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Best Cranberry Orange Sauce with Fresh Ginger – Easy Side Dish

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This one-pot cranberry orange sauce with fresh ginger is incredibly easy to make, bursting with bright citrus and warm ginger flavor. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it comes together in under 20 minutes and always gets rave reviews.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (one standard bag)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 1 large navel orange (zest and juice)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about a 2-inch piece)
  • 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: 1 cinnamon stick
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon bourbon or dark rum

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients first. Wash the cranberries and pick out any soft or shriveled ones. Zest your orange—you want about 1 tablespoon of zest. Cut the orange in half and juice it (about 1/3 cup). Peel your ginger with the edge of a spoon and grate it finely.
  2. Combine everything in one pot. Add the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, grated ginger, water, and a pinch of salt to your saucepan. If using the cinnamon stick, toss it in now. Give everything a quick stir.
  3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally as the mixture heats up. You’ll hear the cranberries start to pop after about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer. Once the sauce reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to medium-low. Let it simmer gently for 10-12 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
  5. Check for doneness. After 10 minutes, the sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. If it’s still too thin, let it simmer another 2-3 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and cool. Take the pot off the stove. If you used a cinnamon stick, take it out now. Let the sauce cool in the pot for about 10 minutes.
  7. Optional: Mash for smoother texture. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use a potato masher or the back of your spoon to break up some of the cranberries. For completely smooth, use an immersion blender for 5-10 seconds.
  8. Transfer to serving dish or storage container. Pour the sauce into a bowl or jar. Let it cool completely before covering and refrigerating.

Notes

Don’t over-stir; let the bubbles do the work. Add ginger fresh—it gets bitter if simmered too long. Make a day ahead for best flavor. For extra-thick sauce, simmer 15 minutes. Add a pat of butter after cooking for a glossy finish.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, orange cranberry sauce, fresh ginger, holiday side dish, easy cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving recipe, one-pot cranberry sauce

Find it online: https://crispcraving.com/best-cranberry-orange-sauce-with-fresh-ginger-easy-side-dish/