Citrus fruits are amazing for people who like juicy fruits. These fruits are loaded with vitamins and are very hydrating. However, citrus fruits have an extensive range, such as lemon, oranges, tangerines, clementines, and more. That being said, for people who are fond of mandarin fruit, tangerine is the ultimate choice. For this purpose, we are sharing the substitutes for tangerine if you’ve run out of them!
Substitutes For Tangerine
To begin with, tangerines are mandarin citrus fruits with a small(ish) size. This fruit was named after Tangier (these were first sold there). Tangerine has loose skin, which makes them extremely easy to peel away the skin. As for the flavor, it has a tarty and sweet flavor. The sections of tangerine can be added to desserts and salads.
In addition, people can also eat them as snacks (from hand, you know). Usually, tangerines are available from November to June. If you are clear about tangerine, we can start with the substitutes!
1) Oranges
Well, we don’t think that oranges need any introduction, and they make great substitutes for tangerine. Oranges are originated from Asia, probably from Indonesia and Southern China. However, oranges are grown in Brazil, Sao Paulo, and Florida. You might not know this, but orange is made with a combination of mandarin and pomelo.
There are different varieties of oranges out there, such as round, navel, acidless, and pigmented. The navel and round oranges are pretty common, while pigmented oranges will have dark red flesh, but some oranges will also have red spots. As for acidless oranges, it has a minimal acid level, but it’s not suitable for making juice.
As far as the availability is concerned, they are available from November to March. That being said, it will be extremely available, so you can substitute them for tangerines.
2) Clementine
Clementine is another form type of mandarin. The clementine is extremely easy to peel and has a sweet taste. However, it tends to be smaller as compared to tangerine. It has a bright orange color, and the skin is shiny and smooth. With the thin skin, it will be easier to peel. You might feel like clementine has a more oval shape as compared to tangerine.
Clementine will have a flat bottom and top. In some cases, it’s also known as cuties and halos (very explainable). The clementine is sold in packages. As for availability, it’s available from November to April.
3) Kumquats
This is the most interesting substitute for tangerines. The kumquats have thin skin, which makes them easy to peel. These can be eaten in the whole form and will have a sweet flavor. However, it has a higher citrus oil content which means it might burn the tongue (very little, so don’t worry). Some people also eat the skin since it’s sweet.
As far as the internal flesh is concerned, it has the tartness of citrus fruits. If you have to substitute tangerine with kumquats, you must cut them in half and add them to the salads. In addition, it can be made into marmalade. It looks so much like oranges, but the size will be smaller. It has a golden-yellow appearance in an oval or spherical shape.
In addition to eating it as a snack, you can use kumquats for making marmalades, spreads, and jellies. It is widely available in Asian countries and China.
4) Citrus Fruit Zest
If you don’t want to substitute the tangerine juice and just want to add flavor to the recipe, you can opt for citrus fruit zest. You can opt for tangerine zest for replicating a similar flavor. Still, you can also opt for grapefruit zest and lemon zest. All in all, the zest will replicate the flavor just fine!
5) Fruit Juice
In case you want to substitute tangerine in salads, you can always opt for bottled tangerine juice. This is because such juices will even have a pump. However, it won’t have the bitterness of the original fruit (it comes naturally with peel). So, you can add fruit juice to salads and dressing.
6) Fruit Concentrate
As the name suggests, the fruit concentrates will have a strong flavor. That being said, you have to add fruit concentrate in a smaller amount. It’s best to use the tangerine fruit concentrate, which promises better flavor replication. It can be used for substituting tangerine in desserts and cocktails!