10 Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Table
Cranberry sauce is an essential condiment for the holiday and completes our Thanksgiving table. With its deep red color, tart-sweet flavor combination, and jellied texture, it's something that we wait all year for (much like the roast turkey it pairs so well with). While some Thanksgiving hosts rely on the canned variety, we know fresh cranberry sauce tastes and looks so much better—and it is so quick and easy to make.
Our basic formula for making cranberry sauce is surprisingly simple. It takes just about 15 minutes to cook and can be made up to three days in advance. Just simmer fresh or frozen cranberries with water, sugar (generally light brown sugar is best since it adds a subtle molasses flavor), and warm aromatic spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator.
Each of these 10 cranberry sauce recipes here offers a variation on that easy method. Cranberry Pomegranate Relish pairs frozen cranberries with pomegranate seeds, which add texture and even more tartness to the sauce. Interested in trying a cranberry sauce recipe that is slightly sweeter? Our Cranberry-Grape Compote is bursting with the flavor of fresh fruit and has plenty of texture too. For those who want classic cranberry flavor, we also have riffs on the basic sauce.
Most of these cranberry sauce recipes come together in under 30 minutes and can be made days in advance to minimize the amount of pots and pans you need to manage on Thanksgiving morning. Definitely a win-win!
Any of these cranberry sauce recipes are sure to enhance your Thanksgiving feast this year.
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Classic Cranberry Sauce
If you're looking for a basic cranberry sauce recipe with just a hint of citrus and fragrant spices, this recipe is the answer. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan, simmer until thickened, and let cool. Then all you need to do is find a spoon!
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Orange-Scented Cranberry Sauce
Fresh orange juice and zest perfume this cranberry sauce. This recipe makes a big batch, so there will be plenty for leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches.
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Cranberry Pomegranate Relish
Pomegranate seeds and juice add bonus seasonal flavor to this quick and easy recipe. It's tart, sweet, and absolutely everything we want in cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving.
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Our Quickest and Easiest Cranberry Sauce
This cranberry sauce could not get any easier. Simply combine a bag of frozen cranberries and a jar of red-currant jelly in a saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes. Prepare the sauce up to three days before Thanksgiving for the simplest, fastest side ever.
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Cranberry-Ginger Relish
Fresh ginger adds kick to this cranberry relish, while sherry vinegar adds tang. The relish brightly complements the rich flavors of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing.
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Basic Cranberry Sauce
With the only additions being sugar and a little lemon zest, the pure flavor of fresh cranberries shines through in this easy recipe. Make this sauce up to a week before Thanksgiving, then transfer it to a pretty bowl just before serving.
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Cranberry-Grape Compote
Adding seedless red grapes with the cranberries brings another layer of sweetness and texture. These two seasonal ingredients shine in a twist on the classic cranberry sauce.
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Cranberry Chutney
This cranberry chutney has savory leanings, with shallots and ginger sautéed in olive oil. A couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar take this cranberry side from a sweet sauce to a strong relish, though not quite as hot and spicy as some traditional Indian chutneys.
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Cranberry and Dried-Cherry Relish
The dried cherries in this cranberry relish plump up during the cooking process, adding texture and sweetness. Sautéed shallots and fresh ginger add a savory note.
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Sweet-and-Spicy Cranberry Sauce
Sugar, spice, and everything nice—that phrase is particularly apt for this cranberry sauce recipe. Cayenne pepper adds heat, cloves add warmth, and light brown sugar is the sweetness that tart cranberries crave.