Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (2024)

10 minutes

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5 from 6 votes

by Lisa Longley

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posted: 11/04/22

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Jump to Recipe

by Lisa Longley

|

posted: 11/04/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

Fresh Cranberry Relish is the easiest Thanksgiving recipe. It comes together in less than 10 minutes and can be made the night before. This Cranberry Orange Relish will add the perfect bright flavor to your holiday plate.

Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (2)
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Recently we posted this Homemade Stuffing recipe on our Facebook page and commented that it is the true star of the show. No joke, I could eat only stuffing on Thanksgiving and be a happy happy girl.

I was shocked when SO many people commented that it wasn’t true. That Cranberry Relish was, in fact, the actual star. Additionally, Cranberry Relish, the fresh and raw cousin of Cranberry Sauce, is perfect eaten with Thanksgiving Turkey.

Fair enough, guys! It’s time to add a Cranberry Relish recipe to our Thanksgiving plates.

Reader Review

Fantastic!!! My family loved it!!! I will definitely make this again. So so good, better than cranberry sauce.

What is Cranberry Relish

Cranberry Relish is essentially chopped up cranberries with orange juice and zest and some sugar. The raw cranberries combined with the other ingredients truly shine. When you start with bright, plump, fresh cranberries, you are bound to create something amazing.

Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (3)

Cranberry Relish Ingredients

You literally only need three ingredients for Cranberry Relish.

  • Fresh Cranberries: Take a good look at the bag and make sure that most of the cranberries are nice and plump. Give them a good rinse before making this recipe and pick out any cranberries that are wilted.
  • An Orange: Look for an orange that is nice and firm and seems heavy for its size. Skip over any that have soft spots on them.
  • Sugar: This recipe does call for a decent amount of sugar. My feeling is that we only have this once a year, so we better go for it. You can always start with less sugar and add more. Read more about this below.

How to Make Cranberry Relish

This is a brief overview to show you how simple this cranberry relish recipe really is. For the full recipe with all of the measurements be sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Add the cranberries to a food processor. Make sure to not over pulse your cranberries. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a grinder (stand alone or one you attach to a stand mixer) or a blender.
  2. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Stir in the sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.
  3. Allow to marinate. While you can eat this right away, it is best if it sits for at least an hour.
Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (5)

Sugar in Cranberry Relish

This recipe does have half a cup of sugar in it. I think that is the perfect amount for this cranberry relish recipe. Keep in mind that cranberries and oranges are both acidic. In cooking, sugar is often used balance acid, and that is part of it’s job here.

If you are worried about how much is added here, start with half and taste it until you reach an amount that tastes good to you. Another great option is to replace the sugar with monkfruit.

Cranberry Relish Variations

If you want to change things up there are a few things you could try. I wouldn’t recommend trying all of these! Pick one variation. I love experimenting with recipes.

  • Add apple slices to the food processor when you chop the cranberries.
  • Or pull in another flavor completely by adding pear slices. Be sure to choose a pear that is still somewhat firm.
  • Really take things down a different path by adding a few fresh jalapeño slices.
  • Add the orange zest, but not the orange juice and replace that with pomegranate juice.
  • Throw in a pinch of cinnamon at the very end.
  • Kick it all up a little by adding a shot of orange liqueur, such as Cointreau.
Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (6)

How to Eat Cranberry Relish

Cranberry Relish is delicious eaten straight just like cranberry sauce. Or pop a little on a piece of turkey and get a delicious combo of flavors. But if you want to get creative here are some ideas!

  • Replace the cranberry sauce with relish in these Cranberry Brie Bites.
  • Add it to this Leftover Turkey Panini. Don’t let the ingredient list scare you, it’s AHmazing!
  • Top your baked brie with it! Bake brie according the directions in this Orange Honey Baked Brie, but top it with Cranberry Relish when you pull it from the oven.

Storing Cranberry Relish

This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. It will last in your refrigerator up to one week and is best served cold.

While I personally would recommend making this the day of or the day before serving, you can freeze cranberry relish. Store in an airtight container and freeze. Use within one to two months. Let thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

FAQ

Can you freeze cranberry relish?

