If you are looking for a delicious homemade cranberry sauce to go with your holiday meal or even breakfast oatmeal? Let me share with you my favorite Vegan Cranberry Sauce with Orange. It is so simple to make, you are going to love this!
What Makes This Sauce So Good?
If you are like me, maybe you grew up on canned cranberry sauce. I promise this is a much better version, and so delicious.
Cranberry and orange are some of my favorite combinations for the late fall/early winter. It is a light and refreshing flavor combo.
It is made with only 3 ingredients, and all 3 ingredients are really easy to find. No stress here!
It is really simple to make. If you are making this for your Thanksgiving table or Christmas dinner, it is nice to not only make this sauce quickly but also be able to make it ahead of time!
If you have leftovers, I have a ton of ideas to use to help you use the sauce up. I will link them in the section below.
One thing you might not know is that cranberries are a superfood. They are nutrient-dense and so healthy for you!
Ingredients
- Fresh Cranberries- this is a given, right. I used bagged Ocean Spray cranberries, but if you can find them local, do it. This sauce can also be done with frozen cranberries, just know it will take a little longer to cook down.
- Sweetener- I used white sugar, but if you are wanting to go refined sugar free, go with honey (I know it's not vegan, just throwing the option out there) or maple syrup. A lot of people also like sucanat, you can use that if you prefer.
- Fresh Oranges- you will use both the zest and the fresh squeezed orange juice.
How To Make The Sauce
Add all ingredients to your saucepan and cook it down. Yes, it is really that simple.
You will want to stir occasionally, but that is the gist of it.
So, add everything to your saucepan, turn the heat onto medium and stir. You will want to mix well, to begin with. Then after that, stir occasionally.
The cranberries will start to burst after several minutes, releasing their juices. At this point, continue to cook until it has thickened and is ready to serve.
I like to taste it at the end and if it needs more sweetener, I add it in then.
How Do You Thicken Cranberry Sauce?
The good news is, it thickens on its own. Cranberries are naturally high in pectin and as they cook, the pectin releases and thickens the sauce.
If you want your sauce even thicker, this sauce is thick, just look at the photos. But, if you want something even thicker, you can always add in a little tapioca and cook it in.
Notes On Making Vegan Cranberry Sauce
There are a few things to note about making this sauce.
First, as noted above the cranberries will naturally thicken as they cook. If it isn't thick in the beginning, don't panic, it takes a little time, and it will thicken as it cools as well.
Next, the cranberries will sweeten as they cook down too. The natural sugars will be released and start to caramelize. If it is still really tart at the beginning, give it some time. I don't add extra sweetener until the end of the cooking time.
Do not skip on adding the orange zest. The oil in the zest is where a bulk of the flavor comes from. You do not want to miss out on this.
FAQ
The good news is... this sauce lasts 10-14 days! I am telling you guys. This cranberry-orange sauce is a dream!
It can be. The texture changes slightly after it is thawed, but the taste is still mostly the same.
Yes!! If you want additional spices, I love to add in cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. You can use all of them or just choose a few. They really change the taste of the sauce. You could also swap out lemon for orange. It isn't a flavor combo most people think of, but it is really good!
Recipes To Use Up Leftover Cranberry Sauce
In the case that you have some of this yummy sauce leftover, let me share a few ideas of how you can use it up in other creative dishes!
Vegan Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup sugar or honey If you prefer the recipe a little more sweet, add in an extra ½-1 cup sugar. I like mine a little more tart, so I have less listed.
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Bring cranberries, sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil over medium heat, making sure to stir occasionally. Cook until berries have popped and the sauce has thickened. Mine took about 10 minutes. Your's might take less or more time, depeding on what medium heat looks like on your cooktop and how thick your pan is. After it is cooked, stir in the zest. Serve immediately or place in fridge for up 10-14 days. I have gone longer, but flavor was compromised. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it.