Sweet, tart and extremely delicious, Cranberry sauce is a jam-like sauce or relish made by cooking down cranberries with sugar. With just a handful of ingredients and a super easy instant pot recipe, it is the perfect compliment to our holiday dinners!
Cranberries are small round, seedless berries that grow in shrubs. If you ask me, they are fairly deceiving in their appearance.
The first time I tasted raw fresh cranberries, I expected them to taste berry like- sweet, juicy, did I say sweet?
But, they ended up being a juicy but tart, seeds-like texture.
The two ways we enjoy cranberries now are dried cranberries and cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Sauce: Our Favorite Ways to Enjoy it
I don’t remember where and when I first tasted Cranberry sauce, but I simply loved it!
I enjoy the hint of tartness in the sweet jam-like cranberry sauce.
In my house, I am the only one who likes cranberry sauce with turkey, especially at Thanksgiving. My husband and kids aren’t big fans of sweet condiments with poultry.
But, they love to pair it with creamy cheeses like brie or goat cheese, over a cracker or toast.
So, this homemade cranberry sauce is a a staple on my cheese boards throughout the year.
Adding Agave Syrup to my Cranberry Sauce Recipe
I have been making homemade cranberry sauce in a sauce pan for over a decade now.
Recently, I started adding Agave syrup to it during the cooking process and also started using the instant pot pressure cooker.
There is a subtle earthiness that Agave syrup adds to the sauce, which compliments this vibrant berry.
That being said, it is optional. You can also add the traditional orange juice or water and it will still taste yum.
If you like an orange hint in your cranberry sauce, you can add some orange rind and / or orange zest. Cranberry-orange sauce is very a very popular combination.
My family tends to prefer the traditional cranberry flavors.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce in an Instant Pot?
The recipe video below is a homemade cranberry sauce instant pot recipe.
The instant pot pressure cooker really comes in handy for making Cranberry sauce.
I like the fact that I don’t have to watch the stove or stir anything initially while the cranberries are cooking. That’s a good 18-20 minutes of hands-off time!
First, cook the fresh cranberries with agave syrup for 1 minute, wait for 7 minutes and release the pressure.
Open the lid, add sugar and sauté for 2-3 minutes till it reaches a jam-like consistency.
At this stage, the cranberries have all broken down, but are not mush, which is what makes the texture so great.
That simple!
To learn more about this electric pressure cooker, see my Instant Pot FAQ. You can also make the same recipe using a stove-top pressure cooker or sauce pan.
Stove Top Recipe for Cranberry Sauce
This cranberry sauce can be on the stove-top too.
Simply combine all ingredients in a sauce pan on medium high heat with 1/2 cup water.
Cover till everything comes to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, till the berries are cooked.
Remove lid and cook for another 3-5 minutes till the sauce reaches a jam like consistency.
This cranberry recipe is so easy and so delicious, I promise you, you won’t buy another can of cranberry sauce again!
It stays good in the refrigerator for a few weeks, so definitely a make-ahead recipe for thanksgiving or big parties.
Also check out these 10 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes, including jalapeno cheddar cornbread, parmesan crusted roasted potatoes, etc.
More Homemade Recipes like this
If you like this recipe, here’s a recipe for PEACH GINGER CHUTNEY that you’ll love!
Also, try my 2-Ingredient Plum Jam recipe
★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback! Please click on the stars ★ in the recipe card to rate!
Cranberry Sauce in Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 12 oz. fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup agave syrup or honey or orange juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 pinch salt
- Zest of 1 medium orange optional
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- Turn On Instant Pot. Pour water followed by agave syrup. Pouring water will prevent the syrup from sticking to the bottom and burning.
- Add cranberries and salt. Stir and close lid. Press Manual for 1 minute on Sealing mode. Let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 7 minutes. Turn the value to Venting position and release all pressure. Open lid.
- Turn on Saute mode. Add sugar and stir. Saute for 2-3 minutes till the cranberry sauce reaches warm jam like consistency. Cool for 10 minutes and pour in jars.
Stove-top Recipe
- Simply combine all ingredients in a sauce pan on medium high heat with 1/2 cup water. Cover till everything comes to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, till the berries are cooked.
- Remove lid and cook for another 3-5 minutes till the sauce reaches a jam like consistency.
Stove-top Pressure Cooker Recipe
- For making this in a stove-top pressure cooker like Prestige or Hawkins- follow all steps and cook on medium high heat for 2 whistles. Turn off heat and let it cool for 7 minutes, after which, release the pressure by carefully lifting the weight. Follow the remaining steps in the instructions.
6 Comments
Susan DONALDSON
December 9, 2018 at 2:26 pmI love this recipe…cant wait to try it…just wondering if l can make it two weeks before Christmas and keep in the fridge until ready to eat…and l was wondering if you can use lemon juice and skin shavings from the lemon….thank you susan
aneeshasg
December 9, 2018 at 8:16 pmHi Susan, thank you so much! And yes, you can make it 2 weeks ahead of time and refrigerate it. I always make it a week before thanksgiving, and continue to enjoy it for a week or two after. You can definitely add lemon juice, but be careful with the quantity. Cranberries are already very tart, if you add too much lemon juice, you’ll have to add a lot of sugar to make it taste right. Hope this helps! Let me know how you like it!
Connie
August 1, 2018 at 12:30 pmI have 6 quart IP – can I double this recipe so I can use the 6 quart IP instead of 3 quart? Would time change?
aneeshasg
August 1, 2018 at 12:51 pmHi Connie, You can cook the same quantity or double the recipe- both will work in the 6 qt. Pressure cooking time will remain the same. Your saute time will reduce in the end, since liquids evaporate faster in a 6qt vs a 3qt (larger surface area). The only change I would suggest is to increase the water quantity to 1/2 cup for a 6qt. Hope you enjoy it!
aneeshasg
December 9, 2017 at 4:51 pmAbsolutely! You can switch the agave with the orange juice. If you like to enhance the orange flavor, adding some orange zest will add a beautiful orange smell and flavor too. You may have to check the sugar, since orange juice may not be as sweet as the agave. You may have to adjust it to your preferred sweetness!
Tracey
December 9, 2017 at 4:34 pmCould I use orange juice in place of the water as I always do it on stovetop just with orange juice as we enjoy the orange flavour. Just wondering if in IP, it may try to stick if strictly OJ