This fresh cranberry relish recipe is an easy, no-cook side dish that lets the bright flavor of cranberry and orange shine through. Only 4 ingredients, and ready in minutes!
This is my mom's recipe for fresh cranberry orange relish and it is always the best thing on the table for every holiday meal. Yes. Out of EVERYTHING it is my FAVORITE! I just can't get enough of it and I want a double batch to have leftovers for at least a week!
Fresh cranberries keep their texture and tartness, oranges add sweetness and floral notes, the walnuts bring a light crunch and richness, and there's only a little bit of sugar. It's a magical combination and amazingly simple.
It's an easy recipe that brings something fresh and wholesome to the table in colder months. Try it as a Thanksgiving side dish or for Christmas dinner, but it can be used in many ways. (See my suggestions below.) Don't save it just for the holidays!
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Cranberry relish ingredients
This homemade cranberry relish recipe captures the flavors of raw cranberries and fresh oranges at the peak of their season. You only need 4 ingredients to make this magical sweet-tart celebration of cranberry love!
- Fresh cranberries: Look for cranberries that are smooth and firm, discard any smooshy or wrinkly ones.
- Orange: We'll use one orange, including the zest, for sweetness and brightness.
- Chopped walnuts: I love the creamy, rich note that walnuts add, along with a subtle crunch.
- Granulated sugar: We need just a little sugar to mellow out the tartness and let the fruit macerate so the juices will start flowing. The sugar will also act as a bit of a preservative to help our relish last longer in the refrigerator.
How to make fresh cranberry relish
Step 1: Zest and cut the orange sections
Use a microplane grater to zest the orange and set aside. (Be sure to check out my post about how to use citrus zest in recipes and why this adds so much more flavor!)
Now we're going to "supreme" the orange, which just means we'll cut out the sections of fruit, but leave the bitter membrane behind.
Cut off the very top and bottom of the orange, then peel it all the way around, ensuring that there is no white pith remaining.
Place the orange so that a flat side is on a cutting board. With a small paring knife, remove the flesh of the orange wedges, leaving the membrane in between each behind. (Don't discard the orange yet! We still need it!)
Step 3: Chop the cranberries and orange wedges
Add the fresh cranberries and the orange wedges to a food processor. Squeeze the juice from the remaining 'core' of the orange over the fruit and pulse until the texture looks like pickle relish.
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Step 4: Mix ingredients together and let the fruit macerate
Transfer the cranberry orange mixture to a bowl, add the chopped walnuts, orange zest, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir. Allow the relish to stand for 10 minutes, then stir, taste and add more sugar if necessary. I usually end up needing about 3 tablespoons total.
Fresh cranberry relish tips
- It's important to let the fruit macerate a bit before serving, but what does that mean? When the sugar hits the fresh fruit, it starts to release juices. This is macerating! We want to give those juices and the sugar time to meld together so the sweetness is perfectly balanced.
- You can use walnut halves and chop them, or pre-chopped walnuts. If using pre-chopped, you may want to chop them a little bit more to ensure that they aren't too big so the size and texture aligns with the cranberries.
- Can you just peel the orange and then put the whole thing in the food processor without "supreme-ing" it? Yes, you can, my mom does this. But you'll have to plan to pick out the membrane of the orange before you mix in the other ingredients. The membrane is bitter and has an unpleasant texture so we want to be sure to remove it.
FAQ
Cranberry relish is raw, made with fresh oranges and cranberries that are finely chopped for a wonderful texture. Cranberry sauce is cooked, sometimes it's pureed and strained so it's completely smooth, or some of the cranberries can be left whole so it's more like a chunky jam.
You can make homemade cranberry relish without a food processor. Just finely chop all of the ingredients with a good chef's knife or use a mezzaluna. My mom made it this way for years.
You can add the whole orange to the food processor without peeling it, but you'll need to add a LOT more sugar to counter the bitterness it adds. You'll also lose some of the floral quality you get by having the zest separate. It only takes a minute to peel the orange, and it's the holidays, so let's take that small extra step!
Yes, it freezes well in an airtight container or silicone freezer bag for 2 - 3 months. The fruit will break down a bit once thawed, but that just means more delicious juices for you to enjoy.
Cranberry relish recipe variations
Raw cranberry orange relish can be zhuzhed up and modified in so many ways! Here are a few ideas to make it your own.
- Cranberry relish with pecans: Substitute pecans 1:1 for the walnuts.
- Cranberry relish with apple: Adding an apple to cranberry relish can be a great way to sweeten it naturally if you'd like to calm down the tart flavor without using more sugar. Use 1 cored sweet apple such as Gala or Honeycrisp.
- Cranberry ginger relish: Add anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger, depending on how much heat you like.
Storage and make ahead
- Make ahead: You can make this fresh cranberry relish recipe up to 3 days ahead, making it an excellent choice for the holidays. It actually tastes better the longer it sits!
- Store: Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Ways to serve fresh cranberry relish
Aside from being part of your Thanksgiving and Christmas meal, you can use fresh cranberry orange relish in many ways throughout the season.
- Stir into oatmeal or other hot cereals for breakfast.
- Layer it into yogurt parfaits.
- Use in place of jam or jelly.
- Spread on sandwiches.
- Add to cheese and charcuterie plates.
- Put it on top of baked brie.
Fresh cranberry relish is quick, easy and full of bright flavors!
- Quick prep: Just chop the oranges and raw cranberries in the food processor.
- Ready in 15 minutes!
- Low in sugar, usually less than ยผ cup.
- No cooking, so the flavors of the fresh cranberry and orange shine through!
- It's gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan!
- You can make it up to three days ahead!
More cranberry recipes
Both fresh and dried cranberries are delicious throughout the holiday season. Try one of these ideas!
- Kale Salad with Cranberries, Apples and Pecans looks so festive on the table and makes a great side dish or a light lunch.
- Cranberry Pecan Dark Chocolate Bark is a sweet treat with sophisticated flavors (flaky sea salt) that will zhuzh up your Christmas cookie tray.
- If you like this recipe, you'll love Cranberry Compote!
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Recipe
Cranberry Relish Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 orange
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 2-4 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Use a microplane grater to zest the orange and set aside.
- Cut off the very top and bottom of the orange, then peel it all the way around, ensuring that there is no white pith remaining. Place the orange so that a flat side is on a cutting board. With a small paring knife, remove the flesh of the orange wedges, leaving the membrane in between each behind. (Don't discard the orange yet! We still need it!)
- Add the fresh cranberries and the orange wedges to a food processor. Squeeze the juice from the remaining 'core' of the orange over the fruit and pulse until the texture looks like pickle relish.
- Transfer the cranberry orange mixture to a bowl, add the chopped walnuts, orange zest, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then stir, taste and add more sugar if necessary. I usually end up needing about 3 tablespoons total.
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I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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Notes
- It's important to let the fruit macerate a bit before serving, but what does that mean? When the sugar hits the fresh fruit, it starts to release juices. This is macerating! We want to give those juices and the sugar time to meld together so the sweetness is perfectly balanced.
- You can use walnut halves and chop them, or pre-chopped walnuts. If using pre-chopped, you may want to chop them a little bit more to ensure that they aren't too big and the size and texture aligns with the cranberries.
- If you don't have walnuts or don't like them, substitute pecans.
- Can you just peel the orange and then put the whole thing in the food processor without "supreming" it? Yes, you can, my mom does this. But you'll have to plan to pick out the membrane of the orange before you mix in the other ingredients. The membrane is bitter and has an unpleasant texture so we want to be sure to remove it.
- Make up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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