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Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce with Fresh Rosemary

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This quick and easy cranberry sauce combines fresh orange juice and zest with fragrant rosemary for a perfectly balanced, bright, and warming side dish that steals the show at any holiday meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries (one standard bag)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup water
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Zest and juice the orange. Wash the orange well. Use a microplane to remove about 1 tablespoon of zest, avoiding the white pith. Cut the orange in half and squeeze out ½ cup of juice. Set both aside.
  2. Chop the rosemary. Strip the leaves from the woody stem and finely chop until you have about 1 tablespoon.
  3. Combine sugar and water. In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water. Stir to combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the cranberries. Pour the entire bag of fresh cranberries into the saucepan. Stir to coat them in the sugar syrup. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to pop and soften.
  5. Add orange juice and zest. Pour in the ½ cup of orange juice and the 1 tablespoon of zest. Stir well. The sauce will thin out a bit.
  6. Add the rosemary and salt. Sprinkle in the chopped rosemary and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Let everything simmer together for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling gently and the cranberries have mostly broken down.
  7. Check the consistency. Turn off the heat. The sauce will still be a little loose but will thicken as it cools. If you want it thicker, let it simmer for an extra 2 minutes.
  8. Cool and serve. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

Make ahead: The sauce tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. For a spiced version, add a cinnamon stick and two whole cloves with the cranberries. To reduce sugar, use ¾ cup. If using frozen cranberries, add them directly without thawing and cook an extra 2 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, orange cranberry sauce, rosemary cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving side dish, Christmas recipe, easy cranberry sauce

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/homemade-cranberry-orange-sauce-with-fresh-rosemary/