Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
A sweet, but tangy cranberry-orange sauce that is perfect for topping on holiday stuffing, turkey, or bread made in an Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Sauce
Who doesn’t have cranberry sauce at a holiday feast? No one, I say. NO ONE!
But, let’s not buy the stuff that’s in the can, okay? Because the real thing is so super easy. Especially if you’re using Crock Pot Express Crock Multi-Cooker or Instant Pot
pressure cooker this holiday like I am. Super. Simple.
Why an Instant Pot for Thanksgiving Recipes?
The Instant Pot shines in Thanksgiving meal preparation for various reasons. First, it drastically reduces cooking times for dishes like roasts and poultry, ensuring you can serve succulent main courses in a fraction of the time. Its multi-functionality allows for sautéing, searing, slow cooking, and more in a single appliance, simplifying the cooking process and minimizing the number of dirty dishes.
The Instant Pot excels at consistently delivering delicious results, making it ideal for side dishes, desserts, and gravies. Its “Keep Warm” feature ensures dishes are ready to serve without overcooking. Additionally, the appliance is energy-efficient, helping manage costs during the holiday.
The Instant Pot’s pressure cooking feature is particularly valuable for tenderizing meats quickly, a valuable asset for Thanksgiving. In essence, the Instant Pot streamlines cooking, minimizes kitchen chaos, and guarantees consistent, flavorful results, making it a standout choice for a stress-free Thanksgiving feast.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Sauce
Fresh Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are the star of the show in this recipe. They provide a vibrant red color and a tart, slightly sweet flavor that’s essential for making cranberry sauce. Cranberries are rich in antioxidants and add a refreshing contrast to the other ingredients.
Orange Zest: The orange zest is the outer, flavorful, and aromatic layer of the orange peel. It brings a burst of citrusy fragrance and an intense orange flavor to the sauce. It’s a key component for enhancing the overall taste and aroma of the dish.
Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice is another vital component of this recipe. It contributes a natural sweetness, tangy undertones, and a bright citrus note that complements the cranberries beautifully. It also provides the necessary liquid for cooking the cranberries.
Maple Syrup: Maple syrup offers a rich, caramel-like sweetness with a hint of maple flavor. It balances the tartness of the cranberries and adds depth to the sauce. It’s a natural and delightful sweetener that pairs wonderfully with the fruits.
White Sugar: White sugar acts as an additional sweetening agent. It helps in achieving the desired level of sweetness in the cranberry orange sauce. It dissolves easily, ensuring even distribution of sweetness throughout the mixture.
Salt: A pinch of salt may seem unconventional in a sweet sauce, but it plays a crucial role in balancing the flavors. Salt enhances the overall taste by reducing the bitterness of the cranberries and amplifying the sweetness and citrus notes. It’s a small but significant ingredient in achieving the perfect flavor profile for your cranberry orange sauce.
More Instant Pot Holiday Recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Bread Stuffing
- SEE ALL
Get and Print the Recipe
Get and Print the Recipe
Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries stemmed and washed
- 2 tsp orange zest about 1 medium orange
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup white sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix orange juice and maple syrup in a small bowl until well combined. Pour into pressure cooker. Add cranberries and orange zest.
- Attach and lock lid, and steam at high pressure for 1 minute.
- Natural release for 7 minutes, then carefully open lid. Crush cranberries with a masher or wooden spoon.
- Set pressure cooker to "BROWN/SAUTE", then add sugar. Heat up sauce until it's to desired thickness. Add salt.
Founder of Mom Sparks – a lifestyle blog for moms.