Cranberry with orange sauce is a quick and easy relish for various holiday recipes. With only 3 ingredients, this cranberry relish recipe is so easy to make and beautiful on your holiday table.
My family enjoys cranberry with orange sauce for various uses during the holidays. With three simple ingredients, this cranberry relish recipe is made in a few minutes and beautifully presented in the oranges used in the recipe. Then, top it with a few mint leaves and an elegant side dish.
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I remember cranberries coming from a can in one big can-shaped clump when I was a kid. Then, my mother would cut it into slices. Of course, my sister and I didn't touch it other than to make it jiggle on the plate, which made us laugh.
Since then, I can't wait for fresh cranberries to appear in the produce section. Of course, I cook with cranberries often throughout the holidays, but one of my favorite ways is cranberry with orange sauce.
Not only does fresh-squeezed orange juice elevate the sweet cranberries, but it also makes the perfect serving dish for a beautiful holiday table.
Benefits of Cooking with Fresh Cranberries
Healthline states fresh cranberries are nearly 90% water, but the rest is primarily carbs and fiber.
The main nutrients in 1 cup (100 grams) of raw, unsweetened cranberries are:
- Calories: 46
- Water: 87%
- Protein: 0.4 grams
- Carbs: 12.2 grams
- Sugar: 4 grams
- Fiber: 4.6 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
Vitamins and Minerals
Cranberries are a rich source of several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C.
- Vitamin C. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is one of the predominant antioxidants in cranberries. It is essential to maintain your skin, muscles, and bone.
- Manganese. In most foods, manganese is essential for growth, metabolism, and your body’s antioxidant system.
- Vitamin E. A class of essential fat-soluble antioxidants.
- Vitamin K1. Also known as phylloquinone, vitamin K1 is essential for blood clotting.
- Copper. A trace element, often low in the Western diet. Inadequate copper intake may adversely affect heart health (Trusted Source).
Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
Not only is using fresh-squeezed orange juice nutritionally better, but it also supplies a perfect little dish to display the cranberry with orange sauce.
Fresh juice contains more vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional compounds like enzymes and flavonoids than grocery stores' canned or bottled options. Unfortunately, store-bought juices also often have added sugar!
Supermarket orange juice isn’t the simple product it may appear to be. It undergoes complex, multi-step processing and can be stored in large tanks for up to a year before being packaged for sale in stores.
So, I use my Cuisinart Citrus Juicer to juice orange, lime, and lemon juice instead of store-bought concentrated juices.
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh Cranberries: Harvesting begins in September and continues through November, and fresh cranberries may be purchased during that time. We suggest you stock up on fresh cranberries during the fall season and freeze an amount that will last you through the year!
- Orange Juice: I always use fresh squeezed orange juice when making cranberry with orange sauce.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup provides a sweetener for the cranberry relish.
- Mint: I love mint with cranberries and oranges. Its an elegant garnish, and it's edible.
- Orange Cups: I used the orange halves I juiced as the bowls for this cranberry relish recipe.
Recipe Ingredients Substitutions
- Use frozen cranberries instead of fresh cranberries. However, thaw them first.
- Try bottled orange juice without pulp if fresh juice isn't available.
- Date syrup or agave is often used in place of maple syrup.
Serving Suggestions
As a side dish, cranberry with orange sauce is a beautiful holiday adornment. But my family enjoys cranberry sauce for a variety of other dishes:
- Serve over vegan cream cheese with crackers or vegetables.
- Use as a sandwich spread for a grilled vegetable panini sandwich.
- Dip baked vegan egg rolls
- Place vegan lentil meatballs and cranberry with orange sauce in a crockpot for a great meatball appetizer.
- Marinate tofu for a holiday cranberry tofu recipe
- Pour on top of chocolate vegan pudding, vegan vanilla pudding, or vegan ice cream.
- Toss your favorite roasted vegetables in cranberry-orange sauce and roast for a beautiful glaze
- Instead of BBQ sauce, use the cranberry-orange sauce for my pulled pork sweet potato sandwich.
Recipe FAQs
When making cranberry relish or sauces, thaw the berries completely, and drain any excess juices, so the excess water before combining the other ingredients. However, when baking with frozen berries, do not thaw the berries. Instead, fold them into the batter and bake.
Unfortunately, dried berries are rehydrated and do not regain their entire berry body when added to relishes, dressings, or sauces.
Fresh cranberries freeze well for up to 8 months in a freezer-safe container. Always leave about 2 inches from the top of the container to avoid freezer burn.
Tips
- After juicing the oranges, the cups are perfect for serving.
- To keep the orange halves from rolling, slice a small portion of the bottom of each orange half without cutting through the rind to the cups.
- Make this recipe ahead of time, but don't fill the orange cups until right before serving
- Store orange cups, after juicing, in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to fill
Try cranberry with an orange sauce this holiday season, and wow your guests with this beautiful side dish.
Great Vegan Holiday Side Dishes
If you love this cranberry relish recipe, give us a 5-start review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry with Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh cranberries washed and picked over for stems and debris
- 2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons Maple syrup or date syrup
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients.
- Cook on medium-low, stirring often.
- The cranberries will soften and pop in the pan and caramelize with the orange juice's maple syrup and natural sugar.
- As the liquid dissipates, all the berries will break down, thickening the mixture.
- Cut a thin portion of the rounded bottom using the empty orange halves so the oranges don't roll. Be careful not to break through the rind, or the cranberries will seep out the bottom.
- Remove the pan from the stovetop and cool it before placing it in the refrigerator to chill.
- Do not fill the orange cups (if using) until right before serving.
- Add mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Notes
- After juicing the oranges, the cups are perfect for serving.
- To keep the orange halves from rolling, slice a small portion of the bottom of each orange half without cutting through the rind to the cups.
- Make this recipe ahead of time, but don't fill the orange cups until right before serving
- Store orange cups, after juicing, in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to fill.
- If using frozen berries, thaw completely and drain off any excess fluid before adding the other ingredients.
- Substitute date syrup for a lower sugar option.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Donna
Thank you for offering all the different ways we can use this. I'll make it more often now.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Donna, Thank you for your feedback. I love cranberry sauce, and I buy frozen cranberries to enjoy it all year long when cranberries aren't in season. I could eat it on anything hahaha.
Morgan Natasha
Thanks for sharing this great idea. I will do it soon.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Morgan, thank you for reaching out. I am making an apple cinnamon bread today, so I will let you know how it goes. Honey crisp apples were on sale, so apple cinnamon bread it is!
Laura
I love the idea of using any leftover onyour new
Vanilla pudding ( you could link it here also along with your vegan chocolate pudding). Happy Holiday s with no regrets. Cheers to good health
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Laura! Thanks...great idea. Happy Holidays to you 🙂