The Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Easy 4-Ingredient Recipe!)
A simple, from-scratch cranberry sauce recipe with a balanced sweet-and-tangy flavor and a unique texture. The method involves simmering most of the cranberries with sugar and a strip of citrus zest until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. A portion of the whole cranberries is reserved and stirred in at the end, providing a fresh ‘pop’ of texture that mimics a relish. The sauce is then cooled to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes (includes cooling time)
- Yield: 6-8 servings (makes approx. 2 cups)
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- One 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar, plus more as needed
- 1 strip orange or lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Empty the cranberries into a saucepan. Remove 1/2 cup of the whole cranberries and set them aside in a small bowl.
- Add the sugar, citrus zest strip, and 2 tablespoons of water to the saucepan with the remaining cranberries.
- Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries soften.
- Increase the heat to medium and cook for about 12 more minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of whole cranberries.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and discard the citrus peel.
- Season to taste with sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- This recipe creates a more interesting texture than standard cranberry sauce by adding some whole, uncooked cranberries at the end.
- The natural pectin in the cranberries will cause the sauce to thicken significantly as it cools.
- This sauce can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Find it online: https://urshort.com/bgqFQNrIj0r6/homemade-cranberry-sauce-2/