This Classic Cranberry Sauce Recipes Is Everyone's Go-To (2024)

FAQs

How many people does 1 can of cranberry sauce feed? ›

One 12-ounce bag of cranberries makes about 2 1/4 cups of basic cranberry sauce—in my house, that's enough for about five people. Going the canned route? You'll need at least one can for six people.

Top with dried or fresh fruits

Sure, you can go all meta with some dried cranberries or sliced fresh raw cranberries, but I also like to think about complementary flavors — dried cherries, dried mulberries, golden raisins, chopped apricots. All work great with cranberry sauce.

Cranberry sauce is often eaten in conjunction with turkey for Christmas in the United Kingdom and Canada or Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada, and it is only rarely eaten or served in other contexts there.

Cranberry sauce is one of the most important components of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Cranberries are one of the few commercially grown fruits native to the United States. The traditional cranberry sauce, made with sugar, did not become popularized until the 19th century.

For tomato-based sauces, a good rule of thumb to follow is to use one jar of 24-ounce pasta sauce for every 16-ounce package of pasta. When calculating how much sauce for pasta per person, generally about 2 to 4 ounces (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of sauce for each 2 ounce (about 1 cup cooked) serving of pasta would be needed.

Is cranberry sauce supposed to be hot or cold? Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."

Why Do We Serve Cranberry Sauce at Christmas? Following in the footsteps of America, we traditionally add cranberry sauce to our plates at Christmas to add a sweet and tangy taste to our turkey.

Why is cranberry sauce eaten on Thanksgiving? ›

Due to the importance of cranberries in the 1500s and their abundance, it is believed that the pilgrims and the American Indians would have eaten them at the first Thanksgiving.

Canned cranberry sauce, on the other hand, has a clear point of origin: It was invented by a lawyer-turned-cranberry-grower named Marcus Urann in the early 20th century. Back then, cranberries were considered a seasonal fruit, available only between September and November.

My family turns canned cranberry sauce into a fancy side dish every Thanksgiving and it hardly requires any effort. Canned cranberry sauce is delicious on its own, but there are ways you can dress it up for any meal. Adding fruits like oranges or berries brings different flavors and acidity to the sauce.

Health Benefits

Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as the metabolism-boosting mineral manganese. And yes, you reap all these benefits whether the cranberry sauce on your holiday table is homemade or canned, jellied or whole-berry.

Cranberry sauce, canned, sweetened, 1 slice (1/2" thick, approx 8 slices per can) - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center.

Cranberry Sauce & Gravy

Much like gravy, a little bit goes a long way, but you don't want to run out of it either. Depending on what your crew prefers, aim for ⅓–½ cup gravy and cranberry sauce per person. If your guests want leftovers or prefer one over the other, adjust accordingly.

What is the typical serving size for cranberries? If you check the back of a bag of fresh cranberries, you'll see that a serving is 1/2 cup and a 12-ounce bag serves seven.