Cranberry Honey Mustard Sauce

About Cranberry Honey Mustard

What's Thanksgiving without leftovers?! And if you're like me, you almost always have leftover cranberry sauce.

I've never had a Thanksgiving meal where all of the cranberry sauce was eaten.

There are only so many leftover turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce one can eat, so in an effort to reduce waste, I created this festive spin of honey mustard sauce to use up your leftover cranberry sauce.

It's the perfect condiment because as a dipping sauce that doubles as a marinade for meats like chicken, turkey, or pork.

This cranberry honey mustard recipe takes less than 5 minutes to make, so it's great to make when you want to use up the last bit of thanksgiving leftovers but you're beyond tired of cooking.

Ingredients

Cranberry Sauce: This recipe requires prepared cranberry sauce, so it's a great way to use up your leftover sauce. I've only tested the recipe with homemade cranberry sauce, but you can use the kind from a can if that's what you have.

Honey: Any and all honey types will work in this recipe. I use basic honey, but you could also use hot honey to make this sauce spicier.

Mustard: All types of mustard will taste great in this cranberry honey mustard recipe so use what you have on hand. Regular yellow mustard, dijon mustard, creole mustard, spicy mustard will all be delicious.

Salt: The tiny amount of salt will help enhance the flavors of this cranberry mustard sauce. You can use any type of salt.

How to Make Cranberry Honey Mustard

1. Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a mini food processor.

2. Step 2: Blend together.

3. Step 3: Taste and alter as desired.

4. Step 4: Serve as a dipping sauce or use as a salad dressing or a marinade.

How to Fix a Mistake

• Too sweet: Add extra mustard, one teaspoon at a time. Stir or blend together, then taste before you add more.
• Too acidic: Add additions honey or cranberry sauce. If adding honey, add it in teaspoon-sized increments. When adding cranberry sauce, add in tablespoon-sized increments. Be sure to blend together well if adding additional cranberry sauce.
• Too thin: If the sauce is too thin, add an extra tablespoon or two of cranberry sauce plus about a teaspoon each of mustard and honey.
• Too thick: If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water, blending between adding more, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Make-Ahead Ideas

This is great to make ahead of time because it allows the flavors to blend. Simply prepare according to the recipe directions, and store in an airtight glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Storage Suggestions

Store in an airtight container that is glass or plastic in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Defrost overnight in the fridge and stir before using.

Variations

This cranberry honey mustard recipe can be used as a dipping sauce, as a salad dressing, or as a marinade for turkey, chicken, or pork.

*To use as a dipping sauce, prepare as directed.

*To use as a salad dressing: Add 4 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, apple cider or white wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Blend together, and serve as a salad dressing.

*To use as a marinade: Add an extra two tablespoons each of water and oil, and toss with one pound of meat. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Prepare the meat however you'd like (I usually pan-fry chicken or bake in the oven at 375*F for 20-35 minutes depending on the size.)

Ingredient Options

Honey: Maple syrup could be used in place of the honey but it wouldn't be cranberry honey mustard anymore.

Mustard: Use dijon mustard, creole mustard, or spicy mustard to change up the flavor and texture. Dijon mustard will make the sauce creamier and less acidic. Creole mustard will make it slightly spicy, and spicy mustard will make it spicier.

Alternative Prep and Cooking

You can add to a blender or food processor. Another option is to use an immersion blender to puree the cranberry sauce.

How to Make Allergy-Friendly

This is naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and soy-free, as long as the ingredients you use are free of them. Because of the honey, it is not vegan.

Nutrition Benefits

Cranberries have antibacterial properties that can help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Plus, they are loaded with antioxidants.

Mustard and honey are both packed with antioxidants that can help fight diseases in the body.

This cranberry mustard sauce recipe is great to prevent food waste during the holiday season, and it can help add variety to your meals since fresh cranberries aren't eaten regularly. Yet they are packed with nutrients.

What to Serve with Cranberry Mustard Sauce

This versatile condiment is practically made for dipping pretzels because the salty-sweet-tangy combo is perfect.

You can also serve it with a variety of dishes like chicken fingers or use it as a sauce for turkey or ham sandwiches.

Another option is to use this sauce as a salad dressing or as a marinade for chicken breasts, roast turkey, pork tenderloin, or pork chops.

Final thoughts:

However you decide to enjoy it, this sauce is a flavor-packed way to use up your leftover cranberry sauce because wasting food is not showing how grateful you are for what you've been given.

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