This Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice is a bright, tangy, and sweet side dish that brings holiday meals to life. It's quick, easy, and adds a festive burst of flavor to your table.
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Why This Recipe Works
Versatile: Works with turkey, ham, or even as a topping for desserts.
Balanced: The tart cranberries and sweet orange juice complement each other perfectly.
Easy: Just a few ingredients and 15 minutes of cooking.
Festive: Citrus adds brightness and makes the sauce feel extra special.
For more favorite cranberry recipes, make sure to check out my cranberry relish recipe, cranberry jalapeno dip, cranberry molasses smoked spatchcock turkey, cranberry margarita, cranberry orange muffins, candied cranberries, and this tasty cranberry julep!
What This Recipe Needs
- Fresh Cranberries: Provide the tart, juicy base for the sauce.
- Orange Juice: Adds sweetness and a citrusy twist that balances the cranberries. You can use fresh squeezed orange juice or juice from a bottle.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the tart fruit and helps thicken the sauce as it cooks.
A traditional cranberry sauce recipe, like the Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce, doesn't include orange. However, orange and cranberry go together so well and are definitely in prevention!
Substitutions
Cranberries: If fresh cranberries aren't available, frozen ones work just as well.
Sweetener: Use honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar instead of white sugar.
Orange Juice: Swap with apple cider for a cozy fall flavor.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice?
- Step 1: Rinse cranberries and remove any bad ones or pieces of sticks (it happens sometimes!). If using a whole orange (instead of just juice), zest your orange.
- Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine your water, sugar, and juice from your orange. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Step 3: Once sugar is dissolved, add cranberries and return to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
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Expert Tips
Zesting: Zest the orange before squeezing the juice out. It makes life so much easier. I highly recommend this zester and this juicer.
Fresh vs Frozen: You can use either. If you use frozen, do NOT thaw before cooking.
Texture Control: For a smoother sauce, blend after cooling; for a chunky texture, mash lightly with a fork.
Don't Overcook: Cranberries will pop and release pectin, which thickens the sauce-remove from heat once most have burst.
Thicker: If you prefer a thicker cranberry sauce, simmer the cranberries for 5-10 minutes longer. The sauce will also naturally continue to thicken as it cools.
Chill Time Matters: Letting the sauce cool and set makes it thicker and more flavorful.
This sauce pairs well with my smoked spatchcock turkey, homemade stuffing, turkey gravy without drippings, and easy sour cream mashed potatoes.
Use this cranberry sauce to top this turkey cranberry sandwich, leftover Thanksgiving turkey tacos, or a hot open-faced turkey sandwich with gravy.
Variations
- Spiced Sauce: Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, or nutmeg while simmering.
- Boozy Twist: Stir in a splash of Grand Marnier or brandy for adults.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, it can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Stored in an airtight container, it lasts up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before serving.
Orange juice adds natural sweetness and a bright citrus flavor that makes the sauce more festive.
It can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature depending on your preference.
More Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out all my easy Thanksgiving Recipes, like easy deviled eggs, green bean casserole with cream cheese, pepper gravy, sweet potato biscuits, Thanksgiving corn recipe, and sweet potato pudding.
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Video
Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup orange juice 3-4 medium oranges, or bottled juice
- 3 cups cranberries 12 oz package, fresh or frozen
- Orange zest
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries and remove any that are bad.3 cups cranberries
- Zest the orange, then squeeze out the juice into the saucepan you will be using.
- In the medium-sized saucepan, bring the sugar and orange juice to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.1 cup sugar, 1 cup orange juice
- Add cranberries to the pot and return to a boil. Then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Allow cranberry sauce to come to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools.Orange zest
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