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Best Easy Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce with Rosemary

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This festive cranberry orange sauce with fresh rosemary is quick, easy, and packed with flavor. It’s the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and piney-fresh, making it a crowd-pleaser for any holiday gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries (one standard bag)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (about 4–5 inches), plus extra for garnish
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Zest and juice your orange. Wash the orange well, then grate off 1 tablespoon of zest (avoid the white pith). Cut the orange in half and squeeze out 1/2 cup of juice. Set both aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice, water, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
  3. Gently bruise the rosemary sprig by rolling it between your palms or pressing it with the flat side of a knife to release the oils. Add the whole sprig to the pot.
  4. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally as the sugar dissolves and the mixture heats up. Once it reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low.
  5. Simmer gently for 10-12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat. Use tongs to remove and discard the rosemary sprig. Stir in the fresh orange zest.
  7. Let the sauce cool in the pot for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving bowl or storage container. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes

For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender for a few seconds after removing the rosemary. If the sauce seems too thick after cooling, stir in a tablespoon of warm water to loosen it up. The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead and tastes even better after a day or two in the fridge.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, cranberry orange sauce, rosemary cranberry sauce, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving cranberry sauce, easy cranberry sauce

Find it online: https://vexifood.com/best-easy-fresh-cranberry-orange-sauce-with-rosemary/