It's not acidic to me, but it's just 1/4 cup of orange juice. I did add more carrots to my stock, and more onions, but that's just my preference. I love veggies. I also made a triple batch to share with friends and family. The OJ just adds enough of a kick to give it a flavor boost in my opinion when I tasted it. The salt is definitely needed (I tried it without it, as I normally try to take out salt whenever possible. The pepper helped as well.).