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Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce

Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce with a quick simmer until most berries burst, then orange zest and peeled segments are folded in for bright, juicy pockets. A glossy, ruby sauce that chills well and serves beautifully over salads or as a side.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill time (minimum) 2 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 146
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cranberry base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 orange, peeled and segmented
  • 0.06 tsp salt Pinch

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry syrup
  1. Bring sugar and fresh orange juice to a boil in a saucepan. Keep it at a steady boil so the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and salt, then return to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes until most of the berries burst, stirring occasionally as the sauce thickens.
Finish with orange
  1. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in orange zest. Let it steam down and become fragrant.
  2. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then gently fold in orange, peeled and segmented. Stop as soon as the segments are combined to keep them juicy and intact.
Chill and serve
  1. Chill the sauce until serving, at least 2 hours. The color will deepen and the texture will become spoonable when cold, with the segments suspended throughout.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer until you see most berries split—this gives the sauce its natural, glossy body without needing thickening. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freeze yes (up to 1 month); thaw overnight in the fridge and stir to recombine. For a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute meant for cooking; keep an eye on the boil-to-simmer stage since some sweeteners thicken differently.