This easy, three-ingredient Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish recipe is the perfect holiday side dish! Watch the perfect holiday side dish come together in less than five minutes!
Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish Recipe
I realized as I looked through our holiday side dishes that I had yet to share some of the recipes we make yearly. In my mind, I had shared them, but that was not the case. Enter in this fresh cranberry relish. It is my go-to easy cranberry side dish that takes minutes to prepare.
This recipe makes a super easy side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, or leftover turkey sandwiches.
Just spread the cranberry relish on the turkey sandwich and enjoy. I know we have all already enjoyed this year's Thanksgiving holiday meal, but I wanted to get this recipe shared while it was fresh in my mind.
I love that you can make this cranberry relish days in advance! I suggest straining it a bit before serving since the liquid will be in the bottom of the container.
I will warn you that a bunch of cranberry recipes are coming up! I may have bought multiple bags of cranberries at Trader Joe's while grocery shopping and then came home and realized that I had a giant Costco bag in the fridge that I had forgotten about.
So, cranberry recipes are happening as long as the Spokane weather plays nice and I can photograph them.
Ingredients needed
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic Cranberry Orange Relish! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Cranberries
- Navel Orange, Seedless
- Sugar
Garnish: Orange Zest, Fresh Cranberries
Optional Add-Ins: Chopped Pecans, Walnuts, Fresh Ginger, Sweet and Crisp Apple, Ginger, Pears, Pineapple, Ground Cinnamon (just a pinch), or a Splash of Grand Marnier
Equipment Needed
- Food Processor: We use the Ninja Food Processor and love it.
- Serving Bowl
- Spatula
- Knife
How to make Cranberry Orange Relish
I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.
Step 1 - Wash cranberries and remove any random stems you see. Make sure to remove any mushy cranberries you want them to be firm before food processing.
Cut a fresh orange into 4-8 pieces with the white pith and orange rind
Add cranberries and orange sections/pieces to the food processor.
Step 2 - Chop/pulse cranberries and orange slices including the peel until finely chopped.
You can chop the pieces as small as you like them just make sure you don't turn the pieces to mush by chopping it to much.
Step 3 - Add sugar to the food processor.
Add half and then taste the relish mixture to see if it is sweet enough for you. You can easily add in additional sugar until you get the flavor you want.
Cranberry Relish vs. Cranberry Sauce
We make this easy Cranberry Orange Relish with raw ingredients combined after blending in a food processor for a fresh, tart taste. Homemade cranberry sauce needs heat to cook down for a sweeter flavor.
Is Cranberry Relish Served Hot or Cold?
We serve it at room temperature or chilled.
Preparation and Storage
Make Ahead + Storage: This Cranberry Orange Relish is make-ahead-friendly! Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You may need to drain the liquid from the bottom before enjoying it as the fruit sits.
Freezing/How to Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions: You can use any orange variety you enjoy! Navel, mandarin, and blood oranges would all be fantastic.
Vegetarian + Vegan Option: This holiday side dish is 100 percent vegetarian and vegan, as the only ingredients are cranberries, an orange, and white sugar.
Gluten-Free: This fruit-based recipe is also gluten-free!
Alcohol-Free Option: We don’t use alcohol in our recipe, but we’ve seen folks add triple sec, Grand Mariner, or bourbon for an adult-only spin.
Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe makes approximately three cups of this sweet and tart relish. Scale it up or down to your desired yield.
Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 57 grams of sugar per serving, with some naturally occurring in the cranberries and orange. Replace the white sugar with a sugar-free alternative to lower the sugar content.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Orange Relish
- We used raw cranberries instead of cooked cranberries. Using cooked cranberries will turn into more of a cranberry sauce recipe.
- You can spoon this relish over a block of cream cheese and serve it with crackers for a fun new appetizer.
When and What to Serve with Cranberry Relish
3 ingredient Cranberry Orange Relish is perfect for the holiday season.
- Charcuterie Boards
- With Pork
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- With Roast Turkey
- With Ham
- Stirred into Yogurt
- On Top of Belgian Waffles
- Spoon Over a Block of Cream Cheese for a Dip with Crackers
- On Top of your Favorite Pancakes
- Over Ice Cream
- With Chicken
- Thanksgiving Side Dish
Great Side Dish Recipes
Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole
Do you love recipes? Check out our copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes.
Follow Tammilee Tips on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, for all our recipe posts.
Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
Ingredients
- 12 Ounce Cranberries fresh
- 1 orange seedless
- 1 cup White Sugar
Instructions
- Clean cranberries and remove stems and any mushy cranberries from the bag.
- Cut the orange into 8 pieces and place in the food processor along with the cranberries.
- Chop the raw cranberries and orange slices until you have size you want. Add in the sugar gradually and taste as you add it to get the flavor you enjoy.
- Store in an airtight container.
Kitchen Tools
- Blender
Nutrition
Leave a Reply