Yes! I think it is best when it is made fresh, but it can be frozen. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

What is the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish?

The primary difference is that cranberry sauce is cooked and cranberry relish is raw. Because of this the texture is quite different as well as the taste.

How long is homemade cranberry relish good for?

Cranberry relish leftovers will last in your refrigerator for up to one week.

Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (7)

Great Thanksgiving Recipes

If you are looking for more great holiday recipes, you can find them here: Thanksgiving Recipes. Here are some of my very favorites.

  • Roast Turkey: This is the recipe we use every single year. It has a brine, and it is worth every single step.
  • Stuffing: This is my ultimate favorite Thanksgiving recipe.
  • Pumpkin Pie: The perfect recipe with a fool proof crust.
  • Cinnamon Whiskey Sangria: Not a traditional Thanksgiving recipe but if your family insists on discussing politics, you’ll want it.

If you try this cranberry orange relish recipe or any of my other holiday recipes please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

And I’d love to hear if your family eats Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Relish!

Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (8)

5 from 6 votes

Cranberry Relish

Serves: 8 people

(tap # to scale)

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 10 minutes minutes

Cranberry Relish is the easiest Thanksgiving recipe. It comes together in less than 10 minutes and can be made the night before. This Cranberry Orange Relish will add the perfect bright flavor to your holiday plate.

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Ingredients

  • 1 orange (or 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup orange juice)
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries (thrown in raw)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Zest the orange peel with a zester. You want to zest just until you begin to see the white under the skin and not further. You will need 2 teaspoons of zest. (Read about my variations on cranberry relish here: Cranberry Relish Variations.)

  • Cut the orange in half and juice it. You will need 1/4 cup of orange juice.

  • Add the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and sugar to a food processor and pulse just enough to finely dice the cranberries. Be careful not to over pulse.

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for an hour before serving for best flavors.

Serving: 0.25cup Calories: 71kcal (4%) Carbohydrates: 18g (6%) Sodium: 1mg Potassium: 52mg (1%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 15g (17%) Vitamin A: 1IU Vitamin C: 13mg (16%) Calcium: 1mg Iron: 1mg (6%)

Author: Lisa Longley

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (9)

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Cranberry Relish

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

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Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (15)

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Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT

  1. Jerri Woods says

    I’m unclear about the cranberries. Are they cooked. Or raw. Just throw everything in food chopper. Then it’s all good ?

    Reply

    • Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (17)Lisa Longley says

      They go in raw, and yes! Just throw it all in. There is a video in this post that you might find helpful. :)

      Reply

  2. Susan says

    Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (18)
    Fantastic!!! My family loved it!!! I will definitely make this again. So so good, better than cranberry sauce.

    Reply

    • Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (19)Lisa Longley says

      I’m so happy you liked it! thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me. (And I agree about the cranberry sauce.)

      Reply

  3. Nancy says

    My mom got this, or a very similar recipe from the back of the bags of Ocean Spray Cranberries many years ago, and it remains my favorite use of cranberries. For me, it freezes well. Love it with turkey, pork, chicken and even lamb shanks. You can very the sweetness by changing how much sugar you add. (Or even use sugar substitutes for those limiting sugar intake. I dont recommend using honey or maple syrup as sugar subatitutes. Been there, tried that. Doesn’t work.)

    Reply

  4. Joyce Gauna says

    I love all ur food 😋

    Reply

    • Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (20)Lisa Longley says

      Thank you so much, Joyce!

      Reply

  5. Betty says

    I have been making this for years, it is a must have with my family.

    Reply

  6. Laura Riggins says

    This is like the recipe I use but I add pecans to the food processor also.

    Reply

  7. Robin says

    My mom had one of those old grinders that attached to the table and you had to crank it. She’d use two bags of cranberries to one orange plus a “scoop” of sugar. She’d put the entire orange through the grinder along with the cranberries. Oh my gosh. It was my favorite thing at holidays. Such a light bright contrast to all the heavy gloppy dishes.

    Reply

  8. Pat says

    Cranberry relish serving suggestion. I toast a bagel, spread with cream cheese, top with relish. Sometimes I first put on a thin piece of cooked turkey, chicken, ham, etc on top of cream cheese and top with relish. You can use mini bagels and put on a finger food tray too for a party. Yummy.

