How to Cut an Orange

Here’s exactly how to cut an orange into sections with the pith and peel removed (called supremes). They’re perfect for salads and garnishes!

Wondering how to cut an orange but not sure the best way? It’s easy to cut wedges and rings. But what about sections for salads? While you could just segment it with your hands, this results in sections with the tough pith, which is hard to chew. Never fear: there’s a fancy French method that will do the trick. Here’s how to supreme an orange: that is, cut it into sections with the peel and pith removed! They’re perfect for garnishes and salads. Here’s how to do it!

Related: Knife Skills 101: How to Cut Basic Fruits & Vegetables

How to cut an orange step by step

Step 1: Slice off the ends.

Use a large chef’s knife to slice off both ends of the orange. Make sure you’ve cut through all of the pith and can see some of the orange flesh.

Step 2: Cut off the peel.

Angle your knife and follow the round shape of the orange to remove the peel. Be careful not to cut too much of the orange flesh away.

Step 3: Cut away a segment (inside the membrane lines).

Here’s where it’s a little tricky: cut right on the inside of each membrane line to remove a segment. You don’t want to cut right on the membrane, but just inside of it. Make the two angled cuts, and the segment will pop right out.

Step 4: Repeat for all segments!

Keep cutting inside each membrane line to remove the sections of the orange. And that’s it: beautiful orange segments with no tough pith!

Best chef knife & cutting boards

A good knife can drastically improve your time in the kitchen, and lasts for years. Alex and I have had our chef knives for 10 plus years and they still work great! Here are some of the knives we recommend, non-slip cutting boards, and the best knife sharpener. These recommendations are perfect for outfitting your own kitchen, or great gifts for a wedding registry or someone who loves to cook!

• 7″ Chef’s Knife — our best knife recommendation
• 10″ Chef’s Knife — our favorite large knife
• 8″ Chef’s Knife — our favorite affordable knife
• Paring Knife
• Serrated Knife / Bread Knife
• Non-Slip Wood Cutting Board (used in the video!) or Non-Slip Bamboo Cutting Board
• Non-Slip Plastic Cutting Board
• Knife Sharpener
• Drawer Knife Organizer — this is how we store our knives, and it’s even slicker than a knife block

Looking for orange recipes?

Now that you know how to cut an orange, here are some recipes where you can try it out!

• Fennel Orange Salad
• Citrus Salad with Greens
• Orange Avocado Salad

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