Italian Cranberry Sauce

A fun way to enjoy the season's fresh cranberries. Italian Cranberry Sauce is not only a stunner it takes just minutes to put together this spectacular sauce. Feel free to use only orange juice instead of the alcohol.

This cranberry sauce goes so well with dishes of the season. Enjoy it with these slow roasted turkey wings ... so good and made with a cranberry sauce glaze.  You could also keep it simple and make this turkey pot pie ...it is just delicious!!

When the holidays are approaching, I love to try out new recipes. There are so many different ways to make cranberry sauce, but this Italian Cranberry Sauce is a new favorite! It is also called a Negroni Cranberry Sauce and it is an Italian Thanksgiving recipe that will simply wow your guests!

Italian Cranberry Sauce

It really doesn't take much to make cranberry sauce and there is always a batch made around here during cranberry season, not just for Thanksgiving. My kids are like me and love the tart flavor in this delicious berry. There are so many things to make with cranberry sauce and especially leftover cranberry sauce.

Like I said, we love it so much there's hardly any leftover to experiment with. If you're not into an Italian Cranberry Sauce recipe, make our traditional easy cranberry sauce recipe.

An Italian Thanksgiving Menu

This is another recipe in our Italian Inspired Thanksgiving Menu series. Stay tuned for more delicious Italian Thanksgiving recipes to inspire you! Our Best Ever Italian Sausage Stuffing is mom's cherished recipe and it is so good! A family favorite is our Roasted Balsamic and Honey Brussels Sprouts. You could see our Pancetta Cornbread and also our Roasted Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Lasagna. For an Italian inspired dessert, try our Amaretti Almond Pumpkin Pie...it's so good!!

How to make cranberry sauce?

The first thing to do is sort through the bag and throw away any that are mushy, brown or shriveled up.

The next thing to do is start to boil the water and sugar. You could use less sugar if you would like it more on the tart side. I tend to use less sugar every time I make cranberry sauce. But I may be the only one that likes it more tart over here. Look at the gorgeous cranberries starting to burst!

Cranberry Sauce With Orange Juice?

There is fresh orange juice in this recipe. Just because orange juice and cranberry go so great together! Fresh squeezed orange juice is the best for this recipe. Now this recipe does have a little booze in it. If you prefer it without the booze, simply add more orange juice. And let’s say you only have Campari and not the other liqueurs, that’s fine. Just use the Campari (or whatever of the 3 you have on hand in this recipe).

So after your cranberries begin to burst and cook up you add your Italian liqueurs and the fresh orange juice. No problem if you would like to use just orange juice to keep it booze free for the kiddos!

What do Italians eat on Thanksgiving in America?

We have had so much fun these years celebrating Thanksgiving with our Italian neighbors. As soon as we moved in, they became part of the family (or we became part of their family!). Whenever we went to any of their celebrations it reminded me of my Italian family parties as a little girl here in the States.  At most of the holiday parties we would usually start with a simple broth and pastina (I love pastina).

We would quickly progress to different antipasto dishes and cold cuts. These days, it is usually some of my Calabrian mother-in-law's salami, capicolla or both, some different cheeses, bread. It is the perfect food to nibble on while the turkey is roasting. There are side dishes already made and just heating up.

Once you're done snacking on all the antipasti and small bites, it is time to slice up the lasagna and you have to leave room for the turkey! At this point, does it matter that there is turkey? Of course! The best part of making the turkey meal is the leftovers the next day. I know some people that just don't like leftovers; not a problem in my family! In my family, there was enough food for days after the holiday and this is even after sharing with neighbors or some of the guests. I know, we Italians sometimes exaggerate with the food portions!!

What to drink at an Italian Thanksgiving?

Keeping with the Campari theme...if you are a negroni fan like me, read about aperitivo time in Italy and learn how to make your own Negroni Sbagliato!

Do they celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy?

Some more Italian Cranberry Sauce Recipe Tips

I usually have Campari, vermouth and gin around. If you don’t have any of those drinks or if you prefer to make it without alcohol, just use orange juice. I make it for my kids with just orange juice. It’s so simple to make! If you are using frozen cranberries, it will produce more liquid, so cut out some of the water. You could always add a little more in at a time if you want it less thick. We like our sauce more on the thick sauce.

slightly updated from 11/2016

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NEGRONI CRANBERRY SAUCE

A fun way to enjoy the season's fresh cranberries. Italian cranberry sauce is not only a stunner it takes just minutes to put together this spectacular sauce. Feel free to use only orange juice instead of the alcohol.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: cranberries, side dish, vegan, vegetarian

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Lora

Ingredients

• 16 ounces of fresh cranberries 2 cups
• 1 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon Campari
• 1 Tablespoon gin
• 1 Tablespoon sweet vermouth
• one navel orange add the juice of 1/2, cut the other 1/2 in chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest to garnish

Instructions

• In a medium sized bowl, rinse the cranberries with cool water, and remove any stems or blemished berries. Drain the cranberries in a colander.
• Heat water and sugar to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add in the next four ingredients. Continue boiling 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in cranberries. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to pop. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Don't worry if every single cranberry does not completely pop. When the sauce is cooked, spoon out the orange pieces. Pour sauce into bowl or container. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

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