What are you having for Thanksgiving? If you’re old-fashioned, you’d probably have the usual fare on your table – mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, creamed spinach, cranberry sauce, and of course, a giant roast turkey!
Fortunately, there’s a keto-friendly version for all popular Thanksgiving dishes, including keto cranberry sauce! While traditional cranberry sauce is typically smothered with sugar (a big NO for anyone on keto), this recipe is 100% sugar-free.
So, does it mean our low carb version will be bitter and tart? Absolutely not! If you’ve been on keto for a while now, you probably have a ready supply of keto-friendly sweeteners at home. In this recipe, we used powdered stevia, but powdered erythritol and sucralose will work just as well, too.
Why is this recipe a must-try?
Tangy with a hint of sweetness, this keto cranberry sauce will make your taste buds sing. Cranberries are one of our favorite keto-friendly fruits, which is why we recommend making your cranberry sauce from scratch.
We added a pinch of lemon zest to the sauce's dense, jam-like texture, but if you prefer orange zest, feel free to switch it up! This sauce is perfect for serving with roasted turkey and creamed spinach.
And here’s some good news – this recipe makes 4 servings. So, it’s great for sharing with your loved ones. Each serving only has 46 calories, 4.6g net carbs, and no fat or protein!
Why is cranberry sauce served at Thanksgiving?
Honestly, it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving until the cranberry sauce is served. It’s a staple that goes well with roasted turkey. But did you know it wasn’t part of the original menu during the first Thanksgiving celebrations?
So, it wasn’t until the early 20th century when wet harvesting cranberries became a thing. Previously, farmers used back-breaking dry harvesting techniques, which was highly inefficient. With wet harvesting, cranberry production grew, and farmers were finally able to catch up with the demand. Soon, cranberry sauce became a staple at Thanksgiving. To this day, the tradition continues – even for those on low carb and ketogenic diets!
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 12-15 minutes until the cranberries break down and a thick sauce forms. Stir occasionally.
Note: If you like having some cranberry chunks in your sauce, remove from heat at around the 10-12 minute mark. If you want none of the chunks and all the velvety smoothness of jam, then cook the cranberries for the entire 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. At this point, the cranberry sauce should be very thick and jam-like in texture. Set aside to allow it to cool down to room temperature before serving (or chill it, if you prefer!).
Serve it with roasted turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!
Nutrition Info
|
Keto Cranberry Sauce |
Calories |
Fats (g) |
Carbs (g) |
Fiber (g) |
Net Carbs (g) |
Protein (g)
|
|
3 cups cranberries |
180 |
0 |
30 |
12 |
18 |
0 |
|
1 Stevia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 cup water |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 teaspoon lemon juice |
1 |
0 |
0.1 |
0 |
0.1 |
0 |
|
1 teaspoon lemon zest |
1 |
0 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
|
¼ teaspoon salt |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
182 |
0 |
30.5 |
12.1 |
18.4 |
0.1 |
|
Per Serving (<4) |
46 |
0 |
7.6 |
3 |
4.6 |
< 0.1 |
How to eat this low carb cranberry sauce?
Some people like to pour the sauce on top of their turkey. Others don’t like the ‘mess’ and prefer to put the sauce on a separate plate. It’s up to you how you want to enjoy your cranberries, really. But personally, I prefer to do the latter.
I like to fork a large chunk of meat, then use it to mop up some gravy and cranberry sauce (in that order). It may be weird for some, but I think this triple layer of happiness is absolutely delightful.
Also, if you have some leftover turkey the next day, you can make some turkey sandwiches and spread the cranberry jam right in the middle. It’s super tasty, I swear!
Is there a secret to making perfect cranberry sauce?
In my opinion, making sauce from fresh cranberries tastes a whole lot better than making them from canned cranberries. Of course, canned food is always more convenient, but as you’ve learned in this recipe, this sauce isn’t hard to make at all. Put everything in a saucepan, simmer until the sauce thickens, let it cool, and serve. Quick and simple!
Can I add other fruits to my cranberry sauce?
While cranberry sauce is mainly made of cranberries, there’s nothing wrong with mixing some of your favorite berries with it. Berries are just a few of the low carb fruits that are fine on a keto diet.
Here’s how much calories and net carbs are in 100g of fresh berries:
|
Type of berry |
Calories |
Net carbs |
|
Cranberries |
46 |
8g |
|
Blackberries |
43 |
5g |
|
Strawberries |
33 |
6g |
|
Raspberries |
53 |
5g |
|
Blueberries |
57 |
11.6 |
Berries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, so it wouldn’t hurt to try this version. That said, try mixing cranberries with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. You can do half-and-half if you’re doing 2 types of berries or do an equal ratio of all berries used.
Minimize the use of blueberries as it’s relatively higher carb than the others, so use it sparingly or totally avoid it. Take note that you may also need to adjust the amount of sweetener used.
Can I use other sweeteners?
Yes, of course. I recommend you use powdered sweetener, not granulated, so it doesn’t clump up when the sauce cools down. Powdered erythritol or sucralose would be great alternatives for your keto cranberry sauce.
What goes well with this sauce?
Apart from Thanksgiving turkey, this sauce goes well with other types of meat. You can have it as a side dish, relish or dressing for grilled chicken, pork chops, tenderloins, etc. You can also water it down a bit and use it as a glaze for grilling or barbecuing meat.
Here are a few other recipes you can try with this amazing sauce:
Sometimes you just want to have some bread and jam. If you’re tired of eating the same old almond flour or coconut flour bread recipes, then this is a great alternative for you. To make the cloud bread, you only need eggs, cream cheese, baking powder and a pinch of salt. You can also make the mayo & bacon filling if you like, but if you just want bread and cranberry jam, then feel free to skip the filling.
If you’re looking to add some pie to your Thanksgiving menu, consider using this keto-friendly recipe. It’s good for 6 servings, so it’s great for sharing with family and friends during Thanksgiving. You can drizzle the cranberry sauce on top or use it as a side dish for this savory pie!
Conclusion
You probably can’t wait to make this keto cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. Who can blame you? I promise this low carb version is absolutely sweet and divine – your guests won’t know they’re eating keto food (unless you tell them, of course). Now, remember, this recipe only serves 4. So, if you’ve got quite a guest list, feel free to adjust the recipe to make sure everyone gets a hefty serving of this delectable sauce!
Ingredients
Directions
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 12-15 minutes until the cranberries break down and a thick sauce forms. Stir occasionally.
Note: If you like having some cranberry chunks in your sauce, remove from heat at around the 10-12 minute mark. If you want none of the chunks and all the velvety smoothness of jam, then cook the cranberries for the entire 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. At this point, the cranberry sauce should be very thick and jam-like in texture. Set aside to allow it to cool down to room temperature before serving (or chill it, if you prefer!).
Serve it with roasted turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!
