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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.
Watch this short video to see the simple process behind this four-ingredient chia cranberry sauce recipe:
Healthy Cranberry Sauce with Chia Seeds
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 Estimate
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.
Laura says
This sounds amazing! It could be used so many ways…I’m getting excited thinking about how I could use this for the coming holiday 🙂
Lindsey Dietz says
Never thought to include chia seeds in cranberry sauce, but it works! Pinned, too!
Mirlene says
I love the fact that only 4 ingredients are needed. The color is beautiful! Perfect for Thanksgiving!
Tina says
This is such a smart idea! We love chia jam, but I have never though to do it for cranberry sauce. Will be making this for sure!
Hope says
Love this healthy version of cranberry sauce! I bet the chia seeds give it extra texture and some added nutrition!
Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says
I love that you used chia seeds in your cranberry sauce! We love cranberry sauce so much that we also make it outside the holidays, so good in yogurt!
ChihYu Smith says
This will be so perfect for the holiday season. I love it!
Anya says
We enjoy cranberries throughout the year too – not just for the holidays. Can’t wait to try this recipe out.
Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica says
I may just need to try your version! I have definitely been playing with cranberry sauce(s)
as it’s definitely one of my favourite things! Maple syrup is a natural ‘go to’ — lol (Canadian gal!)
Joni Gomes says
So simple and that color is beautiful! I love using chia seeds so this is my kind of recipe!
Tessa Simpson says
Oh yum! Love the addition of the chia seeds!
jennifer says
This looks delicious and so easy to make! Love the edition of the chia seeds!
Jean says
Love how simple the ingredients are! This looks so vibrant and pretty.
STACEY CRAWFORD says
This is perfect for chia seeds! I love them in sauces or jams so much more than in pudding! Great idea 🙂
Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says
What a cool idea to use the chia seeds! I would never have thought of that. I love that your version is naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
Vanessa Price says
I like that it uses chia seeds! They are so crazy good for you, I add them to everything I can.
Catherine Baez Sholl says
I love the idea of adding chia seeds to the cranberry sauce and making it healthier. Thanks!