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Bright Zesty Make-Ahead Cranberry Orange Sauce – Best Holiday Side

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This bright, tangy cranberry orange sauce is a make-ahead holiday lifesaver. Made with fresh cranberries, orange zest and juice, it comes together in 20 minutes and actually tastes better after a few days in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • Fresh cranberries (12 ounces / 340 grams)
  • Granulated sugar (3/4 cup / 150 grams)
  • Fresh orange juice (1/2 cup / 120 ml)
  • Orange zest (2 tablespoons)
  • Water (1/4 cup / 60 ml)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) – optional
  • Cinnamon stick (1) – optional
  • Grand Marnier or bourbon (2 tablespoons) – optional

Instructions

  1. Prep your oranges (2 minutes): Wash oranges well, zest them to get 2 tablespoons of zest, then juice them to get 1/2 cup of juice. Set aside.
  2. Combine the base ingredients (1 minute): In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, sugar, orange zest, water, and a pinch of salt. Stir.
  3. Bring to a simmer (3-4 minutes): Place over medium-high heat until cranberries start popping and small bubbles form around the edges. Reduce heat to medium-low.
  4. Simmer and pop (8-10 minutes): Let simmer gently, stirring every couple of minutes, until most cranberries have burst and mixture looks like loose jam.
  5. Add the orange juice (1 minute): Remove from heat and stir in fresh orange juice.
  6. Cool and adjust (5-10 minutes): Let cool in saucepan for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness or tanginess as desired.
  7. Optional straining (2 minutes): For smooth sauce, pour through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids. Skip for chunky texture.
  8. Transfer to storage containers (2 minutes): Pour into clean glass jars or containers. Cool completely at room temperature before sealing.
  9. Chill and wait (at least 4 hours, ideally overnight): Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Sauce thickens as it cools.

Notes

This sauce can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It freezes well for up to 6 months. The flavor peaks 2-3 days after making. For a spiced version, add a cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise while simmering. For a maple ginger version, replace sugar with maple syrup and add fresh grated ginger. For a low-sugar version, use honey or maple syrup with stevia. For an adult version, stir in bourbon after removing from heat.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, orange cranberry sauce, make-ahead cranberry sauce, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce

Find it online: https://platebelle.com/bright-zesty-make-ahead-cranberry-orange-sauce-best-holiday-side/