Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
If I told you it takes just one minute to pressure cook this Instant Pot cranberry sauce, would you be impressed? I am always amazed at the simplicity of that recipe, but the complexity of the flavor profile that it delivers. Flavored with orange juice and zest to take it up a notch, this homemade version is so much better than the canned stuff.
Cranberry Sauce is such a Thanksgiving staple that I can’t imagine the holiday without it. The best part is that I can prepare it in advance, so I don’t have to worry about it on the celebration day. I always serve it with perfectly roasted turkey and sweet potato soufflé.
Table of contents
Making homemade cranberry sauce from scratch just got so much easier. Forget about standing by the stove and constantly stirring it. After adding all the ingredients to the pressure cooker, I cook everything on High Pressure for 1 minute, followed by a 5-minute Natural Pressure Release. Next, I thicken the sauce to my liking and voila, it’s done!
Sweet and tart made with orange juice, orange zest, and lemon zest for a beautiful citrusy flavor. Such a simple sauce, it’s actually so sophisticated and can instantly elevate a meal and make it more special. Since preparing it’s so easy, I usually take advantage of cranberry season and make it for busy weeknight dinners. This is a trusted way to add a punch of flavor to any main dish.
Why you will love this recipe
- Fast and simple: In under 20 minutes, I can whip up homemade cranberry sauce that’s incredible for my holiday meal.
- A few ingredients: This recipe requires just a few ingredients and can be done by novice cooks!
- Easy cleanup: Since everything cooks in one pot, you have fewer pans to wash.
- Better than canned: It’s significantly better than canned alternatives and doesn’t look “canned”.
What you will need
- Wet ingredients: I squeeze my own orange juice from organic oranges for the freshest tasting flavor.
- Dry ingredients: Fresh organic cranberries are the main ingredient. If they are not in season, I use frozen.
- Seasonings: I use the zest from a lemon for a bright, citrusy taste and an orange to provide sweet and tangy depth. I also add white granulated sugar for sweetness and a pinch of salt to enhance the other flavors.
How to make
Mix: First, I combine the warm orange juice with two tablespoons of sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Combine: Then, I pour the mixture into the pot. Then, I add the rest of the ingredients (saving ½ cup of the cranberries) into the pot and stir to combine.
Cook the sauce: Next, cover and lock the pot, then set it on high for one minute for fresh cranberries and two minutes for frozen cranberries. Afterward, I let the pressure naturally release for five minutes.
Thicken the sauce: Next, I open the lid and set it to saute on medium. I stir in the rest of the sugar, ½ cup at a time, and the rest of the cranberries, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens, about five minutes.
Chill and serve: Once it has thickened to your preference, put it in a serving bowl and chill it until ready to serve.
Expert tip
How to choose the best cranberries
I get organic cranberries from my local farmers’ market, so I know they are fresh, but I still like to sift through them to get the best ones. When I make homemade cranberry sauce, it has to be tasty. The best way to check for berry health is to get firm, glossy red berries with a lovely sheen and no blemishes. One way to check their firmness is the bounce test. If they bounce, it’s because they have internal air pockets, making them fresh.
More tips to consider:
- Be sure to discard the mushy and rotten cranberries.
- Remember to warm the orange juice before using it, so the sugar dissolves completely.
- Save ½ cup of the cranberries to add at the end for texture and extra flavor.
- Thicken the sauce with more sugar or thin it with more orange juice.
- If it is still too thin after chilling, add a cornstarch slurry.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- No sugar: I sometimes use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar. Sugar substitutes like Splenda can also be used.
- More flavors: I like to add pumpkin pie spice sometimes for more holiday flavor, but other herbs and spices can be used, like thyme, sage, rosemary, and parsley.
- Spicy cranberry sauce: For a little kick, I add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Apple cranberry: For a different flavored sauce, add a cup of diced peeled apples.
- Other fruit: In fact, other fruits that would be delicious in this sauce are dried cherries, strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
Serving suggestions:
Besides serving it alongside my loaded sweet potato casserole and other side dishes at Thanksgiving, I also like to use this delicious cranberry sauce as jam on toast or sandwiches. It is especially yummy on my cheesy turkey sliders that I usually make with leftover roasted turkey breast after the holidays. But these are so good, I sometimes buy turkey deli meat and make this Instant Pot cranberry sauce so that I can make these scrumptious sandwiches.
