Tangerine Fruit: 4 Citrus Fruits Similar to Tangerines

Tangerines (Citrus tangerina) are a specific variety of mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata) and belong to the Rutaceae plant family, also known as the citrus family. The small fruit, which originated in Tangier, Morocco, has a reddish-orange skin that peels easily. Tangerine fruit has a soft rind and small seeds and boasts a sweet orange or sometimes slightly tart, taste. The entire fruit—orange peel and all—is edible. Similar to navel oranges and other citrus varieties, tangerine oranges contain high amounts of vitamin C, as well as vitamin A and potassium. Tangerines also contain soluble dietary fiber, are low in calories, and are high in carbohydrates.

Growers in warm weather climates, such as Florida and California, harvest the fresh fruit in early winter, and grocery stores stock the fruits from November through April. Sometimes tangerine fruits retail under the label “mandarins” since the plant species are so closely related. It’s important to note that all tangerines are mandarin oranges, but not all mandarins are tangerines.

Tangors (hybrids of the mandarin orange) and tangelos (crosses between a tangerine and a grapefruit) all look similar to tangerines. Here’s how the citrus fruits vary in color, shape, and taste when you compare them to tangerines.

1. 1. Clementines: Citrus clementina is the smallest mandarin orange. This tangor, also known as an Algerian tangerine, is a deep orange color and easy to peel. Clementines are seedless and have a sweet taste in comparison to a tangerine. They are also smaller than tangerines.
2. 2. Minneolas: The most popular tangelo is the minneola (citrus x tangelo), also known as the honeybell orange. This fruit is sweet and mildly tart. You can easily recognize the minneola by its large size and protruding stem-end neck, a feature that tangerines lack.
3. 3. Murcotts: Also known as the honey tangerine, a murcott (Citrus reticulata x Citrus sinensis) is a smooth, bright orange tangor with a sweet and juicy flavor. It is comparable in size to a tangerine; however, a murcott is usually a deeper orange.
4. 4. Satsumas: Citrus unshiu has a loose, yellow-orange skin that easily bruises. This tangor is seedless and has a sweet taste—sweeter than that of a tangerine. You may have a harder time finding satsumas in stores than tangerines and other similar citrus fruits.

Fruit growers began to breed tangerines in the 1800s. Today, the two most popular types of tangerines are the Dancy and the Sunburst. The Dancy tangerine, nicknamed the Christmas tangerine, is a red-orange fruit that ripens in December. This fruit has a leathery texture but is easy to peel and has a tart flavor. The Sunburst is a dark-orange fruit and is the most widely grown tangerine. Sunbursts are mildly acidic and very sweet. Growers harvest this tangerine in November.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.