10 Unexpected Uses For Canned Cranberry Sauce

Sweet and tangy cranberry sauce is a must-have on the festive dinner table, being a classic accompaniment to roasted meats. Whipping up a homemade batch is always a great approach, but perhaps the most convenient way to enjoy this beloved condiment is in canned form. Canned cranberry sauce comes in two main varieties: jellied and whole berry. The former is smooth and gelatinous, and the latter has a chunkier and slightly looser texture, with pieces of whole cranberries. Both can be enjoyed warm or cold, and unopened cans will typically keep well in the pantry for around two years.

While cranberry sauce is most commonly paired with succulent turkey slices or added to a charcuterie board, its uses extend far beyond the obvious. This humble pantry staple is more versatile than you might think, fitting seamlessly into a wide range of sweet and savory dishes. You can use it to upgrade your breakfast, jazz up a sandwich, or add some vibrant tang to baked goods. And it blends beautifully with other sauces and dressings as well. So, if you've been saving that can of sauce in your pantry for Thanksgiving or Christmas, think again, because this fruity favorite belongs on the menu all year round.

We know how well the tangy brightness of cranberry complements the savory richness of meat, and baked or pan-simmered meatballs are no exception. Rather than simply dolloping cranberry sauce onto your plate next to slices of turkey, beef, or pork, try crafting a sticky glaze for pouring over freshly cooked meatballs. This adds a wonderful contrasting sweetness and ensures that every bite is enhanced with moreish fruity flavor.

To get your canned cranberry sauce to a more glaze-like consistency, you'll need to heat it up. Simply spoon it into a saucepan and stir over low heat until the texture becomes runnier. You could even enhance the sauce with some extra add-ins, such as orange zest or some warming spices. Once the sauce is warmed through, it's ready for tossing with the meatballs. These can be made with any type of meat you fancy, but we especially love combining cranberry with garlic and herb-infused beef meatballs. And, to finish off this flavor-packed dish, try sprinkling over some fresh herbs, such as parsley or chives. The cranberry-coated meatball will taste amazing served with mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or even tossed atop a salad or grain bowl.

Packed with sweet and tangy flavor, barbecue sauce is a favorite for dipping, marinating, and glazing, and there's an easy way to make this popular condiment taste even more delicious. Adding canned cranberry sauce to barbecue sauce can help you create a more complex-tasting condiment, with the cranberry introducing complementary notes of fruitiness, tartness, and sweetness. It's a great hack if you've picked up a store-bought sauce that's in need of a flavor injection, or perhaps simply want to give a homemade batch a festive twist. 

The amount of cranberry sauce you add to the barbecue base is very much open to interpretation here, depending on the balance of flavors you want to achieve. Feel free to add just a tablespoon or two to your batch, or go all out with a 50-50 split. Just add the two ingredients to a saucepan and stir them together over low heat until well combined and warmed through. Note that the gelatinous texture of jellied cranberry sauce will likely thicken the consistency of the barbecue sauce, but this can be ideal if you're using it for dipping or glazing.

Apple and cranberry are a totally underrated flavor combo, and this fruity duo truly shines in a cozy apple crisp. With the convenience of canned cranberry sauce, adding a burst of tangy berry flavor to your bake is wonderfully simple, and this is a brilliant way to inject some vibrant color into the fruit layer, too.

This method will work best with whole berry cranberry sauce, which has a slightly jammy, more spreadable consistency. Start by peeling and slicing the apples, and adding these to the bottom of a baking dish. Then, spoon the cranberry sauce out of the can and spread it on top of the apple slices. You could absolutely throw in some extra fruits here, too, such as pears, rhubarb, or blackberries. With the sweet, oaty topping scattered over, the crisp is ready for baking until the fruit is gloriously gooey and the top layer is golden and crunchy. Your cranberry-infused crisp will pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

This fantastically fun recipe is often made with whole berries, but you can also whip up an irresistible bowlful of cranberry fluff with a simple can of cranberry sauce. Just opt for a whole berry sauce for ease of mixing and to maintain that nice chunky texture. The resulting dish will taste just as delightfully sweet and tangy as its fresh-fruit-containing counterpart.

To contrast the cranberry sauce's tartness, it's best combined with some naturally sweeter fruits, such as crushed pineapple, chopped apple, or mandarin segments. Then, you'll fold the sauce and fruit mixture into a creamy base (typically sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip), along with some mini marshmallows and chopped walnuts. This creates a mouth-watering medley of flavors and textures, with the finished dish working equally well as a standalone treat or a side to accompany other savory dishes. Try pairing the cranberry fluff with glazed ham, roasted meats, and cheesy casseroles, where it'll bring heaps of contrasting sweetness. Or, serve it in individual ramekins as a satisfying dessert.

We'll admit that the iconic grilled cheese sandwich is pretty heavenly as it is, but there are also countless ways to elevate that irresistible combination of crisp, buttery bread and melty cheese. And, this doesn't always have to involve throwing in sliced meats or veggies. A simple spoonful of canned cranberry sauce is another amazing way to take your sandwich to the next level. The sweet-tart profile of the sauce does an incredible job of cutting through the cheese's richness and balancing the overall saltiness while also adding a pleasing pop of color.

