The best Vegan Cranberry Sauce! Packed with sweet, tart flavours, it makes the perfect accompaniment to your holiday feast. Make it in only a few minutes using either fresh or frozen cranberries. (Includes stovetop and Instant Pot instructions).
PREP TIME: 5 minutesminutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutesminutes
Servings: 163 tablespoon servings (3 cups total)
Ingredients
24 oz (680grams)fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup (200g)white or cane sugar, if using an Instant Pot use ½ cup (100g) sugar & ½ cup (120 mls) maple syrup (the liquid is necessary for it to come to pressure)
⅓ cup (80mls)vegan red wine or port, or orange juice for an alcohol free alternative
Wash the cranberries and pick out any soft ones. Reserve 1 cup of them and add the rest along with everything else to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sauce is thickening and becoming jammy and the cranberries are breaking down. Usually about 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and discard the rosemary and cinnamon stick. Have a quick taste but be very careful as it will be super hot. Now is the time to add more sugar if you want to because it will dissolve in the heat. Remember though that it is supposed to be tart. It's job is to cut through the richness of your holiday food.
Add the reserved cranberries and stir them in. The residual heat will cook them enough before it cools down and give the sauce good texture.
Allow to cool completely before decanting into jars or freezer-safe containers.
To make in an Instant Pot
Wash the cranberries and pick out any soft ones. Scoop out about 1 cup and reserve until the end. Put the rest in the Instant Pot.
Add the sugar, maple syrup, red wine, orange juice and zest and give it a stir. Put the cinnamon stick and rosemary on top.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the vent. Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure and leave the pressure to release naturally. Once the pin has dropped, open the lid. It will look foamy and unappetizing but don't panic. Discard the cinnamon stick and rosemary, and add the reserved cranberries. The residual heat is enough to cook them. Stir well. Now it looks good. Have a quick taste. Be careful as it will be very hot. If you find it too sour, now is the time to add a little more sugar because it will dissolve in the heat. Keep in mind though that a little tartness is good as it works really well with your rich festive foods.
Allow to cool completely. The lid can be on or off at this point but it will cool more quickly with the lid off. Once cool, decant into jars or freezer safe containers.
NOTES
A typical bag of fresh cranberries is usually 12 oz (340 g) so you will need 2 for this recipe. Storage - Will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge. Freezing - Freezes well. First, allow it to cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe, airtight containers. It can be frozen for up to 4 months. When you need it simply remove from the freezer and allow to defrost in the fridge overnight. At this stage you can serve it as it is, but if you feel it needs thickening, transfer to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Allow to simmer, stirring frequently until it has thickened to your liking. Remember though that it will thicken more as it cools.Please note if using an Instant Pot - This recipe has only been tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot. Despite the relatively low volume of liquid it comes to pressure just fine. This might not be the case in an 8 quart.