Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce

glass serving bowl with Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce topped with sliced jalapeno garnish

Skip the can and spice up your meal with this flavorful and slightly fiery Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce. This sweet and spice-ified twist on the classic is downright delightful!

Course condiment, sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce, Spicy Cranberry Sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 62kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

2 jalapeño peppers
1-2 oranges to yield 1/2 cup juice and 1/2 tsp zest
12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

PREP THE PEPPERS

First prep the jalapeños by cutting off the stem and halving the pepper lengthwise.
Use a spoon to scoop out the insides from each pepper. Set aside to control the heat later. For a spicier sauce you can add some of this back in after taste testing the finished sauce.
Slice the prepped jalapeno into strips and finely dice.

ZEST AND JUICE THE ORANGE

Zest about 1/2 tsp of orange zest from your orange and then juice to yield 1/2 cup of orange juice.
For a fun swap you can use a few limes instead using the juice and the zest to flavor the sauce. It's great both ways!

COMBINE INGREDIENTS + COOK

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat and give it a good stir.
Once the sugar has melted, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the juices have thickened and the cranberries have popped, about 15 minutes.

TASTE + SERVE

Once sauce is nice and thick and the berries have burst, allow a spoonful to cool enough for a quick taste. You can also add more orange zest and a little more sweetness if you'd like a sweeter sauce or add some of the jalapenos seeds back in for a spicier sauce. Let your taste buds be your guide and enjoy!
For a rustic sauce, use a spoon to mash up any still whole berries and serve. For a smooth cranberry sauce, use an immersion blender, blender, or food processor to puree the sauce before serving.

Notes

Recipe yields approx. 2 cups of sauce with projected serving size of 2 TBSP per serving. Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on portion size served and enjoy!

Nutrition