    Reply

    • Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (21)Lisa Longley says

      Sounds delicious!

      Reply

older comments

Cranberry Relish Recipe - Simple Joy (2024)

FAQs

How long will cranberry relish keep in the refrigerator? ›

To make-ahead: Cranberry relish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To freeze: Store cranberry relish in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. To use, remove it from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator.

What is cranberry relish made of? ›

There's no cooking involved, just using a grinder or a food processor to grind up and mix together raw cranberries, tart green apples, a large seedless orange, and sugar. It's amazing how good it is! Great with roast turkey, or for leftovers on turkey sandwiches.

How can I thicken my cranberry relish? ›

Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

Do you eat cranberry relish hot or cold? ›

Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.

Can I freeze leftover cranberry relish? ›

Yes, you can freeze homemade cranberry sauce—and it works well. It's best to store it in the freezer for up to 3 months; the taste may be affected due to its water content if frozen longer. Keep this in mind when putting away your leftover sauce and use it during this optimal period as part of an easy weeknight dinner.

Does relish go bad if not refrigerated? ›

Yes, relish needs to be refrigerated if it is opened.

How long does homemade cranberry relish last? ›

To freeze, store the relish in an airtight container or freezer bag. Once frozen, cranberry relish will remain good for up to one to two months.

Is cranberry relish good for you? ›

Cranberries naturally contain the flavonoid, proanthocyanidin (PAC) and other polyphenols that have potential health benefits such as fighting infection and healthy aging. 1 cup of fresh, chopped cranberries has 5.1 g of fiber, 94 mg of potassium and over 20% of the daily value of vitamin C.

How much cranberry relish per person? ›

How Much Cranberry Sauce Do I Need Per Person? If you're making fresh cranberry sauce, plan on at least 1/4 cup per person—more if your family really likes cranberry sauce. I usually make about 1/2 cup per person and find I have plenty left over for a few days of slathering cranberry sauce over everything.

Why does my cranberry sauce taste bitter? ›

Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.

What is the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish? ›

The main difference is a sauce is typically blended in a food processor for a smoother consistency similar to a condiment or a liquid. Where as a relish is usually a chunkier sauce and tends to have some amount of sugar or vinegar to act as a preserve.

Why is my homemade cranberry sauce watery? ›

Mistake #2: Your Cranberry Sauce Is Too Runny

You may have added too much liquid to the cranberries. In addition to pectin, cranberries contain water, which means you only need to add a splash of liquid to get the cooking going. Add too much and you'll be stirring at the stove much longer than expected.

What do you eat with cranberry relish? ›

Simple Appetizers

Top your favorite cracker with whipped cream cheese and a dollop of Cranberry Relish for the ultimate speedy starter. If you have a little more time you can try this Three-Ingredient Cranberry Relish Appetizer with white cheddar cheese.

Why did my cranberry sauce not thicken? ›

Why won't my cranberry sauce gel? Boiling is critical to release pectin, the key gelling ingredient, from the cranberry. You must cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes at a full boil for the pectin to react with the sugar and create the proper gelled texture.

How do you get the bitter taste out of cranberry sauce? ›

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."

How long does relish last in the fridge once opened? ›

Relish is good for up to a year.

You've probably seen this pickle-infused condiment at baseball stadiums and grocery stores. As long as the relish is refrigerated after opening, Still Tasty noted that it should be good for up to one year.

How long does Ocean Spray cranberry sauce last in the fridge? ›

Prior to opening, cranberry sauce can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator if you prefer it chilled. After opening, remove from the can and store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

How long will an open can of cranberry sauce last in the fridge? ›

Once open, it can be stored in a container with a tightly fitting lid for up to two weeks. Just make sure to remove it from the can before storing, and don't freeze it as it could become watery upon thawing.

Does cranberry juice go bad in the fridge? ›

You can expect your cranberry juice to last anywhere from eight to twelve days. Of course, this time frame is only correct if the beverage is stored properly. Most fruit juices follow similar food safety guidelines when it comes to shelf life and storage.

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