Boasting rich, crimson flesh and berry-like flavour, blood oranges are perfect for brightening up your winter cooking. Use them to add a citrusy kick to warm salads and dressings, to cut through rich steak dishes, or simply as is.
Unlike regular oranges, blood oranges contain anthocyanin pigments, the same antioxidants found in raspberries and blueberries. During the growing season, their deep red colour develops when night temperatures drop below -1 or -2°C (in a similar way to how lemons turn from green to yellow).
When are blood oranges in season?
Here in the UK, blood oranges are usually in season from December to March, with January and February offering the sweetest, brightest fruit.
Blood orange benefits
Blood oranges are a good source of vitamin C and fibre, with antioxidant anthocyanins that give blood oranges their red colour.
Best-ever blood orange recipes
Dive into the season’s boldest flavour and bring a taste of sunshine to your kitchen with our best blood orange recipes.
Yellowfin Tuna Noodle Salad with Peanut & Blood Orange Dressing
Responsibly-sourced tuna meets bright flavours in this nourishing noodle salad. Creamy peanut butter is perfectly balanced with zingy blood orange and fresh ginger to create a lip-smacking dressing, which is tossed with brown rice noodles and crisp seasonal veg. What’s not to love?
Pan-seared Sirloin Steak with Spiced Root Veg, Blood Orange Salad & Roasted Garlic Sauce
British sirloin steak medallions are pan-seared until perfectly tender and juicy, then paired with golden roasties, carrots and onions tossed in warming five-spice. A fresh blood orange salad cuts through the richness, adding welcome pops of acidity and sweetness. Finished with a drizzle of roasted garlic sauce, this is restaurant-quality food, made from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Blood Orange & Olive Salsa
Delicately pan-fried sea bass takes centre stage in this elegant dinner for two. Crisp skin and perfectly flaky flesh is complemented with a punchy blood orange salsa, featuring briny olives and plenty of fresh herbs. Light, vibrant and full of flavour, this is a dish you’ll want to recreate again and again.
Honey & Ginger Braised Chicken with Blood Orange & Aubergine Rice
Comforting, bold and perfectly balanced, this standout dinner stars free-range British chicken thighs, which are gently braised until tender in a sticky honey, blood orange, and ginger glaze. Paired with miso aubergine rice and leafy pak choi, this is something special.
Moroccan-Style Chicken & Lentil Salad with Blood Orange, Beetroot & Avocado
Earthy beetroot, protein-rich lentils and creamy avocado form the base of this flavour-packed winter salad, while juicy blood orange adds a welcome burst of freshness. Finished with a sweet and tangy maple and mustard dressing, this is seriously satisfying.
Butternut Squash Salad with Pistachios, Pomegranate & Feta
As blood orange recipes go, this colourful warm salad is definitely up there. Freshly squeezed blood orange juice forms the base of a light, sweet-and-tangy dressing with honey and vinegar, while juicy segments are folded through the salad for bursts of bright citrus in every bite. Teamed with roasted butternut squash, crumbly feta and quinoa, this is a thing of joy.
Discover beautiful blood oranges on our menu to get a taste of the season’s boldest citrus.