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This Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce; with ginger, lemongrass and pomegranates, has a super fresh, vibrant flavor. It takes less than 15 minutes to make!
Does the cranberry sauce that usually graces your holiday table earn the Ho-hum, everyday-regular, essential-but-not-praiseworthy, good-but-not-great award? Is it because, with all the other cooking that's required this time of year, you find it much easier to just open up a can or throw together the same-old-same-old sauce you've made for a zillion years? Well, what if this year, everyone went wild over the cranberry sauce? And what if the cranberry sauce was the one recipe everyone wanted? Oh, and one more thing. What if, once Thanksgiving was over, this sauce could be used for a fabulous sandwich spread or a delicious holiday appetizer? This Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce will set new bars, in more ways than one!
The best part? It takes less than 15 minutes to put together!
That's the story of this beautiful, bright-flavored Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce; and this is how it works. Start by picking up a bag of fresh cranberries and a nice big pomegranate. Poms are in prime season right now and one of my local stores is selling them for 69 cents!
Intimidated by pomegranates?
Maybe you don't "do" pomegranates. I used to be intimidated by them too. It seemed like such a pain and mess to get those seeds (arils) out. But a few years ago, I learned a technique that has me stocking up on them whenever I see a sale. I love the technique so much, I made a tutorial called, The Easy Way to Remove Pomegranate Seeds. Check it out, you won't believe how EASY it is!
If you're a super gourmet cook and/or have plenty of time on your hands, throw a piece of fresh ginger and a stalk of lemongrass in your cart as well. If you're like me, a bit lazy and usually in a big hurry at this time of year, just pick up tubes of fresh ginger and lemongrass* while you're passing through the produce department. You probably have everything else you need for this delicious condiment/side.
Make it in advance
When you get home, go ahead and make the Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce, as it's one of those wonderful recipes that can be put together days in advance. Begin by rinsing the cranberries and throwing them into a medium-size pot. Add water, sugar and honey and bring the whole works to a boil. Cook for 6 minutes, till the berries have popped and the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat, let it cool, then add the ginger, lemongrass and pomegranates. You're done! Well, except for one thing: take a taste... no, no, no, you can't eat the whole bowl now, it's for Thanksgiving, remember?
More than a cranberry sauce
And when Thanksgiving is over, if you have any left, I've got a wonderful idea for you. The sauce adds a delicious, gourmet touch to a grilled sandwich! Layer leftover turkey, a dollop of Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce and a slice or two of your favorite cheese (we love Havarti) between two slices of whole grain bread. Grill the sandwich with a bit of olive oil, till golden and the cheese is melted. So darn good!
A delicious appetizer
Oh, and for a fun and wonderful appetizer, try this: arrange a tray with a log of goat cheese, some nice crackers or crostini and a bowl of Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce showered with finely chopped parsley or cilantro. Let everyone make their own little bruschetta. Don't expect a crumb left!
Bon Appétit!
Café Tips for making this Easy Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce
- I always keep tubes of ginger, lemongrass and chili pepper paste on hand. They can be stored in the freezer, so they last indefinitely. These fresh tasting stir-in pastes are really nice to have when I decide to make something on the spur of the moment and during busy times of the year (like the holidays). Having them in the freezer is a real lifesaver. I let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes till thawed enough to squeeze out what I need.
- If you make this sauce more than a day or two in advance, wait to add the pomegranates until closer to the day of serving or even the day before. You want this dish at it's most gorgeous prime on the big day!
- I love my KitchenAid Copper Core 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set. It's super heavy duty, but really attractive at the same time. And I love the glass covers, so I can see what's going on inside the pots! If you have a cook on your Christmas list who's in the market for new cookware, this would be an incredible gift.
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Easy Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce - the easiest cranberry sauce ever with ginger, lemongrass and pomegranates!
- 12 ounces whole fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh lemongrass
- 1 ¼ cups pomegranate arils seeds
- finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish, if desired
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Place the cranberries, water, sugar and honey in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to boil.
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Cook for 6 minutes, maintaining a steady boil, but watch carefully that sauce does not bubble up over the top of the pan. Stir frequently during this 6 minute cooking time.
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Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes then add ginger, lemongrass and stir well to combine. Add pomegranate arils (seeds) and gently stir. May be be prepared 1-2 days in advance. To keep the sauce really pretty, store pomegranate arils separately and add them just before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired.
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Makes about 2 ½ cups of sauce.
You can purchase pomegranate arils on their own but they're quite pricey. I used to be intimidated by pomegranates until I discovered a really easy technique for deseeding them.
Sue J. says
I realize this recipe was posted years ago, but you did just send it in the list of favorite T-Day recipes. When I click on the link for the "tubes" of ginger and lemon grass, I get:
"We're sorry.
We couldn't find the page you were looking for. "
Since we live in an area where fresh lemon grass is never available, I was hoping to find that info. Any help appreciated. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sue, thanks for letting me know that. I will check those links. If you have a Super Walmart or a Super Target nearby, they carry the tubes of ginger and lemongrass paste.
Kate says
Could you substitute maple syrup for the sugar?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kate, you could but I might omit the water as you might end up with too much liquid. I would start it without the water and you can always add a little if it gets too thick.
