Orange-Cardamom Cranberry Sauce Recipe

I make orange-cardamom cranberry sauce every Thanksgiving without fail. Growing up around a kitchen packed with jars and bags of whole spices, I learned what all the pods, seeds, berries and sticks smelled and tasted like. When I put the notion of cardamom and cranberries together in my head one year, it simply made sense. Woody, herbal, spicy and fragrant, cardamom is a spice frequently used in Indian cooking and adds a certain resin-like note that cinnamon or cloves, cranberry sauce's usual whole spices, can't touch.

If you have black cardamom seeds rather than pods, don't worry about it. Half a teaspoon of seeds will add a tiny amount of crunch and texture without cracking any teeth.

Orange-Cardamom Cranberry Sauce Recipe
No Ratings
Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
20
minutes
Servings
2
cups
Ingredients
  • 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 8-10 cardamom pods
  • 1 large navel orange
  • 1 cup water
Directions
  1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan.
  2. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until all cranberries have popped out of their skins and sauce thickens. 
  3. Fish out cardamom pods and discard.
  4. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight and serve warm.
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