Cranberry Sauce with Orange
Why this recipe works
- Bright, balanced flavour: Orange juice and a pinch of salt sharpen the cranberries’ natural tartness without making the sauce taste harsh.
- Sets as it chills: The sauce thickens after cooling, making it ideal to prepare before serving rather than at the last minute.
- Simple ingredient list: Fresh cranberries, sugar and orange provide enough flavour and structure without needing thickeners or extra seasoning.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Chill until spoonable: The sauce will seem looser when warm, then firms up as it cools and chills.
- Serve cold: For the cleanest texture and brightest flavour, serve it well chilled rather than warm from the pan.
Texture tips
- For a smoother sauce: Cook slightly longer, then pass the warm sauce through a sieve before chilling.
- For a looser sauce: Stop simmering as soon as most berries have burst, remembering that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- For more texture: Keep the simmer gentle and avoid over-stirring so some berries remain partly intact.
Ingredient swaps
- Softer fruit flavour: Use unsweetened apple cider juice instead of orange juice for a rounder, less citrus-led sauce.
- Deeper sweetness: Light brown sugar can replace caster sugar for a warmer, lightly caramel-like flavour.
Make-ahead tips
- Make it in advance: Cranberry sauce keeps well in the fridge, so it can be prepared several days before serving.
- Freezes well: Freeze in a sealed container, defrost overnight in the fridge, then stir well before serving.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put the orange juice, caster sugar, dried orange zest and fine sea salt into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once it looks clear and syrupy, you are ready for the cranberries.
- Add the fresh cranberries and return to a simmer. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most berries have burst and the sauce looks glossy and slightly thickened.
- Take the pan off the heat and let the sauce stand for 10 minutes to finish thickening. Transfer to a serving bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.
- Chill for at least 90 minutes until properly set and spoonable. Serve cold.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For a smoother sauce, simmer for 1 to 2 minutes longer, then press through a sieve-strainer while warm and chill as directed.
- If you prefer a looser sauce, stop cooking as soon as the berries burst and chill; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Substitutions
- Replace orange juice with unsweetened-apple-cider-juice for a softer, rounder fruit flavour.
- Replace caster sugar with light-brown-sugar for a deeper, caramel-like sweetness.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 7 days
- Keep in a covered container in the fridge. Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge and stir well before serving.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 2h 10min (10min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
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