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Ina Garten Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce

Ina Garten make ahead cranberry sauce made with a quick simmer until the skins pop, then finished with raisins and toasted nuts for a chunky bite. Bright citrus (orange and lemon) and diced Granny Smith apple keep it glossy, thick, and ready to chill.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.75 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 0.5 cup golden raisins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Simmer cranberries
  1. In a saucepan, bring fresh cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes until the skins pop, and keep the mixture bubbling steadily.
Simmer with apples and citrus
  1. Add the diced Granny Smith apple, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes until the cranberries have broken down into a thick, chunky sauce.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove from the heat and stir in the golden raisins and toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans. Let the sauce cool completely, then cover and refrigerate up to 1 week.
Serve
  1. Serve the cranberry sauce chilled or at room temperature. For best texture, spoon it into a serving bowl so the chunky pieces show.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer at a steady bubble so the skins truly pop and the sauce thickens to a spoon-coating consistency. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week; freeze is not recommended because the texture softens after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace the sugar with a 1:1 granulated sugar substitute intended for cooking (check label for results in preserves/sauces).