Make this Ginger Cranberry Sauce with a hint of zing and orange for your Holiday or Thanksgiving dinner! Better than canned and done in 15 minutes.
Thanksgiving is not complete without cranberry sauce! It’s my favorite dish and even my husband who doesn’t have a sweet tooth loves this slightly less sweet ginger cranberry sauce made with fresh ginger and orange.
It’s an incredibly delicious sauce that has so much flavor! Tart and sweet with just the right amount of zing, this sauce will be a family favorite.
Why we love this recipe
- More flavorful than canned cranberry sauce
- So easy to make from scratch
- You can adjust the sweetness to your taste
- Takes only 15 minutes and can be prepped ahead of time
Ingredient Notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
- Cranberries – Fresh cranberries work best, but you can also use frozen cranberries and cook the sauce for a little bit longer. Make sure to rinse and pick over the cranberries.
- Sugar – The sugar balances out the tartness of the cranberries. Depending on your taste you can increase the amount. White granulated sugar works best.
- Orange Juice – Orange juice and zest add some acidity and brightness to the sauce. You can use fresh or bottled orange juice, but if you choose to add zest you can also use the juice from the orange you used.
- Ginger – This is my secret ingredient which makes my sauce so delicious! Use freshly minced ginger for the best flavor. It goes perfectly with the flavor profile of the cranberries and adds some zing.
How to make this recipe
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.
- Combine: Combine all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Cook: Lower heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. The sauce is done when the cranberries are burst and the sauce has thickened. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
Expert Tips
- To add even more flavor to this sauce, grate some orange zest into the sauce. You can also add more ginger if you like more than a hint of zing.
- You can increase the sugar to your taste. We like it on the less sweet side, feel free to add 1/4 cup for a more traditional sweetness or up to 1/2 cup extra for a super sweet sauce.
- I recommend using fresh ginger! Make sure to chop it finely.
- I prefer to use a medium saucepan instead of a skillet because the cranberries often splash when they burst during cooking.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe, dried cranberries don’t work.
- Store the cooked sauce in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
You can make cranberry sauce up to 7 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. If you want to make even more days in advance I recommend freezing it for the best taste.
Yes, you can freeze cranberry sauce for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and let it simmer for a few minutes on the stove if it comes out a little watery after thawing.
No, I don’t recommend using dried cranberries. You won’t get the same result because the dried berries won’t fully rehydrate and give the sauce a weird taste and consistency.
The sauce will thicken while it cooks. If you want it thicker you can cook it for a few more minutes but keep in mind that it will thicken more while it cools down. You don’t need to add cornstarch or other thickeners to the sauce.
What to serve with Ginger Cranberry Sauce
This sauce goes perfectly with your Thanksgiving turkey but is also very versatile and works with many proteins like chicken or pork chops.
Ways to use Leftovers
Leftovers taste delicious on a sandwich or served with different cheeses and grapes on a cheeseboard. It also makes a great topping for baked brie.
You can even use it in desserts! Fold it into whipped cream, spoon it over ice cream, or use it in baking. For example to make Cranberry Sauce Muffins.
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Ginger Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries, one bag
- ½ cup granulated sugar, see notes
- ½ cup orange juice, store bought or freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup water, or more orange juice
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the cranberries have burst.
- Remove from heat. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before transferring to a container to chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
- To add even more flavor to this sauce, grate some orange zest into the sauce. You can also add more ginger if you like more than a hint of zing.
- You can increase the sugar to your taste. We like it on the less sweet side, feel free to add 1/4 cup for a more traditional sweetness or up to 1/2 cup extra for a super sweet sauce.
- I recommend using fresh ginger! Make sure to chop it finely.
- I prefer to use a medium saucepan instead of a skillet because the cranberries often splash when they burst during cooking.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe, dried cranberries don’t work.
- Store the cooked sauce in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
Kathleen Monaco says
Hello Julia,
Thank you for your wonderful recipes and the beautiful pictures. I have been looking for a cranberry sauce recipe for ages. An acquaintance of mine gives me a jar of her sauce every Christmas 🎄. It is delicious but she will not share the recipe. I recently purchased a canner and mason jars. I used to help my mom preserve foods when I was a young girl living at home. I hope I can still find cranberries. I want to try it again. I would like to use this recipe to start. What do you think?
Julia Foerster says
That sounds like a lovely idea! Sadly I don’t have any experience with canning so I can’t really help.