The ONLY Fresh Cranberry Relish Recipe You’ll Need
Cranberry relish is the no-cook, easy, fruity, zippy, crunchy condiment your thanksgiving table needs! The bright balance of sweet and tart complements and cuts through the heaviness of all the other sides – and it’s nutritious, too! While it only takes 15 minutes to make, it does need an hour in the fridge for all the flavors to meld together so plan ahead! This homemade cranberry relish is sure to convert all who might not like Classic Cranberry Sauce – but don’t believe us, try it for yourself!
What’s the Difference Between Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Relish?
While both have a place on our thanksgiving table, there are staunch differences between Cranberry Sauce and cranberry relish (and don’t get us started on a delicious Cranberry Chutney!) Fresh cranberry relish is usually made from roughly chopped or shredded fruit such as cranberries, apples, oranges, and a hint of sweetener, plus sometimes, a variety of mix-ins that makes a vibrant slaw. The best part is that this cranberry relish recipe doesn’t require any cooking! On the contrary, cranberry sauce is made with cranberries (and only sometimes oranges!), a variety of spices, a good amount of sweetener, and a thickener, which is then cooked and stewed over the heat until jelly-like.
What Do You Use Cranberry Relish For?
This recipe for the best cranberry relish is a natural companion to turkey! So much so, we recommend pairing it with these 40 Best Thanksgiving Sides! It also goes great made the day before and slathered on toast like this Thanksgiving Breakfast. When the highly anticipated day is over, we like to top our sandwiches with it, like this Chicken Salad Sandwich or turkey sandwich. We also eat homemade cranberry relish all year long as a side to slow-roasted meats like this Roasted Tandoori Chicken or Prime Rib with Roasted Garlic and Horseradish Cream Sauce. Add it to a holiday charcuterie board or cheese plate with Whipped Feta, Nutty Carrot Dip, and Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip. Top your breakfast Belgian Waffle, spoon it over yogurt and Homemade Granola, or swap out the berries in this Berry Bruschetta with Whipped Yogurt Spread. The possibilities are endless for this healthy, tangy, crunchy cranberry relish recipe with orange.
What is Cranberry Relish Made of?
Classic cranberry relish is made from cranberries, a variety of fresh, rough chopped, or shredded fruits like apples, and usually, a pop of orange (hence, the ever so popular cranberry orange relish). Additionally, there is usually some type of sweetener and nuts or dried fruit!
For this recipe for cranberry relish, you’ll need
Fresh cranberries
Apples, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
Oranges
Sugar
Kosher salt
Fresh lemon juice
With optional add-ins such as
Jalapeño
Cinnamon
Fresh nutmeg
Nuts such as walnuts or pecans
Dried fruit, such as dried apricots, dried currents, or raisins
How to Make Cranberry Relish
We’ve got the step-by-step instructions for how to make cranberry relish so it turns out delicious every time! This cranberry orange relish recipe is simple to make, using only raw ingredients with no cooking:
Chop it! Using a food processor, chop the apples, cranberries, and orange. Pro tip: don’t over chop the fruits – what you're looking for is small pebble-like pieces of fruit (as you would a coleslaw!)
Toss! Add in the salt, lemon, and any of your favorite mix-ins till everything is well combined.
Rest! Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days before serving.
Tools You’ll Need for Old Fashion Cranberry Relish
Container for storing
We Couldn’t Forget the Sweet Side of Thanksgiving!
While the focus for thanksgiving is on the savory side (helllooo Classic Sausage Stuffing and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes), we can’t help but dream of all the sweet ways to complement this feast:
We Are Berry Excited For The Holidays!
We can’t help but get excited when we hear the words cranberry relish! It reminds us of our family table and nothing is better than enjoying a nice meal with them! How did your cranberry relish come out? Show us by tagging us in your photos on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
