Super Easy Vegan Cranberry Sauce

Can you imagine vegan Thanksgiving dinner without a generous scoop of wiggly-jiggly cranberry sauce? We can’t (and won’t)! If you’re a lover of cranberries as much as we are, you’ll jump for joy after tasting this simple 3-ingredient homemade vegan cranberry sauce (and, in case you have extra cranberries on hand, try this sweet and tart cranberry smoothie!)

Even though our recipe isn’t shaped like a ribbed, round cylinder, we think you’ll like it berry much! Half the fun of this cranberry sauce recipe is actually making it. You literally just throw a few ingredients into a saucepan and gently simmer until it does its ‘pop and squish’ dance. A few more stirs and it’s ready to go. 

Won’t you join us in making this bright and cheery holiday side? Eat, drink, and cranberry!

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

This vegan cranberry sauce is bursting with tangy cranberries, sweet citrus, and a hint of rich maple flavor. These ingredients work together to create a perfectly balanced sauce that’s tangy, sweet, and full of flavor. Whether you’re using fresh or frozen berries, this sauce is easy to customize and always delicious!

• Fresh Cranberries – Give that signature tartness and bright flavor, which balances out the sweetness of the sauce. They also naturally contain pectin, which helps thicken the sauce as it cooks. Choose firm, plump cranberries for the best texture. Make sure to rinse them well before cooking. If fresh cranberries aren’t available, use frozen cranberries without thawing. Dried cranberries can work in a pinch, but you’ll need to soak them first and adjust the cooking time.
• Orange Juice/Zest – Adds a sweet, citrusy note that pairs beautifully with the tart cranberries. It provides the liquid needed to cook down the cranberries while adding extra flavor. Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the best taste, and add a little zest for more intensity. Lemon juice diluted with water works well, or try pomegranate juice for a different fruity twist.
• Maple Syrup – Adds a warm, rich sweetness without overpowering the tart cranberries. It also gives the sauce a hint of caramel-like richness that complements the fruitiness. Add the maple syrup gradually, tasting as you go, to adjust the sweetness to your liking. Agave nectar or coconut sugar are good swaps, though the flavor will change just a bit.

Gina’s Tip: Read Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende & Harry Devlin before or on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a fun and charming story for all ages with themes of generosity of spirit and forgiveness. (Just imagine that the dinner features a Tofurky, not a real turkey.)

Tips for Serving Up Your Homemade Cranberry Sauce

You might be thinking that there’s not much you can do to create a more scintillating cranberry sauce. Lucky for us, you’d be berry wrong. We have a few top-notch suggestions for sweetening the deal on this traditionally tangy side:

• Choose Chunky – If you like your cranberry sauce with a little bit of texture, try in adding some of these tasty tidbits: chopped dates or raisins, sweet dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, fruit preserves (like strawberry, cherry, blueberry, or apricot), or diced mandarin oranges.
• Spice Suggestions – Spices that work well with this cranberry sauce include cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg or cloves, dried orange or lemon peel, cardamom, and even vanilla powder.
• Fabulous Fruit Options – You can make more flavors of this cranberry sauce by adding in ½ cup of fresh or dried fruit as you cook the cranberries. A few options are blueberries, cherries, strawberries, and apricots. All are delicious in this sweet and sour sauce.
• Thanksgiving Sandwich Topping – Put together the best post-Thanksgiving meal by spreading one side of your bread (or this delicious cranberry walnut bread) with this cranberry sauce. You won’t believe the difference it makes in the flavor. For some reason, adding fruit to a savory sandwich is scrumptious! Definitely give it a try!

How To Make This Vegan Cranberry Sauce Recipe

When you finally make this recipe, you’ll be high-fiving anyone who comes into the kitchen. Or even calling them in to see how magical the transformation is from a bumbling bowl of cranberries to a luscious, vibrant cranberry sauce. If you love ASMR, the sound of the cranberries popping is like working through a sheet of bubble wrap—so satisfying!

Step 1: Prep the Fruit – Rinse and pick over the fresh cranberries. Place the berries, maple syrup, orange juice, and zest into the saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 2: Simmer and Solidify – Turn to low and let simmer until the the cranberries pop and the texture becomes thick and glossy, about 10-15 minutes. Stir frequently.

Finally, Step 3: Cool and Store – Take the cranberry sauce off of the stove and let cool. Serve immediately or place into a pint sized mason jar and cover. Refrigerate until ready to use. Enjoy!