My recipe for Vegan Blood Orange Curd is made without eggs or dairy. This easy, silky curd is perfect for toast, tarts, and desserts and ready in minutes. Get the recipe below.
When blood orange season comes around (December - April) I get very excited. They are one of my favourite fruits and I love experimenting with different ways to use them. Today I'm taking a classic lemon curd recipe and turning it on its head by using this beautiful citrus fruit.
If you also love vibrant citrus desserts, this Vegan Blood Orange Curd is about to become a staple in your kitchen. With its stunning ruby colour, tangy-sweet flavour, and luxuriously smooth texture, it’s a beautiful plant-based alternative to traditional curd made without eggs, dairy, or complicated techniques.
Fresh blood orange juice, vegan butter, and cornflour comes together on the hob in under 15 minutes. It’s perfect for spreading on toast, swirling through vegan yogurt, spooning over pancakes, or using as a filling for tarts, cakes, and pastries. Whether you’re vegan, egg-free, or simply curious, this recipe delivers perfect results every time.
If you're looking for something more classic, then give my Vegan Lemon Curd recipe a try. It uses the same techniques but with lemons instead of blood oranges.
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Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this vegan blood orange curd:
- Cornflour which thickens the curd without eggs
- Water which helps dissolve the cornflour smoothly
- Blood oranges for the flavour
- Icing sugar dissolves easily for a silky texture
- Plant milk adds creaminess (soy, oat, or almond work well)
- Vegan butter gives richness and a glossy finish
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Add the cornflour, icing sugar, water, and blood orange juice to a saucepan. Whisk thoroughly until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Step 2: Place the pan over a medium-low heat and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens into a custard-like consistency.
- Step 3: Reduce the heat to low. Add the plant milk and vegan butter, whisking well until the butter has fully melted and incorporated.
- Step 4: Pour the hot blood orange curd into sterilised jars, seal, and place in the fridge to set before serving.
Hint: Keep the heat gentle and whisk constantly as this prevents sticking, lumps, and over-thickening, ensuring a silky-smooth vegan blood orange curd!
Substitutions
Need to swap out some of the ingredients? Don't worry, I've got you covered! Check out these substitutions:
- Blood oranges: swap for regular oranges or pink grapefruit
- Icing sugar: use caster sugar if needed, but whisk extra well to ensure it dissolves
- Vegan butter: Use a high-fat vegan margarine for best flavour and texture
Variations
Want to tweak the recipe slightly, try one of these variations:
- Vanilla Blood Orange Curd: add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate Blood Orange Curd: stir in 1–2 tablespoon melted dark chocolate at the end
- Spiced Citrus Curd: add a pinch of cardamom or cinnamon for warmth
Equipment
You don't need any complicated equipment for this recipe, just:
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Measuring jug
- Citrus juicer
- Sterilised glass jars
Storage
Store vegan blood orange curd in sealed jars in the refrigerator for up to one week. The curd will continue to thicken slightly as it chills.
Top tip
For the brightest flavour and colour, use freshly squeezed blood orange juice rather than bottled juice. It makes a noticeable difference, I promise!
Frequently asked questions
Normally it is not vegan, but this recipe is egg and dairy free making it suitable for a plant based diet.
If too thick, whisk in a little extra plant milk - it will thicken even more as it cools.
If too thin, gently reheat and whisk for a few more minutes - remember though it will thicken more as it cools.
No, freezing isn’t recommended as it can affect the texture once thawed.
Spread on toast, fill vegan tarts, layer in cakes, swirl into yogurt, or spoon over pancakes and waffles.
The recipe
Vegan Blood Orange Curd
Ingredients
- 30 g cornflour
- 100 ml water
- 3 blood oranges juice only
- 125 g icing sugar
- 60 ml plant milk
- 60 g vegan butter
Instructions
- Place the cornflour, icing sugar, water, and blood orange juice in a pan and whisk until smooth.
- Place over a medium-low heat and cook, stirring continuously, until thick.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the plant milk and vegan butter.
- Whisk well until the butter has melted and is fully incorporated.
- If needed, return to a low heat and whisk for a few more minutes until thickened to your liking.
- Pour the hot blood orange curd into sterilised jars.
- Seal and refrigerate to set before serving.
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