Beet Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries have a zingy tartness that brings all of the other foods on your Thanksgiving Day plate to life.

And although the canned stuff may be an old staple on your table, consider clearing some space for this simple--but spectacular!--homemade version.

I start with a traditional cranberry sauce and add some beets that have been put through the blender.

Then I strain out all of that vibrant juice.

The beets add a deeper, richer flavor to the sauce--while still allowing the cranberries to shine.

And if you are a hardcore beet lover, then consider the "Extra Beety" version (also below), a fun beet-forward take that uses chunks of beets instead of just the beet juice! 

Beet Cranberry Sauce

Makes about 3 cups

1 large red beet (about 6 ounces), diced

One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

1 cup granulated sugar

Zest + juice of 1 orange

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Place the beet and 1¼ cups water in a blender and blend until very smooth with only some pulp remaining. Strain the pulp from the beet juice and transfer only the juice to a medium pot.

2. To the same medium pot, add the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Cover the pot to avoid splattering and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency—about 25 minutes.

"Extra Beety” Cranberry Sauce

Makes about 3 cups

2 large red beets (about 12 ounces total)

One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

1 cup granulated sugar

Zest + juice of 1 orange

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Wrap the beets (all together) in aluminum foil and bake them until you can easily insert a fork into the center of the flesh—45 to 60 minutes. The time can vary greatly depending on the size of your beets, but the good news is that overbaking won’t hurt them at all. Once they are finished cooking, immediately remove the skin from the beets by rubbing each with paper towels and chop the beets into ¼-inch pieces.

2. Then, to a medium pot, add the beets, cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Cover the pot to avoid splattering and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency, but with some texture still remaining in the cranberries—about 25 minutes.

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You might also like these recipes:

• Sriracha Honey Brussels Sprouts
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Apples + Cranberries
• Rosemary + Garlic Roasted Parsnips
• Mushroom Gravy
• Pomegranate Glazed Carrots

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