What’s more, I also like to use it on other meats besides turkey. It tastes delicious on seafood like this crispy oven-baked tilapia. Soaked in buttermilk and cooked in just 15 minutes, this mild fish pairs perfectly with the tangy, sweet taste of cranberries. It is also a fantastic side dish for my popular cranberry orange pork tenderloin, which I like to serve at dinner parties or just for Sunday dinner with the family.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: I store leftover sauce in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: To freeze, I spoon leftovers into quart freezer bags and lay them flat in the freezer. They will stay fresh for up to three months.
- Defrost: To thaw, I put what I need in the fridge overnight.
Frequently asked questions
The most common reason for this is sugar that has not dissolved. Be sure to heat the orange juice in the microwave before adding the sugar, and stir it until the sugar is fully dissolved. If the berries are making the sauce grainy, use an immersion blender to blend them into a smooth texture. Or pour it into a food processor.
Right after I open the pot, if it is too watery and not sweet enough, I add ½ cup of sugar and continue stirring it. If it is too thick, I add orange juice, ¼ cup at a time, until it is as thin as I like it. Then, I let it simmer for a few minutes. If the sauce is still too thin after chilling, I add a cornstarch slurry. To do this, I stir one tablespoon of cornstarch into two tablespoons of water until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Then, I stir it into the sauce over a medium-low heat for several minutes until it thickens.
This usually happens because of bitter cranberries. They are naturally bitter because they have tannins in them, but some cranberries, if they are not ripe enough or too ripe, can taste too bitter. That is why I go through my berries and carefully pick out the ones that do not look healthy enough. It is also why I add sugar, orange juice, and orange and lemon zest to balance out the flavor.
Overcooking the cranberry sauce will cause too many of the berries to burst, which releases too much pectin. The pectin is mixed with sugar and makes a gel. This will result in a sauce that resembles a cranberry gel more than one with extra berries. To fix this, I add more orange juice and some cranberries, cooking it over the stove for several minutes to work it into a sauce.
More Instant Pot Thanksgiving recipes:
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Easy Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
To Cook The Cranberries:
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries frozen can be used as well
- 1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice lukewarm
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons sugar maple syrup or honey will work as well
- Pinch of salt
Additional:
- 1/2 cup white sugar maple syrup or honey will work as well
- Orange juice if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional if you will use the sauce in desserts
Instructions
- Begin by rinsing the cranberries and discarding any that are soft or mushy.
- Reserve about 1/2 cup of cranberries and set them aside. This is optional and usually is done to add the cranberries at the end, to have a mix of different textures.
- In a small bowl, mix the warm orange juice with 2 tablespoons of sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add the orange juice mixture to the Instant Pot.
- Add the rest of the ingredients: cranberries (reserving about 1/2 cup if you want), orange zest, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover the container with the lid, lock it in place, and ensure that the knob is positioned to the "sealed" setting.
- Cook on High Pressure for 1 minute if using fresh cranberries and for 2 minutes if using frozen cranberries, followed by a 5-minute Natural Pressure Release.
- Open the Instant Pot and select the Sauté setting on medium heat. Stir the mixture, then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup of cranberries. Continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir for about 3 to 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- If the sauce is too thin or watery, add more sugar, about 1/2 cup, to thicken and sweeten it.
- If you want the sauce thinner, add more orange juice, 1/4 cup at a time, stir to combine, and simmer for a few minutes.
- If you want to thicken the sauce without adding more sugar, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until it's fully dissolved. Then, stir the mixture into the cranberry sauce on low heat for a few minutes, until it thickens.
- Once the sauce is thick enough and as sweet as you like it, turn off the pot, stir in vanilla extract if using, and add it to a serving bowl.
- Allow the sauce to cool completely before placing it in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
How to choose the best cranberries
I get organic cranberries from my local farmers’ market, so I know they are fresh, but I still like to sift through them to get the best ones. When I make homemade cranberry sauce, it has to be tasty. The best way to check for berry health is to get firm, glossy red berries with a lovely sheen and no blemishes. One way to check their firmness is the bounce test. If they bounce, it’s because they have internal air pockets, making them fresh.More tips to consider:
- Be sure to discard the mushy and rotten cranberries.
- Remember to warm the orange juice before using it, so the sugar dissolves completely.
- Save ½ cup of the cranberries to add at the end for texture and extra flavor.
- Thicken the sauce with more sugar or thin it with more orange juice.
- If it is still too thin after chilling, add a cornstarch slurry.