The thicker texture of jellied cranberry sauce lends itself best to spreading directly onto the bread. With the slightly runnier whole berry sauce, you can spoon this over after adding the cheese if preferred. There's always room for other add-ins, too, such as slices of chicken or turkey, or even some fiery pickled jalapeño slices. Once you've assembled your sandwich, simply fry it in a pan as normal, until the cheese is gorgeously gooey and the bread is golden brown on both sides. To further complement that dose of bright berry flavor, serve your cranberry grilled cheese up with a handful of peppery greens, such as arugula or watercress.

A fluffy pound cake makes the perfect base for infusing with bold berry flavor, and when you don't have fresh or frozen fruit on hand, canned cranberry sauce is an equally effective alternative. This adds a welcome dose of sweet, tangy flavor and jammy texture to the tender crumb, transforming your bake into something altogether more exciting.

You'll prepare the cake batter as usual, mixing together the standard ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour. Pour half of the batter into a loaf or Bundt pan, and dollop some whole berry cranberry sauce on top. Then, repeat the process, adding the remaining batter and sauce. Give the mixture a quick swirl with a toothpick, and once everything has been baked until risen and golden, your cake will boast a beautiful marbled look. This method also works well for Bundt cakes, and if you'd prefer to bake a sheet cake, just swirl one layer of the sauce on top of the batter instead. You can even fold cranberry sauce into muffin batter, or swirl it into a vanilla cheesecake filling before baking.

When crafting a refreshing salad, the dressing is just as important as the medley of ingredients beneath, and a spoonful of cranberry sauce is the perfect tool for transforming a simple vinaigrette into something with heaps of vibrant, tangy depth. The tart sweetness of cranberries is a fitting match for a whole host of sweet and savory salad add-ins, and that pretty pink hue will boost the visual appeal of your salad, too.

Mix up an easy cranberry-infused vinaigrette by whisking a few tablespoons of the canned sauce with some olive oil, vinegar (such as balsamic or apple cider), Dijon mustard, and honey or maple syrup. Whole berry sauce works best here, as it is easier to combine with the other ingredients. You can always blitz everything in a blender if you prefer a perfectly smooth finish. If a creamier dressing is more to your taste, try incorporating some Greek yogurt or mayonnaise. Or, if you need to keep things dairy-free, a dollop of tahini is great for thickening things up while adding some complementary nuttiness to the fruity sauce.

Whichever approach you go for, the cranberry dressing will taste incredible drizzled over an array of different salads, from festive creations studded with pomegranate seeds and mandarins, to those that feature roasted veggies, crunchy toasted nuts, and creamy crumbled cheeses. And of course, cranberry and poultry are an especially dreamy pairing, so don't hesitate to toss some diced or shredded chicken or turkey into the mix.

Elegant yet satisfying, breakfast parfaits are a favorite amongst meal preppers, and they're wonderfully easy to adapt to your taste. Typically, a parfait consists of layers of yogurt, granola, and something fruity, with many recipes calling for jam or fresh berries. But switching up this fruit element is a great way to keep things exciting. Canned cranberry sauce is an equally worthy mix-in here, and we love the bold color and pleasing tanginess it brings.

You can layer the three elements in whichever order appeals to you. For example, with the granola at the bottom of the glass, the sweetened Greek yogurt layer spooned on next, and the dollop of cranberry sauce topping everything off. Sandwiching the sauce between two layers of yogurt is another great approach, or it could serve as a fruity surprise at the bottom. If you're working with jellied cranberry sauce, you may want to warm it in a saucepan beforehand to achieve a runnier texture. The bright flavor of the cranberries works beautifully alongside various other add-ins, too. Consider picking a granola that features warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Or, mix a dash of orange juice or zest into the yogurt layer for a citrusy twist.

Pancakes are the ultimate canvas for piling with decadent toppings, but how about mixing a little something extra into the batter itself? Canned whole berry cranberry sauce is the perfect candidate for jazzing up your breakfast stack, tinting the pancakes a gorgeous pink hue and infusing them with that irresistible sweet-tart taste.

The sauce will blend seamlessly into a classic buttermilk batter, but you could also try incorporating it into buckwheat pancakes or banana pancakes. Once you've mixed up the base ingredients as normal, fold in the cranberry sauce as the final step. Then, you can fry dollops of the batter in a frying pan until golden and fluffy. When it comes to topping your stack, a generous spoonful of extra cranberry sauce is, of course, a fantastic option. You could even warm this up on the stovetop for a cozier feel. Other fruity toppings like caramelized apples or a mixed berry compote will elevate the cranberry pancakes, too. And, something rich and creamy, such as crème fraîche or whipped cream, would be a delicious balancer for the acidity of the berries.

Most smoothie recipes feature fresh or frozen fruits, but these aren't the only tools for adding sweetness and tang into the mix. Canned cranberry sauce is packed with flavor and color, and its consistency makes it ideal for blitzing up into a refreshing drink. This is a clever way to utilize leftovers if you've already incorporated some of the sauce into another recipe, with just a few minutes of prep time required.

For a single serving of smoothie, try blending around ¼ cup of cranberry sauce with your other ingredients. A creamy base of milk and Greek yogurt works great here, but you could always go with something lighter and sweeter, such as orange juice, apple juice, or coconut water. Adding chunks of complementary frozen fruits like banana, strawberry, mango, or pineapple can help thicken the drink, as can tossing in a handful of rolled oats or a dollop of nut butter. For an extra boost of fiber and nutrients, try blending in some chia or flax seeds. Or, sprinkle in some cinnamon or turmeric to contrast the smoothie's brightness with a hint of warmth.