Mari Riggins says
This cranberry sauce was the hit for our Thanksgiving Dinner , some guest enjoyed it for dessert. I was not able to find lemongrass so I used lemon zest. The pomegranate was the star. Your recipes are always a favorite of mine to go to.
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome Mari! So happy you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Susan says
I love the little pop of pomegranate in this sauce, Chris! Such a glorious color topped with parsley and the ginger and lemongrass must add wonderful flavor. Winner!
Shanaz Rafiq says
This sauce looks so beautiful and packed with anti oxidants. Thanks for such a lovely recipe which is ready in no time.
Vicki Bensinger says
This is beautiful and certainly couldn't be easier to make. It's so festive too!
Liz says
It's definitely time to shake up the cranberry sauce around here! Since I'm the only one that eats it, I'm making what looks good to me---and yours looks fantastic! Plus there are so many yummy uses for leftovers!!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
I think I could make this just to try the grilled cheese sandwich! Love the salty cheese, sweet fruit combo - and this is so pretty too! A great addition to any holiday table.
Monique says
So gorgeous Chris!
Sharon says
This is a fantastic recipe and I have made it on multiple occasions now, particularly around Christmas and Thanksgiving. Everyone loves it on bruschetta -it flies off the plate! We also used the leftovers for salad dressing and that was amazing as well. Even the grandchildren would eat salad with this salad dressing! I get many requests for the recipe and am happy to direct to Chris's website. Many many delicious recipes and generally very easy to prepare. Thanks Chris for your yummy recipes my family and friends have enjoyed for years now!
Chris Scheuer says
Aww... thanks so much Sharon for taking the time to leave a comment. So happy you have enjoyed this sauce, it's one of our favorites too, so full of flavor!
Mariposa says
Chris, this sounds yummy; I'll look forward to trying it! I do have a question about the lemongrass----I've never cooked with it, so I don't have any idea about the taste (maybe lemony??)! Is there anything I can use as a reasonable substitute for it? My store didn't have any fresh, and although they DID have the tubes, there was something else in there (I forget now what it was, maybe some sort of milk product) that I can't use. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mariposa, I would just leave the lemongrass out if you can't find it. It will still be very delicious!
gail says
Thank you for this recipe. I took your hint and made it Wednesday night using the tubes of ginger and lemongrass and added the arils before serving. It was so delicious, I see what you meant about not eating it all myself. It's my new favorite recipe for cranberry sauce.
Chris Scheuer says
There's just something magical about the two tastes - cranberries and poms together!
vicki bensinger says
Absolutely beautiful Chris! I make my own as well but love this addition of pomegranate arils. So festive and I'm sure flavorful.
Susan says
Although it's took late for Thanksgiving, I'll be pinning this one to remember next year, Chris! So pretty!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I've been sprinkling pom arils on almost everything lately so I know I'd love this sauce. Gorgeous!
Chris Scheuer says
They're slightly addicting, aren't they Laura?
John/Kitchen Riffs says
I always make my own cranberry sauce (two of them!), but am always open to finding new ones. This looks like it'd fit the bill -- pomegranate? Yes! Really creative -- thanks. And Happy Thanksgiving!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks John. It's super versatile too! I always hate the thought of throwing out a lot of the cranberry sauce after the meal. This recipe allows you to recycle it into a great condiment.
Denise says
Thanks for the tip on freezing the tubes of ginger and herbs. I always end up throwing half the tube away.
Chris Scheuer says
You're very welcome Denise!
TheKitchenLioness says
Dear Chris, amazing photography and what an impressive and very, very pretty bowl for serving your fabulous Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce in. I am convinced we would love this recipe of yours and although we do not eat a lot of cranberry sauce around here, I am known to serve it once in a while when fresh cranberreis are in season - I now have a great recipe that looks much better than mine.
Wishing you and your lovely family a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving 2015!
Andrea
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Andrea - hope you are all well and enjoying the beginning of the holiday season!
Kymber says
Thank you Chris. This is definitely going on my Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours! ????
Chris Scheuer says
To you too Kymber!
Abbe @ This is How I Cook says
This sounds fabulous. :Love the pomegranate and other flavors in this. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Abbe! We have a lot to be thankful about, don't we?
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
It sounds and looks wonderful Chris! Have a very happy Thanksgiving with your family.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Tricia, you too!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
Wonderful flavors, Chris, I wish cranberries weren't so seasonal, I would love to make this during the summer and use it on all kinds of grilled meats and fish. Superb photos, too! Happy Thanksgiving!
Denise says
Freeze some! Cranberries can be frozen 8-10 months. I always stock up this time of year; I like using cranberries throughout the year.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Denise! You're right, a lot of people aren't aware that you can freeze cranberries.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Sue, you too! Don't forget, you can freeze them for a long time and stretch out the season a little!
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
So pretty, Chris! It looks like a bowl full of jewelry... something to be treasured. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Chris Scheuer says
That's the perfect way to put it Denise. When Scott was looking through the viewfinder, he kept saying,"Look at the light on these arils!" He was right!
Kate says
This does sound tasty and the super easy part sounds even better! I have never paired the cranberry and the pomegranate. It sounds like something I should try.
Chris Scheuer says
It's a great combination of sweet and tart Kate!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
wow that sauce looks stunning, Chris. I can't wait to try this on my grilled sandwich!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Angie! It is so versatile, that's what I like about it. It's not just for Thanksgiving dinner.