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 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!
How to make Cranberry Pork Loin in the slow cooker
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 sides go with pork loin?
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.
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 and making this switch won’t effect the recipe at all.
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 dranied can of crushed pineapple to this recipe.
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Loin
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
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:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
haven’t tried this one yet but use one from Kraft’s what’s Cooking that is our current favourite
Slow cooker Cranberry -Orange Pork Roast Has a bit of Catalina dressing & soy sauce & orange zest & juice
Can I substitute jellied cranberry sauce?
yes, that will work fine.
In your opinion how would the Lipton onion beef flavor soup workout with taste?
I think it should do fine for regular onion soup already tastes beefy to me.
I have made this, it’s wonderful………also did it with chicken breasts, also good
Do you think this recipe could transfer to an instant pot?
Hi Sarah, I think so. You will have to add some sort of watery liquid though.
By accident I bought pork tenderloin. Can I use same recipe and just cook on low for 3-4 hours vs 8 hours?
yes, that should work fine. I don’t think 3 hours on high would be long enough, probably more like 4. The slow cooker barely starts cooking at 2 hours.
Thanks so much for the quick response!
I have made this for years and my kids love it! I sometimes add sauerkraut to it while cooking. I especially do this for New Years Eve with masked potatoes… yummmmmmmmmmy
Can I make this with jellied cranberry sauce? That’s what my family likes.
Could I use boneless pork chops instead of a pork loin?
Yes, you will probably only need to do 6 hours on low.
I absolutely love this recipe. It’s easy to make and easy to transport! Sometimes I add baby carrots and pearl onions. Recently I’m finding that many people have low sodium diet restrictions. Can you suggest an alternative to the onion soup mix?
Hi Kay! You could make your own soup mix like this recipe: https://skipthesalt.com/copycat-onion-soup-dry-mix/ though I think the pork will have plenty of sodium too.
Can this be done with pork butt instead?
Yes! You will need to degrease the sauce and remove any fatty pieces after cooking. I degrease by laying a paper towel over the sauce.
Got the 3 ingredients yesterday and am tossing it into the crockpot right now! Thanks for the sharing!
Did you add any liquids to crock pot
No, the pork will make the liquid.
I made . It was amazing! And it was so easy. It would be good to serve when having company. Thank you for the recipe. I followed it exactly
could this be made in the oven ? I am thinking covering it until the last hour to finish might be a more juicy roast . and how long would you cook this in the oven ?
Convert the time. If the recipe required that the food needed to cook for a certain amount of time on “Low,” divide that number by 4 to get the oven time at 325 degrees F. If the dish needs to cook in a slow cooker on “Low” for 8 hours, it will only take 2 hours, covered, at 325 degrees F.
Hi Sarah, can I do this recipe and cook on high for less time? And if so, how long should I cook on high? Thank you!
I believe 4 hours on high would work fine
Sarah, whenever I use a slow cooker (regardless of the recipe &/or meat) my meat ALWAYS tastes dry. It can be falling off the bone, shredding like a dream, but tastes dry. How can I prevent that or is it just the nature of the beast when cooking with a slow cooker?
Some meats tend to be dry to me sometimes too. My favorites that don’t ever seem dry are chicken thighs, chuck roast and pork butt. The most fattening meats of course.
Add a can (8 ounces) of red or white wine)
I think that would be a great addition!
Sarah, a similar but really I think better recipe I have made for years and is always a big hit with company. 3-4 lb pork loin, then mix 1 package Lipton onion soup mix, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 can crushed pineapple with juice together and pour over pork. I suspect your whole cranberry sauce would work just as well as the dried cranberries, Cook the same as yours. oh my, is this good.
Hi Betti! Your recipe sounds really good! I need to make the time to try it!
Sarah, how long do you recommend a pork loin weighing only 2lbs to cook using this recipe & crockpot cooking method?
I think 6 hours on low. 🙂