Sarra Ina Garten’s make-ahead cranberry sauce recipe is a bright, sweet-tart sauce of fresh cranberries, sugar, Granny Smith apple, and orange and lemon. It simmers on the stove in about 30 minutes, then chills until you need it. One batch makes two and a half cups, enough for a holiday table of eight to ten.
This recipe is from Ina’s Barefoot Contessa episode “A Barefoot Thanksgiving,” published on Food Network in 2015. What sets it apart is the double citrus, since most cranberry sauces use only orange. Ina adds both orange and lemon, plus a chopped Granny Smith apple for body and a softer, rounder sweetness.
The key is cooking the cranberries until their skins pop. That bursting releases the natural pectin locked inside, which is what thickens the sauce as it cools. It looks thin and loose while hot, so resist cooking it longer, or it turns stiff and jammy once chilled.
Ina Garten Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Course: Sauces, SidesCuisine: American, ChineseDifficulty: Easy10
servings10
minutes20
minutes165
kcalMake this up to a week before the holiday and cross one dish off your list. The leftovers are just as good on a turkey sandwich or spooned over baked brie.
Ingredients
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1 (12 oz / 340 g) bag fresh cranberries, cleaned
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1 3/4 cups (350 g) sugar
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1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
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Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
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Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
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1 cup (240 ml) water
Directions
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Pop the cranberries: In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, and 1 cup water. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, until the skins pop open.
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Add fruit and citrus: Stir in the chopped apple, the orange and lemon zests, and their juices. Cook 15 more minutes.
- Cool and chill: Remove from the heat and let cool. Refrigerate, then serve chilled.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries. Both work, and you can add frozen ones straight to the pan without thawing.
Grate the citrus zest before you juice the fruit. It is much easier to zest a whole orange and lemon than juiced halves.
Stand back as the cranberries cook. They pop and can spit, so keep the heat low while the skins burst.
FAQs
Why does Ina add an apple to her cranberry sauce?
The Granny Smith apple adds natural sweetness and body without making the sauce sugary. As it cooks down, it melts in and softens the sharp edge of the cranberries.
A tart apple also holds its shape better than a sweet one. You get a little texture rather than total mush.
How far ahead can I make this cranberry sauce?
This is the whole point of the recipe. You can make it up to a week ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
It also freezes well for up to two months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and it is ready to serve.
Can I use less sugar in this cranberry sauce?
You can, though the recipe leans sweet at 1 3/4 cups. Drop it to about 1 cup for a tarter, more grown-up sauce.
Keep in mind the sugar does more than sweeten. It balances the very tart cranberries and helps the sauce set, so do not cut it too far.
Why is my cranberry sauce still runny after chilling?
It probably did not cook long enough for the cranberries to fully burst and release their pectin. That pectin is what sets the sauce.
If it is still loose after chilling, return it to the pan and simmer a few more minutes, then chill again. It will thicken up.
Can I add cinnamon or spices to this cranberry sauce?
You can, but Ina keeps hers clean and fruit-forward, letting the citrus and cranberry stand out. The double zest is doing the flavoring work.
If you want warmth, drop in a cinnamon stick while it simmers, or stir in a splash of orange liqueur. Pull the cinnamon stick before serving.
