You won’t believe how tender this slow cooker cranberry pork loin is! Cranberry sauce is combined with onion soup mix in this recipe, and it’s a perfect pair. It’s a wonderful comfort food weeknight meal or can even be the main dish for a holiday dinner.
If you love a good pork loin, then cooking it in the slow cooker is a must! We love this recipe or honey apple pork loin.
Why this recipe works
I mix Lipton onion soup mix with cranberry, which helps this dish to taste more savory than sweet. This is one of those three ingredients recipes that you can make any night of the week!
I’m excited to start the holiday recipes with this slow cooker cranberry pork loin. Typically when you think of pairing cranberry with a protein, you think turkey, but surprisingly cranberry is even better with pork!
Recipe Ingredients
- Pork Loin – This is the larger than a pork tenderloin and has a little bit of fat. It has amazing flavor and doesn’t dry out in the slow cooker.
- Lipton Onion Soup Mix – This adds a punch of onion flavor to the recipe and pairs very well with cranberry
- Whole Cranberry Sauce – I use one can of whole cranberry in this recipe, though you can use homemade cranberry sauce if you have it.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – In a small bowl, add the cranberry sauce and the onion soup mix.
Step Two – Mix these two ingredients until combined.
Step Three – Add the pork loin to the slow cooker. If your pork loin has a fatty side, place that side down.
Step Four – Pour over the cranberry/onion mixture over the pork loin.
Step Five – Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Choose one or more of these options. Think holiday dinner when serving this.
- Additional cranberry sauce – we love to serve cold cranberry on the side of this pork just as you would turkey.
- Rice Pilaf – I make Farmstand Wild Rice Pilaf or Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade dinner rolls
- Bacon green beans or green bean casserole
- Ceaser Salad – Try this ceaser dressing for the BEST ceaser salad, we make it often.
Variations
- Cranberry Orange Pork Loin – Add a 1/2 cup of orange marmalade to this recipe, you’ll be amazed how well orange and cranberry go together.
- Cranberry Pork Loin wirth Sauerkraut – Add 1 bag of sauerkraut around the pork loin. This is for all my sauerkraut lovers!
- Pineapple Cranberry Pork Loin – Add a drained can of crushed pineapple to this recipe.
- Flavor burst – Want to add depth of flavor and uniqueness to your recipe? Add one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I have done this recipe with my homemade slow cooker cranberry sauce and had great results. Use 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fresh cranberry sauce if you have cranberry butter, that works great too!
You can use a can of Campbell’s French Onion Soup (don’t add water) in place of the powdered mix. Alternatively, you can use a half cup of dried minced onions. If you can’t have onions, skip it!
Try this cranberry and onion mixture over boneless pork ribs, pork butt, or even chicken thighs.
Yes, use a can of jellied cranberry in this recipe. I know many people don’t like whole cranberry sauce and making this switch won’t affect the recipe at all.
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Loin Recipe
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 4 lb. pork loin 3-4 lbs
- 14 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
- 1 oz. packet Lipton onion soup mix
Optional but recommended for serving
- 1 can cranberry sauce (whole or jellied) cold cranberry sauce on the side of this pork for serving is AMAZING. Grab another can if you can.
Instructions:
- In a small bowl add the cranberry sauce and the onion soup mix, stir until combined.
- Add the pork loin into the slow cooker.
- Pour over the cranberry mixture.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Slice and serve with the sauce in the slow cooker.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Cranberry Orange Pork Loin – Add a 1/2 cup of orange marmalade to this recipe, you’ll be amazed how well orange and cranberry go together.
- Cranberry Pork Loin wirth Sauerkraut – Add 1 bag of sauerkraut around the pork loin. This is for all my sauerkraut lovers!
- Pineapple Cranberry Pork Loin – Add a drained can of crushed pineapple to this recipe.
- Flavor burst – Want to add depth of flavor and uniqueness to your recipe? Add one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
This looks absolutely perfect for me with legs disability on a wheelie walker and cant stand for very long. Mouth is watering. YUMBO!!
Can I make this in the a instant pot?
My slow cooker has died! And in waiting for a sale to get a new one
Yes, though you’ll probably need to add water.
Excellent recipe! I am curious, though, to what temperature do you intend the pork to cook? I used a remote temperature probe on mine, and it was good to go within 3 hours on low. Whole pork cuts only need to be cooked to 145F internal for food safety nowadays, unless you want to shred it.
I tend to go past the suggested temp, so yes, it will shred slightly.
I’ve tried this recipe a few times. Never fails. This time I have a small pork loin, 1.75 Lb. How long do think it should be cooked? Also I’m using a smaller crock pot for this one.
how many pounds pet person?
About a 1/2 pound per person.
Delicious! I pulled apart the pork as I had lots of yummy liquid and I wanted to absorb it all. Kids and I loved it served over mashed potatoes. A great way to use up all that left over cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving 🙂
How long to cook a 6 lb. pork loin roast? Is it possible to cook it on high to reduce the cooking time? Thank you!
If I was cooking on high, I would do about 4.5 hours.
This looks delicious and I’m going to make it for Christmas dinner. Can I use the same ingredients to make it more like a pulled pork?
Yes! I think that would work great.
If doing the sauerkraut version do you add it to the crockpot and cook it with everything else or add it when serving?
I would add it at the beginning!
How long can this cook for on low??? Can it go for more than 6hrs?
You can go 8 hours, though the texture will be very shredded.
So good!
I have a 2 and 1/2 lb boneless pork loin filet. How long should I cook it in the slow cooker?
I would do 5 hours on low.