Skip the homemade cranberry sauce and make up this jazzed-up cranberry orange relish instead! This easy dish combines fresh cranberries, citrusy oranges, crunchy walnuts, and warm spices and is so quick and simple that it can be made ahead of time or at the last minute!
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Fresh Cranberry Relish with Orange
When it comes to the holidays, I’m a sucker for tradition. However, when it comes to the food, I feel like there’s always room for something new and exciting! I love to make cranberry relish along with the traditional cranberry sauce recipe for holiday dinners. We will sometimes have it as an appetizer on a charcuterie board.
This relish recipe comes together quickly and easily using fresh ingredients in a food processor without any required cooking. It’s super simple to make. It’s sweet, tart, citrusy, and crunchy, and with the depth of flavor from the liqueur and the warm flavors of the spices.
With vibrant flavors and a pop of color, it’s a great way to lighten up the heaviness of all of the yummy holiday favorites.
How to Serve Cranberry Relish?
You want this at any holiday meal, no matter the occasion. On Christmas Day with your Christmas ham or on Thanksgiving Day with your Thanksgiving turkey.
Use it in place of cranberry sauce during the holiday season. Have it on this year’s Thanksgiving table with a roast turkey, slow cooker turkey breast, pineapple honey glazed ham, or pork tenderloin.
Of course, throughout the rest of the year, it makes a great side dish for things like stuffed pork tenderloin or roast chicken.
It’s also great alongside tomato bacon jam on charcuterie boards or with baked brie, and crackers and on top of cream cheese!
For breakfast, it’s the perfect accompaniment for pancakes and French toast.
Cranberry Orange Relish Ingredients Notes
The complete list of ingredients with amounts are listed in the full recipe card below.
- Fresh cranberries: Washed and picked over for any debris. If using frozen, make sure to thaw them first, rinse, and pat dry. I love stock up to Ocean Spray cranberries when in season and freezing them.
- White sugar: Cranberries are quite tart, so adding granulated sugar gives it the perfect balance of flavors.
- Orange slices plus the orange zest: I use a navel orange but you can use tangerine or clementines too. Zest the peel first, and then remove it. You’ll add peeled orange slices or segments into the processor.
- Walnuts: For delicious crunch!
- Orange liqueur: I use Grand Marnier, but you can use whatever your favorite is. You can also make it without any alcohol.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and cloves or allspice.
Variations You Can Make
1. Adjust the amount of sugar you use. Use less if you don’t want it as sweet.
2. You can also use a sugar substitute like maple syrup, honey, agave, monk fruit, coconut sugar, stevia, etc.
3. Light or dark brown sugar can be used instead of white sugar.
4. Swap the orange for 3 or 4 mandarin oranges.
5. Apple slices would also be great. McIntosh, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp are great options that are crisp but not too tart.
6. Drained, crushed pineapple is another fantastic option for additional sweetness.
7. Use chopped pecans instead of walnuts.
8. Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
How to Make this Cranberry Relish Recipe
This is a raw recipe, so there isn’t much that goes into it! It comes together in about 5 minutes using a food processor. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients into a food processor.
Step 2: Pulse until the contents are chopped finely.
Step 3: Transfer to a serving bowl or dish and add the orange zest.
Step 4: Refrigerate until you are ready to serve it.
Tips
- The longer it sits, the better the flavors are, so it’s great for making ahead.
- Adjust the texture to your liking. Some might like it smoother (not exactly a relish, but oh well!), while others may prefer it a bit chunkier.
- Toast the nuts first for extra nutty flavor.
- Or omit them to make this a nut-free cranberry relish.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate: If you’re making this ahead of schedule, perhaps to save time on the day of a big meal, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. That’s when it’s still at its freshest and most flavorful.
You can also store leftovers for up to 2 weeks, but that’s for you to enjoy on a more casual basis (you know, like when you go back into the fridge with a spoon in hand).
Freeze: You can freeze it for 2-3 months in freezer bags; however, I actually don’t recommend it. The textures won’t be the same once thawed. Since it’s so easy to make, I’d say whip up a fresh batch when you need it.
FAQ’s
You can. If you have incredible knife skills and are able to chop everything finely with a sharp knife, go for it. You can also use a blender; however, you’ll have to really keep an eye on it because it can go from chunky to smooth in a matter of seconds.
It can be served chilled or at room temperature.
More Holiday Side Dishes:
- Easy Crockpot Creamed Corn
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
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Cranberry Orange Relish
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large orange peeled
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur like Grand Mariner
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch ground cloves or allspice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, sugar, orange slices, walnuts, orange liqueur, cinnamon, ginger and cloves together in a food processor.12 ounces fresh cranberries, 1 cup granulated white sugar, 1 large orange, ½ cup walnuts, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, Pinch ground cloves
- Pulse for several times until chopped finely.
- Pour into a small bowl or dish and stir in the orange zest.1 tablespoon orange zest
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use 3 or 4 mandarin oranges like Cuties
- Feel free to use less sugar if you’d like.
- Add a favorite sliced and cored apple like a McIntosh, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp.
- Add a cup of drained crushed pineapple.
- Use a sugar substitute if needed.
- Use pecans instead of walnuts
- Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
Use as a topping for pancakes or french toast.
Place on a charcuterie board to top crackers.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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