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This homemade cranberry sauce recipe is easy to make with fresh or frozen cranberries. It's ready in just under 20 minutes and can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of Thanksgiving dinner!
When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, fresh cranberry sauce is a must!
It is the perfect side dish to serve with slow cooker turkey breast, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and bread stuffing with sausage.
Not only does it taste great with holiday dinner, leftover cranberry sauce also makes a delicious, sweet and tangy spread for turkey sandwiches the next day.
It tastes really good alongside brown sugar slow cooker ham, pork and chicken dishes too.
The taste and texture is slightly different from canned cranberry sauce, but the taste of homemade so much better. You can choose to leave the sauce chunky or puree it until it is smooth.
Ingredients needed
- fresh cranberries (or frozen)
- white sugar
- water
- pinch of salt
Substitutions
- For liquid sweeteners: Honey or maple syrup can be used instead of white sugar. Reduce the amount of water by about ¼ of a cup and cook until the sauce has thickened.
- For reduced-sugar cranberry sauce: Use half the amount of sugar and water. If the sauce is too thick, add 2 tablespoon of water until the desired consistency.
- For orange flavored cranberry sauce: Swap half of the water for fresh orange juice.
- Add-ins: After the cranberry sauce has finished cooking, toss in one or more of the following; raisins, cinnamon, orange zest, lemon zest or pecans.
How to make it
This is the most simple and easy cranberry sauce recipe you can make and it only takes about 20 minutes!
Rinse the cranberries and pick out any that are damaged.
In a medium pan over medium-high heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the cranberries and a pinch of salt. Allow the mixture to come back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. (The berries will soften and burst.)
Remove the pot from the heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature. (If you want a smooth cranberry sauce, use an immersion blender to puree it after it has cooled.)
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
NOTE: The sauce will continue to thicken and set up as it cools.
Storing and freezing
Cranberry sauce can be made up to two weeks ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container.
It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
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Easy Cranberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries (1 package)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rinse the cranberries and pick out any that are damaged.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the cranberries and pinch of salt. Allow the mixture to come back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. (The berries will soften and burst.)
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature. (If you want a smooth cranberry sauce, use an immersion blender to puree it after it has cooled.)
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.) It can be made up to two weeks ahead of time.
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