This Vegan Cranberry Sauce with Orange is a beautiful addition to your holiday table, with its ruby-red hue and tart yet sweet flavor. Ready in about 25 minutes, this cranberry sauce is a cheerful companion to your favorite festive dishes.
If you've never made cranberry sauce from scratch, this Vegan Cranberry Sauce with Orange might make you wonder why you ever bought the canned version. It's bright, tart, and ready in about 20-25 minutes, making it an easy win for your holiday table.
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I especially love spooning it over Vegan Stuffed Carnival Squash or serving it with a hearty lentil loaf since it instantly makes the meal feel compete. It adds just the right balance of tartness to those rich, cozy flavors. Plus, it doubles beautifully as a spread for leftover sandwiches the next day, if you're lucky enough to have leftovers!
You might also enjoy my other homemade fruit sauces: Apple Compote, Blueberry Compote, or Cherry Compote.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This vegan cranberry sauce is quick, vibrant with its ruby red hue, and adds a beautiful homemade touch to your holiday feast without any fuss.
What Makes This Cranberry Sauce Vegan?
Although sugar itself is vegan, the processing may not make it so. Some refined sugars are filtered through bone char. However, this isn't the case with organic sugar.
Ever since I went vegan several years ago, I've been buying organic cane sugar. The brand I typically use is listed in the recipe, although you can use any organic cane sugar, including brown sugar. If you prefer, use maple syrup instead.
I use organic cane sugar in many baking recipes, like these Vegan Apple Cider Mini Bundt Cakes and these Vegan Baked Apple Cider Donuts.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make the best vegan cranberry sauce with orange:
- Fresh cranberries - the star of the show! They're tart, tangy, and full of natural pectin, which helps the sauce thicken as it cools. You can also use frozen cranberries - no need to thaw first.
- Orange juice and zest - These bring brightness and a hi not of sweetness that balance the tartness of the cranberries.
- Fresh lemon juice for adding brightness and acidity
- Organic brown sugar and organic cane sugar - you can use maple syrup instead, or only organic cane sugar. This cranberry sauce is on the tart side, so feel free to adjust the sweetener to your tastes.
- Sea salt - a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
- Cinnamon stick for holiday spice, this is optional.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements and recipe instructions.
This vegan cranberry sauce was so delicious! I loved how sweet and tangy it was!
- Kayla
Substitutions and Variations
- Organic brown sugar and organic cane sugar - you can use maple syrup, coconut sugar, maple sugar, or date syrup instead, or only one type of sugar.
- Cinnamon stick - if you don't have a cinnamon stick, add a pinch of ground cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg, ground ginger, or a pinch of allspice, ground cardamom, or ground cloves. If you have fresh ginger, add a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger while the cranberries simmer.
- Try lemon zest instead of orange zest.
- Add nuts such as walnuts or pecans if you like a bit of crunch. I prefer not to unless I put the cranberry sauce in another recipe.
- Orange juice - fresh is best for its bright flavor, but bottled orange juice works in a pinch. You can also use pomegranate juice or cranberry juice and adjust the sweetener to taste. Replace a tablespoon or two of the orange juice with Grand Marnier, brandy, or ruby port wine.
How to Make Vegan Cranberry Sauce With Orange
It's easy to make this cranberry sauce. Here are the steps:
- Step 1: Rinse the cranberries, sort through them, and discard any that are shriveled or soft (not fresh). How to tell if a cranberry is fresh? A fresh cranberry will bounce.
- Step 2: Zest one orange, then juice both oranges. If you're a little short on orange juice, it's okay; replace it with water. If you have a whole cup of orange juice, that's okay! Taste as you go, and adjust the amount of sugar as needed.
- Step 3: Preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix all the ingredients, then bring to a gentle boil.
- Step 4: Lower the heat to keep the mixture at a simmer. Stir often until the cranberries have popped.
If the sides of your saucepan aren't high enough and there is a lot of splattering, put the top on and remove it once the cranberries have stopped popping.
- Step 5: Simmer for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Gently press any whole cranberries with a spatula to release the cranberry juices. The vegan cranberry sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and is not runny. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Step 6: Let the cranberry sauce cool, then refrigerate in a glass jar for up to 1 week, or 2 weeks if you have added alcohol.
Make Ahead
Make this easy vegan cranberry sauce ahead of time for your holiday dinners! It's a great side dish. I make this recipe the day before I plan to serve it. You can make this festive cranberry sauce up to 3 days ahead - store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips
- Don't walk away while it simmers. Cranberries love to pop dramatically (like tiny festive fireworks), so give the sauce an occasional stir and reduce the heat slightly to prevent splatters and ensure even cooking.
