Cranberry sauce gets a bad rap for adding more calories and sugar to one of the heaviest meals of the year.

A majority of people purchase cranberry sauce, and that’s a shame. Not only is it quick and easy to make a delicious cranberry sauce, but it can also be a healthy addition to many meals.

It takes minutes to assemble, you get to control the added sugar, and you can make it ahead and serve it later. I tested several versions and found this one satisfying and easy enough to make while I brewed a pot of coffee.

Quick Cranberry, Orange and Ginger Sauce

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 12 oz package of fresh organic cranberries rinsed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger root
  • 1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • Juice of 1/2 an orange
  • Zest from 1/2 and orange

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil.
  2. Add cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes until cranberries burst and soften. Remove from heat.
  3. Add grated ginger, thyme, orange juice and zest and stir to combine.
  4. Let cool at room temperature. Serve immediately or store in a container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  5. I love this with roasted turkey, chicken or pork. It is also delicious over ice cream or yogurt or used as a topping for my apple compote.

I am a passionate advocate for food as medicine, life navigator and culinary coach. This is my space for sharing what excites, inspires and motivates me to live my best life. It began as a recipe blog for nourishing, simple, weekday meals and has become something much bigger… a guide to resilient wellness. I am excited to share my knowledge of how daily habits can cumulatively help you to live like you mean it and age like you want to.