Cranberry Relish Recipe

A plate of fresh cranberry orange relish with orange zest on top and a gold spoon on the left side.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: cranberry relish recipe, fresh cranberry orange relish

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 0

Resting time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 63kcal

This fresh cranberry relish recipe is an easy, no-cook side dish that lets the bright flavor of the fruit shine through. Only 4 ingredients, and ready in minutes!

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Equipment

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.

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.

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Nutrition