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Ina Garten Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce

Ina Garten make ahead cranberry sauce with chunky cranberries that simmer until the skins pop, then cool into a bright, spoonable relish with apple, raisins, and citrus zest. Easy stovetop method with make-ahead refrigeration for up to 1 week.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
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 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer until skins pop
  1. Bring fresh cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, and watch for the skins to pop as the sauce thickens slightly.
Add fruit and citrus, then simmer
  1. Add diced Granny Smith apple, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes until the mixture is thick and the cranberries have burst, with visible fruit pieces throughout.
Stir in raisins and nuts
  1. Remove the pan from heat and stir in golden raisins and toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans. Mix until evenly distributed so the sauce stays chunky.
Cool and refrigerate
  1. Cool completely at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Chill for up to 1 week for best flavor, then serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the simmer at a steady bubble so the cranberries burst but the apple pieces remain intact. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 1 week; freeze is not recommended because the texture can soften. For a lighter version, reduce sugar by about 1/4 cup and simmer a little longer to thicken, keeping the same chunky consistency.