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Quick and easy cranberry dishes for the entire holiday season
Darren McCollester/Getty Images

Quick and easy cranberry dishes for the entire holiday season

Modern dining trends have all but made canned cranberry jelly extinct at the table, but just because the cranberry has been freed from its tinned heritage, doesn't mean we use it in enough holiday dishes. While intimidating when encountered in the wild (or the produce section), these hard little berries just need a little love to take center stage of these 21 dishes. 

 
1 of 21

Cranberry muffins

Cranberry muffins
Education Images/UIG via Getty Images

Baking can be such a daunting task. These cranberry orange muffins from Food.com, however, can be made in under an hour and compliment any meal throughout the day.

 
2 of 21

Cranberry pumpkin risotto

Cranberry pumpkin risotto
Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

That tasty risotto that your family loves as a side dish gets a twist with this recipe from Ocean Spray, which adds cranberry brown butter.

 
3 of 21

Cranberry spinach salad

Cranberry spinach salad
Matt McClain/ The Washington Post via Getty Images

There is no quicker meal fix than a salad, right? And during a time of year when we eat so many heavy foods, a refreshing spinach salad with season-friendly cranberries is a welcome adjustment. Try this salad recipe from Cooking Classy.

 
4 of 21

Cranberry casserole

Cranberry casserole
Deb Lindsey For The Washington Post via Getty Images

The best way to use up all those leftovers, especially if you have family staying in town and don't have the means to cook multiple large meals, is to put those Thanksgiving scraps into a casserole. Here, Ocean Spray adds tart cranberries to a Monte Cristo-inspired strata.

 
5 of 21

Stuffed chicken

Stuffed chicken
Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Some of the cranberry-stuffed chicken recipes out there call for cheese and other additions that can make this main dish extra fattening. But this recipe from Taste of Home is a bit more bare bones. The most difficult thing you will do is wait while it cooks in the oven!

 
6 of 21

Pork with cranberry glaze

Pork with cranberry glaze
Deb Lindsey For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Bust out that slow cooker and let it do the work for you in making this delicious pork roast with cranberries.

 
7 of 21

Cran-apple cake

Cran-apple cake
Kansas City Star/ Tribune News Service/ Getty Images

A cake mixing fall apples and wintry cranberries is a great way to transition into the colder months. Keep yourself from getting too overwhelmed with cake concoctions and try this time-saving recipe by Ina Garten for the Food Network.

 
8 of 21

Cranberry sweet potato casserole

Cranberry sweet potato casserole
Scott Suchman/For the Washington Post/Getty Images

One of the best parts about this five-ingredient casserole is that it can be prepped the day before, which should help cut back on the hassle of making too many things in the kitchen at once!

 
9 of 21

Cranberry smoothies

Cranberry smoothies
Robert Lachman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

For when you need an extra healthy retreat from all that holiday food, here's a great recipe for a detoxifying cranberry smoothie.

 
10 of 21

Cranberry stuffing

Cranberry stuffing
Modesto Bee/ Tribune News Service/ Getty Images

Tart cranberries can add an unexpected burst of flavor to the usual Thanksgiving stuffing. Try this recipe from Food Network.

 
11 of 21

Cranberry relish

Cranberry relish
Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

For those who want more of a "salsa" than a "sauce" and want to make extra that can go in the freezer and last throughout the winter, this relish recipe from Epicurious is just the thing.

 
12 of 21

Stir-fry

Stir-fry
Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images

There are plenty of fall-winter stir-fry recipes out there that call on cranberry. But we are a big fan of this one from Tablespoon.com, which uses chicken — instead of turkey, as mostly expected — and packs a punch with the addition of hoisin sauce and sriracha.

 
13 of 21

Pizza

Pizza
Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The epitome of sweet meets savory! Break away from ordinary holiday dinner menus and make this delicious brie, cranberry and chicken pizza.

 
14 of 21

No-bake cranberry energy bars

No-bake cranberry energy bars
Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/MCT via Getty Images

This no-bake recipe from culinary scientist Jessica Gavin is great for taking on the go while running all of your holiday errands.

 
15 of 21

Cranberry coffee cake

Cranberry coffee cake
Anacleto Rapping/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
 
16 of 21

In breakfast bows

In breakfast bows
Gordon Chibroski/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

"A Whisk And Two Hands" has a couple ideas for hearty breakfast bowls incorporating cranberries, like this one with apple and quinoa.

 
17 of 21

Cranberry tarts

Cranberry tarts
The Washington Post/ Getty Images

Tart recipes are understandably intimidating, unless you regularly have the time and patience to make your own crust and filling. But this cranberry recipe from Taste of Home takes the stress — and time — out of that.

 
18 of 21

Cranberry pie

Cranberry pie
Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images

This "crustless" pie is a lighter dessert option that can also be ready to serve in under an hour.

 
19 of 21

Cranberry bread pudding

Cranberry bread pudding
Anne Cusack/ Los Angeles Times/ Getty Images

Pudding fans rejoice. This rendition is more cream than cake, and cranberries give it the right amount of sweet and tart.

 
20 of 21

Brined turkey with cranberry

Brined turkey with cranberry
Wendy Maeda/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Up your turkey brining this year and use cranberry, a la this recipe from Ocean Spray.

 
21 of 21

Cranberry sauce

Cranberry sauce
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

For some people, cranberry sauce is incredibly personal, and anything outside of a traditional family recipe is frowned upon. But for those in search of a good recipe who don't have the time to hunt through the millions spread across the Internet, this recipe claims to create the "perfect" sauce.

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