Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce
This homemade orange ginger cranberry sauce is bursting with fresh flavor and comes together in just minutes on the stove, no special equipment required. Sweetened naturally with orange juice and maple syrup, it’s a vibrant, fresh alternative to canned cranberry sauce and made with simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday gathering, this cranberry sauce pairs beautifully with turkey, ham, stuffing, and all your favorite casseroles. Plus, it’s a great make-ahead recipe, you can prepare it the day before to save time and let the flavors meld for an even richer taste.
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Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries – you can find fresh cranberries in local grocery stores during the months of October – January. They are naturally very tart.
- Zest and juice of an orange – the zest of an orange helps to give the dish a deep orange flavor. The orange juice helps to sweeten the cranberry sauce and also impart orange flavor.
- Fresh grated ginger – freshly grated ginger gives this cranberry sauce recipe a punch of flavor. Ginger pairs really well with orange and cranberry flavors so it’s a wonderful match.
- Maple syrup – maple syrup naturally sweetens this cranberry sauce recipe. Depending on how sweet you like your cranberry sauce, you may need to add more. Add more 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired sweetness level.
- Cinnamon – ground cinnamon helps to balance out the flavors and gives the cranberry sauce a deep flavor. I know it seems like an unlikely ingredient in cranberry sauce, but don’t skip the cinnamon.
Top tips
- You can make this cranberry sauce up to 3 days in advance. It’s a great recipe to make a few days before the holiday meal so that you can cross things off your list and not be overwhelmed the day of the holiday.
- This recipe travels well too, so it’s a great recipe to volunteer to make as a guest to your holiday meals.
- You can also freeze leftover orange ginger cranberry sauce if you want to make it even further in advance or find yourself with leftover fresh cranberries.
- If you are like me and really love ginger you could probably add another 1/2 tablespoon to this recipe.
- If you are looking for a very sweet cranberry sauce, you might want to add an additional tablespoon or two of maple syrup, as this recipe is still quite tart compared to the canned jelly version!
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover ginger orange cranberry sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Freeze extra cranberry sauce in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. You can freeze it in Soupercubes for easy storing (once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag).
More holiday inspired recipes to try
- Paleo (or Vegan) Sweet Potato Casserole
- Vegan Squash Casserole
- Cauliflower Rice Stuffing
- Wild Rice Stuffing
- Kale and Brussel Sprouts Salad with Cranberries
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Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce
Fresh, tangy, and naturally sweetened, this orange ginger cranberry sauce is the perfect holiday side dish. Made with simple ingredients and ready in minutes, it’s easy to prepare ahead for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
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Servings: 4 people
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2.5 cup fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup water
- ½ orange juiced (zest the entire orange)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/3 cup maple syrup - plus more if desired
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon - optional
Instructions
- Heat a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Add fresh cranberries and water. Cover and cook 4 minutes. The cranberries should be starting to burst and break down.2.5 cup fresh cranberries, ¼ cup water
- Stir the cranberries. Zest the entire orange and add the juice from half the orange. Add the remaining ingredients.½ orange juiced (zest the entire orange), 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Allow to cook 2-3 additional minutes, stirring often to help break up the cranberries.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
57
Carbohydrates
14
g
Fiber
3
g
Sugar
7
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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Your recipe sounds amazing. I would never have thought to add fresh ginger, I love ginger anything. We never heard of cranberry sauce when we were young, now I would not be without it. So good to ditch the sugar as well.
Kathleen
Blogger’s Pit Stop
Yes, K! Cranberry sauce was never a bit item for us either growing up. But now it’s a must at our holiday feast!
I love the orange and ginger in your cranberry sauce! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Come to next weeks Thanksgiving party on Tuesday at 8:00 am, CST, see you then!
Miz Helen
I’m pinning this to try. It sounds yummy!
Sounds like the perfect sauce for holiday meals!
this is such a delicious sounding recipe. My mother made something like this each and every thanksgiving
come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Hi!
Just came across your blog on a link up and love it! Also, isn’t cranberry sauce just the best? Your recipe sounds fantastic!
Happy Holidays!
Emily
http://www.fortuitousfoodies.com/