• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Contact Privacy Policy

Nourish Plate

Easy family-friendly recipes for busy people!

  • Instant Pot
  • Air Fryer
  • Slow Cooker
  • Chicken
  • Dessert
  • Side Dish
  • Recipe Index
  • Home
  • Latest Recipes
  • Recipe Index
Contact Privacy Policy
  • Instant Pot
  • Air Fryer
  • Slow Cooker
  • Chicken
  • Dessert
  • Side Dish
  • Recipe Index
Home » Condiments » Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

Rate Recipe By Nourish Plate on November 18, 2020 | updated December 12, 2020

Jump to Recipe Share Pin
Cranberry sauce pinnable image with a collage of 3 images, and an overlay text "the best cranberry sauce recipe".

The perfect homemade cranberry sauce recipe to complement every turkey dinner! It’s sweet and tart at the same time, with the perfect consistency and texture.

Close up shot of cranberry sauce with orange zest served in a white bowl

Although cranberry sauce is best known for being served with turkey, you don’t really have to wait for thanksgiving to make it. It also goes so well with chicken, and can definitely make your weeknight chicken dinners extra special!

So ditch store-bought cans of cranberry sauce, and make your own sauce at home. It tastes WAY better and contains no harmful ingredients. I like to leave a few whole berries and add them back to the sauce at the end for a chunkier cranberry sauce, and I think it looks prettier on the plate too.

Table of Contents

  • How to Make Cranberry Sauce
  • Can you Freeze Cranberry Sauce?
  • Variations
  • Serving Ideas
  • Cranberry Sauce Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes
    • Nutrition
      • did you make this recipe?
    • You may also like…

How to Make Cranberry Sauce

You can either use fresh or frozen cranberries to make cranberry sauce. If buying frozen cranberries, choose a package with full unbroken berries that are bright red in color.

Here’s how to make it:

  • In a medium saucepan, combine half of the cranberries, water, and sugar.
  • Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add the rest of the cranberries, and simmer gently uncovered without stirring for about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and pour into a serving dish. Chill before serving.
A collage with 4 images on how to make cranberry sauce

Remember, the sauce will thicken even more once it cools so don’t overcook it.

This is sort of like a whole berry sauce, as I find that whole berries look very pretty. But if you prefer a traditional jelly-like cranberry sauce, then add all of the cranberries at once at the beginning.

Cooking cranberries in a small saucepan with a rubber spatula

Can you Freeze Cranberry Sauce?

It freezes so well in an airtight container for a year. Thaw until you get the right consistency. If necessary, thin it out with a splash of water in a saucepan over medium heat and serve.

Variations

  • Add spices such as ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, allspice.
  • Add orange juice or lemon juice, or add something boozy for example rum or brandy.
  • Or, as I did in my version here, just stir in some fresh orange zest at the end for a great flavor.
A white bowl with the sauce, and a serving spoon

Serving Ideas

  • Serve with perfectly juicy and tender roast turkey or a roasted turkey breast. Slice the turkey and serve with mashed potatoes or sweet mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, this delicious cranberry sauce, and sautéed greens!
  • With grilled chicken, or steak.
  • Add to turkey sliders and sandwiches.
  • Use it to make desserts.
  • Pretend like it’s jam, and spread it on sandwich bread with a little bit of butter!
  • Use it as a glaze for meat and poultry.
A plate with turkey slices, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and sauteed spinach

For more delicious and nourishing recipe ideas, click here.

Recipe
Recipe
5 from 15 votes
click the stars to rate!

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
8
The perfect cranberry sauce recipe to complement every turkey dinner! This homemade cranberry sauce is sweet and tart at the same time, with the perfect consistency and texture.
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, combine half of the cranberries, water, and sugar.
  • Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add the rest of the cranberries, and simmer gently uncovered without stirring for about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and pour into a serving dish. Chill before serving.

Notes

  • Cranberry sauce freezes so well in an airtight container for a year. Thaw until you get the right consistency, and if necessary, thin it out with a splash of water in a saucepan over medium heat and serve.
  • Feel free to add vanilla, spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg), or orange juice or zest for extra flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

did you make this recipe?

Make sure to follow on Pinterest @nourishplate and on Instagram @nourishplate

You may also like...

  • Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes served in a bowl
    Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • Vegan Mashed Potatoes
  • Mushroom Stew
  • Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
« Previous
Roasted Turkey Breast
Next »
White Chocolate Fudge

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review! Cancel reply

Have a question or just want to say how much you loved the recipe? We love hearing from you! Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Made this? Rate it!




Primary Sidebar

FREE eBook + Latest Recipes!

Subscribe to the newsletter for all the latest recipes!


Favorite Recipes

  • Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
  • Serving ground beef casserole with a serving spoon
    Ground Beef Casserole
  • Chicken cheesesteak sloppy joe served in a hamburger bun with fries on the side
    Slow Cooker Chicken Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
  • Crispy Air Fryer French Fries
    Air Fryer French Fries
  • Mushroom Stew
  • Instant Pot Hamburger Helper served in a bowl
    Instant Pot Hamburger Helper

FREE eBook + Latest Recipes!

Subscribe to the newsletter for all the latest recipes!

Nourish Plate Logo
back to topBack To Top
©2023, Nourish Plate. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
Design by Pixel Me Designs
×

FREE eBook + Latest Recipes!

Subscribe to the newsletter for all the latest recipes!