Roselle Hibiscus Apple Compote

This roselle hibiscus apple compote makes a great stand-in for cranberry sauce! Tart roselle hibiscus, apples, brown sugar, orange juice, and spices yield a delicious compote that is perfect on toast, oatmeal, yogurt, or a warm biscuit.

As much as the climate here in Houston can be challenging (helloooo 6 month-long summer!), it affords us a year-round growing season. It also means I can get away with growing more “tropical” plants in my garden like ginger (see my harvest here!) and roselle hibiscus. This was my second year growing roselle and I’m happy to report it was beautiful and abundant this year. I dried my first big harvest to enjoy in teas throughout the fall and winter. My second harvest is what you see here!

As I’m sure you can infer from the title of this recipe, I used my recent roselle harvest in a compote. Since roselle doesn’t have much thickening power as it cooks, I paired it with apples in order to yield a nice, thick compote. Brown sugar lends subtle sweetness and spices add that coziness and warmth that is most welcome this time of year.

What is Roselle Hibiscus?

In case you’re curious or you’ve never heard of it, roselle is an edible hibiscus variety. The edible part is the red calyx which you see above (it’s what’s left after the blooms drop). It has a tart and tangy flavor very similar to cranberries but without any sweetness. And, it’s what is dried and sold as hibiscus tea.

Roselle makes a great swap for cranberries down here in Texas where it’s too hot for them to grow. If you’re able to get your hands on some fresh roselle, here’s how you’ll process it: use your fingers to remove the red calyx from the interior green seed pod (you can see this in the photo below). You’ll discard the green seed pod and only use the pieces of calyx that you have removed.

What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

• Fresh Roselle Hibiscus Calyces – these give the compote its brilliant ruby color and tart flavor. If you don’t have access to these, I’ve included substitutions below!
• Apples – lend subtle sweetness and thicken the compote. You can use whatever variety that you like the flavor of. Softer apple varieties will break down quicker and lead to a more saucy consistency. I used Cripps Pink apples for mine!
• Fresh Orange Juice – the juice from an orange will add a subtle citrus flavor.
• Brown Sugar – since the roselle doesn’t have any added sweetness, the brown sugar adds a lovely caramel-like sweetness to the compote.
• Fresh Ginger Root, Cinnamon Sticks, and Whole Star Anise – lends that cozy and delicious holiday spice to the compote. Bonus: they’ll make your kitchen and house smell lovely!
• Water – since roselle won’t release much liquid as it cooks, you’ll add water to help soften and cook the apples and roselle down to a compote.

Substitutions for Fresh Roselle

Fresh roselle hibiscus calyxes are common at farmers markets in warmer climates this time of year. But if you don’t have access to them, you can still make this recipe! You can substitute 2/3 cup of dried hibiscus in their place and add an additional 1/4 cup of water. If you live where cranberries are in season, you can use those also! Substitute a cup to a cup and a half of fresh or frozen cranberries in place of the roselle.

Looking for More Holiday Side Dishes?

This roselle apple compote would make a great addition to a holiday menu in lieu of cranberry sauce! Here are some other plant-based holiday favorites that would make perfect side dishes:

• Coconut Milk Braised Collard Greens – this is one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever shared on the blog and one that I make frequently during the fall and winter months. Collard greens are cooked in coconut milk until tender and flavored with garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. Think of this recipe as an updated take on creamed spinach!
• Roasted Honeynut Squash with Apple Fennel Slaw & Vegan Ricotta – Halves of roasted honeynut squash are topped with a creamy vegan ricotta and a crunchy and tangy apple fennel slaw. This makes for an impressive (and easy to serve!) side dish as each guest gets one half of the honeynut squash.
• Kale and Persimmon Salad – Chopped lacinato kale leaves are massaged until they’re nice and soft before being tossed with thin slices of persimmon, toasted pecans, and tart dried cherries. The salad is dressed with a quick and simple homemade Dijon vinaigrette. Don’t have persimmons? Use apples or pears!
• Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes – Miso roasted sweet potatoes are topped with an arugula pear salad dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette. Just want to enjoy the miso roasted sweet potatoes on their own? Simply leave off the salad component!
• Roasted Mushrooms with Celeriac Potato Puree – I developed this recipe for the very first Thanksgiving I hosted! The roasted mushrooms are served atop a thick potato and celeriac puree flavored with chives, nutritional yeast, and vegan butter. Feel free to use your favorite mushrooms here!

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