The arrival of spring signals so much happy news in the world — flowers bloom, baby animals frolic and you can finally leave the house without a sleeping bag’s worth of layers on your body. Sadly, it also means it’s time to say a tearful goodbye to the most beautiful citrus fruit on the planet — blood oranges. Spring marks the end of blood orange season until next year, so we rounded up 32 ways to squeeze every last drop out of these colorful orbs while they last.
1. Crepes With Blood Orange Sauce: We’re definitely giving a crepe about this recipe. (via Ichigo Shortcake)
2. Blood Orange Upside Down Cakes With Sage: A cake to turn your frown upside down, guaranteed. (via Sohd Alex)
3. Blood Orange Chili Juice: Kick your juice up a notch. (via Jennifer Chong)
4. Blood Orange Sorbet With Blood Orange Saffron and Caramel Macarons: A little blood orange this with a little blood orange that is shaping up to be a perfectly bold dessert. (via Desserts For Breakfast)
5. Blood Orange Roasted Chicken: This classic roast is laced with thyme and Dijon mustard. (via Gobo Root)
6. Blood Orange Rosemary Cocktail: It’s 5 o’clock over here, we swear. (via Sweet Remedy)
7. Blood Orange Glazed Chocolate Donuts: Okay, actually… it’s more like 8 o’clock in the morning (i.e. the donut hour). (via Heather Christo)
8. Agave Crusted Salmon With Blood Orange Salsa Verde: Lemon and lime get to have a lot of fun in the seafood department, but the blood oranges want in. Put ’em in, coach! (via My Daily Morsel)
9. Barley Porridge With Maple Glazed Almonds and Blood Orange: Not only does this blogger manage to make porridge sound incredible, but she also includes a porridge pancake recipe for the leftovers! (via A Tasty Love Story)
11. Jumbo Shrimp and Blood Orange Charmola Salad: Charmola is about to be your new best friend. It’s a North African paste made from sun-dried tomatoes and various spices that’s great for all kinds of meats and veggies, but especially this shrimp and orange dish. (via Flying Fourchette)
12. Blood Orange and Clementine Galette: Sorta feels like someone was playing Connect Four in the kitchen, no? (via Pitchfork Diaries)
13. Blood Orange 75: Oh, would ya look at the time? It’s 5 o’clock again! We’re time travelers, mmkay? (via A Blog Named Scout)
14. Blood Orange Cinnamon Vanilla Meringue Tarts: These tarts are made on top of something called sweet lemon oat shortbread dough so we’re one million percent on board with that. (via Chasing Delicious)
15. Beet Chevre Ravioli With Blood Orange Fennel Sauce: One bright red food plus another bright red food plus goat cheese? We like how this is adding up. (via Katie at the Kitchen Door)
16. Blood Orange Buttermilk Pound Cake: Can’t tell you the last time we were this close to licking the computer screen. (via White on Rice Couple)
17. Sautéed Swiss Chard With Blood Orange Dressing: Swiss chard doesn’t get as much time in the spotlight as kale, but you’ll never understand why after trying this healthy side dish. (via The Vanilla Bean Blog)
19. Blood Orange Margaritas: Your new local cantina is your living room. (via Smitten Kitchen)
20. Creamy Coconut and Blood Orange Popsicles: Summer is on its way, and we’ll be stocking the freezer with about 150 of these. (via Fork Knife Swoon)
21. Seared Scallops With Blood Orange Salsa: Want to impress a dinner guest? Serve them this blood orange magic from the sea. (via Jason and Shawnda)
22. Blood Orange Curd: “Curd” isn’t usually something we’re interested in eating unless it is prefaced by the word “cheese,” but we can make an exception for this. (via The Tart Tart)
23. No-Churn Blood Orange Ice Cream: Give. It. Here. (via The Vanilla Bean Blog)
24. Kale and Blood Orange Salad: That kale in your fridge is begging for a massage. (via A House in the Hills)
24. Creme Brûlée With Caramelized Blood Oranges: Creme brûlée is actually one of the simplest desserts to make at home… and affordable to boot. Blowtorches up! (via Williams Sonoma)
25. Bleeding Heart Mimosa: Blood orange ice cubes and champagne. We love everything about this except for that spilled champagne in the bottom-right of the picture. So careless. (via Domestic Fits)
26. Blood Orange Bars With Brown Butter Crust: We have a serious thing for brown butter, hence, a serious thing for these hot pink blood orange bars. (via White on Rice Couple)
27. Chocolate and Blood Orange Pots de Crème: Teacups should never be filled with tea ever again. (via Sweet Sugar Bean)
28. Blood Orange Juice With Turmeric and Ginger: The color blocking trend just became drinkable. (via Food52)
29. Blood Orange Loaf Cake: Hopefully our friends will get the hint to serve this at all future brunches. (via Annie’s Eats)
30. Blood Orange, Fennel and Avocado Salad With Lemon Citronette: Fennel and blood orange make beautiful flavors together. (via Cookie + Kate)
31. White Chocolate Sunchoke Mousse Tartelettes With Blood Orange Panna Cotta and Blood Orange Beetroot Jelly: This recipe is a mouthful, both literally and grammatically. (via Almond Corner)
32. Blood Orange Pie: Do not enter a pie-throwing contest with this citrus splendor. (via The Vanilla Bean Blog)
What else are you cooking up with these little red guys? Let us know in the comments!