I think that cranberry sauce is the jewel on the crown of a holiday turkey dinner menu. Many might argue that dessert is the best part, but I submit that this simple side dish could rival for that position. Colourful, juicy, and just sweet enough, Cranberry Sauce with Mango is destined to become a new tradition when I’m making Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

 

 

Cranberry Sauce from Scratch

While I used to use the sauce from a can, and debates raged on and on regarding the jellied versus whole berry sauce, I have enjoyed making cranberry sauce from scratch for quite a few years now. Once I discovered how easy it is to make, I made it often. It’s amazing how you can just boil water, sugar, and cranberries together and have such a delicious sauce gel up so nicely!

But All of That Sugar!

However, I have a hard time putting in as much sugar as the directions on the cranberry packages call for. Even though I never use white sugar, a whole cup of any kind of sugar in one bowl of cranberries is a lot! I’ve tried making the sauce with coconut sugar, but it really alters the taste. Honey or maple syrup would, too. Then I tried making cranberry sauce with orange juice. I have also tried adding cinnamon, cloves, and allspice to distract from the lack of sugar. I just couldn’t get a result I was happy with – or that I thought you would like – when I cut back the sugar by twenty-five to fifty percent. So, imagine my delight when I arrived at this idea!

Mango

One day, after being disappointed with another failed attempt at a “healthier” cranberry sauce and adding more sugar to the test batch to make it palatable, an idea came to me. There, in the fruit basket in front of me on the kitchen counter, was a lovely, ripe mango! I love mango, and I thought, why not? I chopped up the fresh mango, added it to some cranberry sauce, and served it to my husband for dinner to get his reaction. We both decided that it was great!

Healthier Cranberry Sauce

This recipe has a lower sugar content than the usual cranberry sauce. For the sugar I do add, I use organic raw sugar, which is minimally processed. Much of the sweetness comes naturally from a fresh, ripe mango.

Plus – It’s super easy to make! This short video shows you how.

Cranberry Sauce with Mango

Yield: 3 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

CathysGlutenFree.com

Print

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 340g (12 oz) cranberries, fresh OR frozen
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (Mine made 1 1/4 cup.)

Instructions

1. Over medium-high heat, boil the water and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the cranberries and boil, stirring occasionally, until the skins pop. Allow to cool.
3. Stir diced mango into cooled cranberry sauce. It's great served at room temperature.

Notes

Make ahead: You could cook the cranberries, water, and sugar a day ahead and store in the refrigerator. However, I would recommend adding the fresh mango on the day that you'll be serving it.