Cranberry Orange Sauce with Ginger
This super simple cranberry orange sauce with ginger is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or everyday eating. Made with fresh cranberries, orange juice and just a touch of brown sugar. You’ll never need to buy canned again!
There is nothing more I love than a big bowl of fresh cranberry orange sauce. Even though I didn’t grow up with it and thought it was super weird until maybe 5 years ago. I still don’t get the whole “we only eat it on Thanksgiving” thing but that argument is for another day.
I happen to think cranberry sauce it fabulous spooned into yogurt or on top of ice cream but yes, it does go really well with turkey. Especially if you’re making baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches. AKA: a delicious sandwich perfect for using up ALL those leftovers.
Oh, and if this cranberry orange sauce with ginger looks familiar it’s because I originally made it back in 2010 and I decided to give it a little facelift. By facelift I mean I took new pictures because my old ones were not helping me.
Now, if you’re not familiar with making your own cranberry sauce don’t fret. It’s super simple. Like, so simple I’m not sure why you can even buy it in a can. Of course, this is the whole berry and not the can-shaped kind.
Which, weirdly my husband loves.
Also, if you have never made your own cranberry sauce before you’re going to be blown away at how easy it all comes together. You just throw it in a pot or a skillet and let it do its thing. That’s it.
You might hear some popping but that is just the fresh berries popping out of their skin. No need to worry. It’s totally normal.
As I said before, cranberry orange sauce doesn’t just need to be for Thanksgiving or for turkey. You can do tons of delicious things with it!
Ways to use up cranberry orange sauce:
- Use it in place of jam or jelly. It’s great when paired with peanut butter or even cream cheese!
- Spoon into plain or vanilla Greek yogurt.
- Add it to sandwiches like my turkey cranberry pesto panini or my ham cheddar cranberry melt.
- Spoon it directly into your mouth.
- Drop a spoonful into a simple cocktail like a vodka and club soda or a gin and tonic.
Oh, if you’re looking for an easy to grate your orange zest and your fresh ginger get your hands on a microplane grater. They are a lifesaver and perfect for zesting citrus, ginger, garlic and lemongrass.
Are you still craving all things cranberry? Don’t worry I have you covered! Try my Bacon Egg and Cheese Cranberry Sauce Breakfast Sandwich, Sheet Pan Cranberry Balsamic Chicken and Green Beans, Cranberry Pesto Chicken Burgers, Cranberry Orange Rosemary Muffins, Cranberry Smoothie Bowl, Cranberry Orange No Bake Creme Fraiche Cheesecake or my Cranberry Orange Dutch Baby
Ginger Laced Cranberry Orange Sauce
This super simple cranberry orange sauce with ginger is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or everyday eating. Made with fresh cranberries, orange juice and just a touch of brown sugar. You'll never need to buy canned again!
Yield: 2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 (12 ounce) bag fresh cranberries
- 1 orange, zested
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Directions:
In a medium-size skillet add all the ingredients.
Cook over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes or until the berries have popped and cooked down into a thick jelly like consistency.
If the mixture is bubbling too much turn the heat down a little and continue cooking until done.
Let cool and serve.
Note: You can also cook this in a pot but I like doing it in a skillet because it cooks faster and more even. Also, the berries will pop while cooking and this is totally normal.
I didn’t grow up with “real” cranberry sauce either! I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about until I tasted the real thing… I can eat it on it’s own!
Looks marvelous! I never liked jellied cranberry sauce, but the fresh stuff is awesome 🙂
I’ve recently discovered how good ginger pairs with cranberries. So your sauce would be fun to try.
I have always made fresh cranberry sauce so imagine my surprise when my teen-aged son requested I buy the canned jellied cranberry sauce. Apparently he had it at a relative’s house and liked it.
Mimi
Definitely a Thanksgiving staple! Yours looks great and I love the ginger in there. And great minds think alike, my ATTYC post tomorrow is apple-cranberry chutney, lol!
My family only ever had canned cranberry sauce which, honestly, is disgusting. And I thought I hated the stuff until I tried a REAL version. OHMYGOD good. I love that you put ginger in this!
That canned stuff is ghastly. No wonder your parents didn’t like it. I made two kinds this year…one with rosemary and orange and the other with ginger. (I freeze them.)
I remember my mom saying the basic recipe is 4 cups cranberries, half as much sugar and half as much as water. 4-2-1. I’ve never forgotten. 🙂
I love the simplicity and especially the ginger (no nutmeg?) and I think I am doing this. Oh – the make-ahead – that really works for me.
I’m ashamed to admit I like the can.
I am a cranberry sauce FANATIC. My mom has been home making cranberry sauce since I was little. We do it a little differently- no cooking involved! Grind up the berries in an old school grinder with apples, oranges and walnuts. Add some sugar and thats pretty much it! Delicious. I look forward to it every year. Your version looks INCREDIBLE. I feel like I need to try it cooked up. Happy weekend!
this look like the perfect cranberry sauce..
Homemade cranberry sauce beats canned any day. Love the addition of fresh ginger.
Your cranberry sauce looks lovely. It will be great with the Thanksgiving turkey. You made me laugh when you said, “…best of all it isn’t shaped like a can!”
I am so excited! My husband has been asking for a cranberry sauce made with orange (he loves oranges!) . I am so glad you posted this recipe, it sounds great! He is going to be a happy camper next week:)
Nothing can beat homemade food. I am sure this one will be great for your Thanksgiving table.
I love cranberries, sauce, salsa, or even shaped like a can! And I’m all for easy!!! 😉
Happy Thanksgiving!
My Mom usually makes it but one crazy person in my family loves the canned kind – so sometimes we have both. I like the idea of ginger in it!
This cranberry sauce sounds fantastic with ginger and orange, great combination!
Sounds truly amazing! I’d eat it even if it was can shaped 😀
such lovely flavour combinations! love the vibrant colour of this too! yum!
This looks divine! I can’t wait to make it this holiday season 🙂 Your recipes are so creative! PS…I am new to your site and saw that you have a cat named Jolie. We have a little dog named that too!
nutmegnanny replied: — November 10th, 2014 @ 7:58 am
Hi Sammi! I hope you love the sauce and hooray for pets named Jolie 🙂
Looks incredibly amazing! So excited to try this recipe, this is a keeper!
Cranberry sauce is one of my favorites. Oh how delicious this recipe looks! I really like. It’s just incredible. Thank you!
Cranberry sauce is one of my favorite holiday sides! Love the addition of the fresh ginger and that orange zest on top!
Absolutely love the addition of ginger here! Amazing!
This needs to be on everyones Holiday table! Love the flavors of this!
I NEED to have this recipe on my table for the holidays!
The only cranberry sauce I would want on my holiday table!
Great looking recipe. Has anyone added a bit of cinnamon to it?
I can see making a variation of this using either raspberries or cherries with the cranberries, maybe subbing out the orange juice for something more neutral, & using it for danish pastry, or a variety of other things.
nutmegnanny replied: — December 5th, 2018 @ 3:13 pm
Hi Jackie! I have actually cinnamon before and put the sauce in baked goods. It’s a great base for playing around with flavors and fruit.