Cranberry chutney is one of the most essential dishes of the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Those excellent delicate cranberries give way to a velvety flavor, with a hint of spicy accentuated by the ginger and red wine.

Cranberry Chutney with Red WinePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

The richness of the red wine and I have selected a deep Pinot Noir, deepens the flavor of the dried figs and raisins.

Add the orange zest infused in the mix, and you have a savory and sweet jam-like chutney you can serve at Thanksgiving and enjoy for months thereafter.

Why do we eat cranberry chutney on Thanksgiving?

Adding cranberries to your Thanksgiving plate allows you to partake in one of the oldest traditions.

Cranberries grow primarily in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.

Reports have been found of what we consider traditional cranberry sauce, which requires stewing the cranberries in water and sugar, dating back to the 1630s.

By the 1860s, cranberry sauce was ingrained as an American dish, and General Ulysses S. Grant reportedly ordered that soldiers be served cranberries as part of their Thanksgiving meal.

Cranberry is a sweet sauce with some acidity from the sour cranberries. Turkey breast can be a dehydrated meat; adding the sauce adds moisture.

Cranberry Chutney with Red WinePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Many use how to enjoy your cranberry chutney recipe

If my family had their way, and the cranberries had a more extended season, this chutney sauce recipe would be a staple in our refrigerator as they devour it.

You will use this cranberry chutney similarly to your cranberry sauce. However, with the chutney, you can go behind the turkey for what to do with it.

You can enjoy it in other uses, and here are our favorite ways to serve it:

• With our Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner
• Cranberry Chutney as a condiment for your turkey sandwiches
• It is terrific alongside pork and gamey meats such as duck and venison.
• An excellent pairing for cheeses, including goat cheese, gorgonzola or Roquefort, soft brie, and sharp cheddar served over crostini or cracker.
• With our French toast
• Mix it with our yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese for a quick afternoon snack.
• As a topping to our morning toast of crunchy baguette
• Puff pastry appetizer over brie
• Added to your grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas
• On top of buttermilk biscuits or lemon pound cake

As you can see, the possibilities are endless

Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed

Fresh cranberries - rinse and remove any damages or debris from them before cooking.

Red wine - I selected a Pinot Noir, the star of this chutney. The rich body of the wine plays well with the cranberries and dried fruits.

Dried figs - Fall at their best and are so good to nibble on. Perfect here, and they absorb the wine nicely.

Raisins - who does not like raising with your fruits and wine?

Fresh ginger - works well as it can be both savory and sweet, bringing a touch of heat to the wine and fruits with this recipe.

Orange strips - infuse the sauce with the citrus flavor and release the essential oils into the sauce, bringing it to a new level of deliciousness.

Salt and pepper - this is optional. Omit if you feel it is savory enough. I add very little of it and sometimes none, as I enjoy the sauce's sweet taste.

Cranberry Chutney with Red WinePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Chef's Tip

Keep a keen eye on your cranberries, which tend to over-boil and fast. This can cause it to spill all over your stove.

Select a rich red wine. I used Pinot Noir here. A rich Barbera, Barolo, or Sangiovese wine will work great, too. We should always select a wine that we know we will enjoy.

Variations and Substitutions

One of the beautiful things about making homemade cranberry sauce is letting your imagination go and creating your dish to suit your palate.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to change things up:

• Cutting down on the sugar
• Substitute the dry red wine with a sweet red wine. You may want to adjust the sugar amount or add more ginger to balance the sweetness.
• Adding texture by adding some chopped dates or dried chopped apricots
• Half of a cup of orange juice will balance well with the ginger and the berries.

Cranberry Chutney with Red WinePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Variations and Substitutions

One of the beautiful things about making homemade cranberry sauce is letting your imagination go and creating your dish to suit your palate.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to change things up:

• Cutting down on the sugar
• Substitute the dry red wine with a sweet red wine. You may want to adjust the sugar amount or add more ginger to balance the sweetness.
• Adding texture by adding some chopped dates or dried chopped apricots
• Half of a cup of orange juice will balance well with the ginger and the berries.

Cranberry Chutney with Red WinePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Ingredients needed to prepare this Cranberry Chutney with Red Wine

• 2 cups red wine
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 12 dried figs, diced
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated finely
• 3 orange strips, make them large for extra flavor
• 4 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Bring the wine to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the raisins and dried figs. Set aside and let them soak for about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the wine and raisins separately.
• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, 11/2 cup of water, the reserved wine, orange zest, and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved.
• Add half of the fresh cranberries and cook, keeping a keen eye on your pan as the cranberries tend to over-boil fast. Stir, and once the berries have popped and are very soft, about 10 minutes, add the remaining cranberries and the soaked raisins fig mixture and cook for about another 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper lightly.
• Discard the orange zest and place the cranberry chutney into a serving bowl.

If you enjoy this wonderful recipe, you may want to try my other recipes:

Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Apricots, Raisins and Orange

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries

Pork Chops with Cranberry, Wine and Cream Sauce

Rice with Dried Cranberries

Dried Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Meet Chef Giangi

Cranberry Chutney with Red WinePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

I am a passionate cook, recipe developer, author, and food photographer with 14 years of food blogging experience. Inspired by my French and Italian heritage, I work with other chefs, both foreign and domestic, and have had countless discussions with chefs at famous restaurants globally. I enjoy sharing these creative culinary delights in simple, straightforward, easy-to-understand recipes.

I only recommend the products that I love and use. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.s