- Taste before chilling. The sweetness mellows slightly as the cranberry sauce cools, so adjust the sweetener or citrus while it's still warm to get your perfect balance of tart and sweet.
- Let the cranberry sauce cool completely. The sauce thickens as it cools. If it still looks a bit loose when you turn off the heat, give it time. It'll set up into a gorgeous, glossy sauce.
- For a smooth sauce. If you prefer a smoother, jam-like consistency, use an immersion blender or gently mash the cranberries with a spoon after cooking.
Storage
- Store your cooled cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. This recipe is ideal for meal prep or holiday make-ahead cooking.
- If you make it the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas, you have a week to enjoy it! If you add gin or brandy, the cranberry sauce may last two weeks.
- To freeze, spoon the cranberry sauce into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before serving.
Serving tip: Bring the cranberry sauce to room temperature for the best flavor, or warm it gently on the stovetop.
How To Serve
Make this easy vegan cranberry sauce ahead of time for your holiday dinners! It's a great side dish. I make this recipe the day before I plan to serve it.
You can enjoy this cranberry sauce with savory dishes, alongside Brussels sprouts or green bean casserole, or save it for dessert to go on vegan ice cream. Or enjoy it as a cranberry jam on top of toast, French toast, crepes, or croissants! More on what to do with leftover cranberry sauce below.
What To Do With Leftover Vegan Cranberry Sauce
- This sauce is also excellent as a topping for vegan cheesecake or pancakes, or spooned over coconut yogurt for breakfast. Don't be surprised if it disappears before dinner's over!
- Try my Vegan Cranberry Cream Cheese Bites; they have only 5 ingredients and take 30 minutes to make.
- Put this cranberry sauce on toast, just like you would with jam. It's so good! You can also put it on vegan French toast with Grand Marnier, crepes, pancakes, or waffles.
- Serve it with granola and vegan yogurt.
- When you are baking, try swirling cranberry sauce in the batter.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh cranberries can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. If you buy them more than 2 weeks before cooking, freeze them. There is no need to wash them; place them in the freezer in the bag they come in. When you're ready to make cranberry sauce, rinse the cranberries in cold water; there is no need to thaw them.
Add more water or orange juice if the cranberry sauce is too thick for your taste.
Let it cook down more if the cranberry sauce is too thin for your taste. Keep in mind it will thicken as it sits.
Add more sugar or maple syrup to your taste if it is too tart.
Related Recipes
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Vegan Cranberry Sauce with Orange
EQUIPMENT
- Medium saucepan
- wooden spoon
INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon orange zest from 1 large orange
- ¾ cup orange juice from 2 large oranges
- 12 oz fresh cranberries picked and sorted or frozen, 3 cups equivalent
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup organic light brown sugar packed, or organic dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup organic cane sugar
- Pinch Sea salt
- 1 cinnamon stick optional
- 1 tablespoon cognac optional, or gin, brandy, or Grand Marnier
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat a medium saucepan with high sides over medium heat.
- Add orange zest, orange juice, cranberries, lemon juice, brown sugar, cane sugar, sea salt, cinnamon stick, and cognac, if using.1 teaspoon orange zest, ¾ cup orange juice, 12 oz fresh cranberries picked and sorted, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ⅓ cup organic light brown sugar, ⅓ cup organic cane sugar, Pinch Sea salt, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tablespoon cognac
- Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered, stirring often, until the cranberries have popped. The cranberry sauce should set on a spoon on a plate. It should not be runny.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into four 1 cup glass jars leaving ½ inch space from top. Place lids onto jars.
NOTES
- If the sides of your saucepan aren't high enough and there is a lot of splattering, put the top on and remove it once the cranberries have stopped popping.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks if gin, cognac, or brandy is added, otherwise, store for up to one week in the fridge.
- To freeze, spoon the sauce into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before serving.
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Joshua says
This cranberry sauce is the best! I love baking it with puff pastry. It’s so good together!
Emily says
That is an amazing combination, Joshua! Thank you for your review!
Kayla says
This vegan cranberry sauce was so delicious! I loved how sweet and tangy it was! Can't wait to make this for Thanksgiving!
Emily says
Kayla, thanks for the feedback! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I'm a big fan of cranberry sauce and it's one of my favorite sides to make for Thanksgiving!
Chris says
This is by far the best cranberry sauce! Thank you for the recipe!
Emily says
Thanks so much for your review, Chris! It's always a joy to hear such a lovely comment!
Natalia says
This is really good and really easy, I've made it twice so far this week. I love cranberry sauce, it's one of my favorites!
Emily says
Natalia, thanks for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Brian says
Good Stuff! Thanks!
Emily says
I am glad you enjoyed it, Brian! Thank you for your feedback!