Healthy Cranberry Sauce

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

This healthy cranberry sauce recipe features chia seeds for added nutrients. It’s a delicious, four-ingredient Thanksgiving side dish. (gluten-free, vegan)

Cranberry sauce is an essential side dish for Thanksgiving. But in my house, we enjoy it during other times of the year, too. My daughter has been known to have a little bowl of cranberry sauce as part of her after school snack, and I like having it on hand to use as a sandwich topping.

I love my Instant Pot cranberry sauce recipe, but I wanted to make a new version that was even healthier than the original. Chia seeds are high in nutrients, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. With all the decadence that typically comes at Thanksgiving, chia seeds are a great ingredient to add to the feast.

Healthy Cranberry Sauce Tips

• Cooling: With the addition of chia seeds, this cranberry sauce thickens very quickly and easily. I refrigerate it for an hour to cool it, but you can also serve it warm if desired.
• Whisking: Any time I add chia seeds to a recipe like this, I whisk it several times during the first ten minutes after the seeds are added. This helps to keep the seeds from clumping together, and it speeds up the thickening process.
• Sweetening: For a less sweet version of this cranberry sauce, you can cut back the amount of maple syrup to as little as a half cup. It’s extra tart that way, and it’s just a matter of preference.

Healthy Cranberry Sauce with Chia Seeds

This healthy cranberry sauce recipe features chia seeds for added nutrients. ($.49 per serving)

Print Recipe

5 from 17 votes

Prep Time:5 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:15 mins

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3 tbs chia seeds

Instructions

• In a medium pot, stir together cranberries, maple syrup, and orange juice. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil, then remove the cover and lower the heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until berries are soft and some are breaking apart. Stir occasionally while it simmers.
• Remove from the heat and mash the berries. Slowly whisk in the chia seeds. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to thicken. This cranberry sauce keeps for over a week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal

Servings: 12

Calories: 99kcal

Author: Annemarie Rossi

Chia Cranberry Sauce Price Breakdown

This recipe costs a total of $5.83 to make, or $.49 per serving. Try this healthy cranberry sauce with chia seeds for a delicious addition to your holiday table.