety that is sweet, tart and juicy. Avoid sour varieties like Bergamot or Seville. Oranges should be free of blemishes, firm to the touch, have a brightly coloured rind (with no green) that is neither overly soft or wrinkled (this can indicate over-ripeness).

Fresh Lemon: choose lemons that are firm to the touch, bright yellow and slightly shiny. When you give it a squeeze, it should feel very firm; if not, it's likely overripe. A juicy lemon will feel heavy for it's size.

Fresh Lime: choose limes that have a smooth, brightly coloured skin with a slight sheen. Like lemons, a juicy lime will also feel heavy for it's size.

Fresh Grapefruit: I prefer red or pink grapefruit which are sweeter than white grapefruit. Again, choose grapefruits free of blemishes and as fresh as possible—they should be firm to the touch, brightly coloured with a smooth rind that is neither overly soft or wrinkled (this can indicate over-ripeness or dried out flesh).

Fresh Ginger Root: I prefer to use fresh organic ginger root which tends to have more kick than conventional ginger root.

Ground Cayenne Pepper: this adds heat to the recipe.

Filtered water: I choose filtered water whenever possible because it generally tastes much better.

Maple syrup: this help balance out the tart and spicy flavour of the other ingredients. You can omit it entirely, but the finished juice will really pack a punch. Alternatively, use honey in equal measure.

Step by Step Overview

For the full detailed instructions, see the recipe card further down the post.

STEP 1: Peel and cut the fruits into quarters.

STEP 2: Place the ingredients in a high powered blender.

STEP 3: Blend on high for 20-30 seconds until smooth.

STEP 4: Portion and serve immediately.

Helpful Tips

Adjust the sweetness: you can add more maple syrup if you find the heat of this juice too much.

Source quality ingredients: the quality of the ingredients is important and will make this juice better if you opt for the freshest produce available.

Be cautious using cayenne pepper: it is hot and if you happen to get any on your hands/skin, be sure to wash the area thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes to prevent irritation.

Use the edge of a spoon: to peel the skin from the ginger root.

Add the ingredients to the blender in the order listed: this will make the blending process smooth and efficient. Placing the liquids in first prevents air pockets from forming. Next add powdered items, then lighter ones and finally harder or heavier items on top—this will help push the mixture into the blades and create a more even blend and help prevent your blender stalling. If you choose to add ice to this recipe (see below tip) you will want to add the ice last.

Add Ice for a chilled juice (optional): add ½ a cup of crushed ice to the blender if you prefer a icy juice. Just note that this will increase the quantity and dilute some of the heat and flavour.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead: prepare the citrus and ginger ahead of time and pop them in a covered freezer-safe container and freeze them overnight. You will need to blend the mixture a little longer to account for the frozen texture.

Storage: Serve this juice right away. Like most fresh juices, it won't keep well and the flavour will diminish over time.

More Recipes

Carrot Orange Ginger Smoothie

Dairy-free Golden Turmeric Milk

Vegan Rhubarb Peach Lassi

If you made my spicy orange ginger juice please leave me a comment below with a star rating; it really helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.