The Fragrant Fruit That Absolutely Belongs In Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a fruity must-have holiday side. The Thanksgiving or Christmas table just wouldn't be complete without it nestled next to the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Whether you like to pop open a can and slice up the cylinder-shaped favorite for nostalgia or you want to make some fresh cranberry sauce to impress family and friends, this is an easy, no-fuss dish. That said, if you want to amp up its flavor and give it some bougie style, you should add dried figs to the mix. 

Dried figs are fragrant, sweet, jammy, and a little sticky with a chewy texture. They are often described as having a berry-like flavor with a hint of honey making them the perfect match for sweetened, slightly tart cranberries that soften and burst as they cook. When this happens, cranberries release their juices and with the addition of sugar, those juices thicken and become jelly-like. Stir in some chopped-up dried figs and the consistency becomes nice and chunky. 

It is important to note that how you slice up your figs will determine just how chunky your cranberry sauce is. If you are making your sauce from scratch, use a cup of diced mission figs and the texture is going to have a subtle plumpness to it. Halve or quarter your figs and they are going to give your sauce more of a compote-like consistency. You can give your canned cranberry sauce an upgrade by adding both alcohol and chopped figs to the mix. It will taste anything but like it came out of a can, and figs pair with a variety of alcohols. If your cranberry sauce calls for wine, bourbon, vodka, or even Grand Marnier, adding figs will enhance the overall taste. 

What you will love about adding figs to your cranberry sauce is how easily they pair with other fruity, herby, rich, and heat-inducing additions. Add some apricots and you will have a cranberry-apricot-fig compote. If you want to add a little kick to your sauce, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes. It's the perfect edge for the tart notes lingering from the cranberries and the sweetness of the figs. Balsamic vinegar will add a rich, luxurious taste to your cranberry fig sauce, while rosemary and cinnamon will add herby and warm, spicy notes. So, as you start thinking about the holidays, don't forget about figs for the cranberry sauce.