Introduction
Cranberry sauce with herbs is a delicious and easy way to add flavor to your holiday meal. This recipe combines tart cranberries with fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to create a flavorful and aromatic sauce. The herbs add a subtle earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet and tart cranberries. The sauce is simple to make and can be served warm or cold. Enjoy this flavorful sauce with your favorite holiday dishes for a delicious and festive meal.
Cranberry Sauce with Herbs – Jessica Gavin
This cranberry sauce with herbs is a delicious and easy way to dress up your holiday meal. The combination of tart cranberries, sweet honey, and fragrant herbs creates a flavorful and unique condiment. The addition of herbs adds a depth of flavor that will make your guests ask for seconds.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, or sage)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, honey, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have softened and the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs.
- Transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl and let cool to room temperature before serving.
Tips
- This cranberry sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Feel free to experiment with different herbs. Try adding a combination of rosemary, thyme, and sage for a more complex flavor.
- If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add an additional tablespoon of honey.
This Thanksgiving, serve up a delicious cranberry sauce infused with fresh herbs in less than 20 minutes. The combination of rosemary and thyme perfectly complements the tart berry flavor.
Table of Contents
It’s easy to grab a can of jellied blob and plop it into a bowl, but come on. If you’re reading this, that means you’re interested in a better alternative, much better! Making cranberry sauce from scratch is easy. Just add a handful of ingredients to a pan, let the berries pop to release their juices, and in a matter of minutes, you have a flavorful holiday sauce ready to serve.
For this recipe, I start with my classic homemade cranberry sauce and simply add fresh herbs. Chopped rosemary and thyme add herbaceous aromas, and infuse their flavors into each spoonful. I figure why not use them up since you may already have a few sprigs leftover as you’re preparing the roasted turkey and stuffing.
Cranberry selection
Fresh cranberries hit grocery stores around mid-October, so be on the lookout. I like to freeze a few bags to make a quick sauce, muffins, or smoothies throughout the year.
You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for the recipe. If the latter, no need to defrost. Just add them straight to the pan and simmer. The recipe uses 12 ounces, which reduces to about 1 1/4 cup of sauce.
Flavor the sauce
Cranberries are incredibly tart, with a very soft, almost hollow core. Not to mention, these ruby-red spheres contain tons of health benefits. It’s hard to eat them alone like other fruits, so I add dark brown sugar to balance the taste. I like the molasses flavor, but you can also add pure maple syrup or honey. You can also switch things up with a citrus twist by making my orange cranberry sauce.
To add an exciting dimension, add freshly chopped rosemary and thyme. If you want a more subtle flavor, add a few sprigs of each to simmer in the sauce, then discard. Add a big cinnamon stick to the mix. It adds a pleasant warm spice aroma and taste without being overpowering.
Simmer the sauce
For 12 ounces of cranberry sauce, you need at least 1/2 cup of liquid and 1/2 cup of sweetener. That’s the magic formula, so simple! From there, you can customize the base to modify the flavor. Bring the mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan or saute pan, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
When you hear popping sounds, don’t be scared. It’s just the moisture in the cranberries steaming up and breaking to release the juices. Once they all burst and the liquid has reduced, it’s ready. The process takes about 15 minutes. As the mixture cools down, the pectin will gel up and solidify, making it easy to scoop onto a big plate of turkey.
Serve this with
FAQ
Yes! Add the cranberries directly to the pan with the other ingredients. It will take a little longer to defrost, simmer, and thicken into a sauce.
Dried rosemary and thyme can be added instead of fresh. Use 1/3 teaspoon of dried for every 1 teaspoon of fresh.
The sauce can be stored in resealable plastic bags, pressed out flat, then frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost before using.
How does cranberry sauce thicken?
The cell walls of the berry contain pectin, a rigid starch that gives structure to the fruit. Once the juice and pectin are released during the cooking process, it combines with the water and sugar. The mixture forms a stiff carbohydrate network that solidifies the juice. Make sure to stir occasionally to distribute the starches within the liquid. Let it cool, and you’ll get that sought-out jammy consistency.
Pin this recipe to save for later
Pin This
-
In a medium-sized pan, add cranberries, brown sugar, water, rosemary, and thyme.
-
Bring sauce to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cranberries pop and the mixture has slightly thickened. Make sure to stir occasionally, about every 5 minutes.
-
Turn off heat and remove cinnamon stick. Taste sauce and add more sweetener if desired. If needed, add more water for a thinner sauce.
-
Allow to cool slightly to thicken before serving.
- Recipe Yield: 1 1/4 cups
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Sweetener Alternatives: Substitute brown sugar with pure maple syrup or honey.
- Storing: Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or up to 1 month.
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Register now
Nutrition Facts
Herb Cranberry Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 29
Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 2mg0%
Potassium 23mg1%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 16IU0%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @jessica_gavin on Instagram. I’d love to see how it turns out!