5-Minute Cranberry Orange Relish
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Is it really the holidays without cranberries on the table? This fresh Cranberry Orange Relish is the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and a little bit crunchy, no cooking required! It comes together in just five minutes and can be made ahead of time, so you can focus on the turkey, the pies, and the people you love.
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Cranberry Relish
You’ll love this Cranberry Orange Relish because it’s fresh, bright, and brings a pop of color and flavor to any holiday spread!
This year, my daughter asked me to make something other than my classic cranberry chutney for Thanksgiving. At first, I wasn’t sure what I was going to make. But I knew I had to have something with cranberries on the holiday table, right?
That’s where this Cranberry Orange Relish came in. It’s so fresh and full of texture. It’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t love the canned cranberry sauce that always seems to show up on the table!
Everything goes straight into the food processor, so there’s no cooking involved. It’s bright, tangy, and a nice change of pace from the traditional cranberry sauce.
It’s delicious with roast turkey, of course, but also pairs beautifully with ham, pork tenderloin, or even a simple roasted chicken. I love spooning the leftovers over cream cheese with crackers or adding a dollop to leftover turkey sandwiches the next day!
Ingredient Notes for Orange Cranberry Relish
- Fresh Cranberries | The key to a tart, zingy relish is fresh cranberries!
- Orange | I prefer Navel oranges because they are sweeter and have thinner skin. The thinner the peel, the better! Thicker peels will add more bitterness to the relish.
- Apple | You can use any variety of apple that you prefer!
- Crushed Pineapple | Canned crushed pineapples add the perfect amount of sweet and tangy flavor.
- Pecans | For just a touch of nuttiness!
- Sugar | Start with ¼ cup of sugar and add more to taste.
- Ground Cinnamon | Just enough for a cozy, festive flavor.
- Salt | To balance everything out!
Variations and Substitutions
- No pecans? Try walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds for a similar flavor.
- Add a kick: Stir in a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger for a little kick.
- Make it sugar-free: Swap sugar for honey, maple syrup, or your favorite alternative sweetener.
How to Make Fresh Cranberry Relish Recipe
Just toss the ingredients in the food processor, mix, and serve! It’s seriously that’s easy!
PROCESS ORANGES & APPLES. Slice off each end of the orange and discard. Cut the orange into wedges (do not peel), removing any seeds, and place in the bowl of the food processor. Core and cut the apple into wedges (do not peel) and place in the food processor with the orange. Pulse until the fruit is coarsely chopped. Empty into a large bowl.
PROCESS THE FRESH CRANBERRIES. Rinse and drain the cranberries in a colander. Place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Place into the bowl with the orange and apple.
ADD ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS & MIX. Add the drained pineapple and pecans to the fruit along with the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
More Recipe Success Tips
Storage and Reheating Tips
- To store: This relish will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Just before serving, stir and garnish with fresh mint, more chopped pecans, or star anise, if desired.
- To freeze: Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to one month!
- Make ahead: Cranberry orange relish is actually better when it’s made a day ahead, and it’s one less thing to think about on Thanksgiving or Christmas day!
What can I do with leftover cranberry orange relish?
- Make a smoothie. Blend together 1 cup of leftover cranberry orange relish with a frozen banana, 1 cup of pineapple chunks, ½ cup of milk, and 1 cup of crushed ice. Refreshing!
- Use it for breakfast. Spoon cranberry relish over yogurt and sprinkle with granola, or spoon it over pancakes and waffles!
- Spice up your oatmeal. Add a spoonful of cranberry orange relish on top of your breakfast oatmeal and drizzle with maple syrup—delicious!
- Freeze it! Save the leftovers to serve with another meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cranberry sauce is cooked until thick, while cranberry relish is not cooked. Both are usually served cold and make a good accompaniment to roast pork, turkey, ham, or even roast beef.
Cranberry Orange Relish keeps well for up to 5 to 7 days when covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator.
This relish can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Cranberry relish is incredibly versatile! Serve it alongside turkey, ham, or pork at holiday meals. It adds a fresh, tart contrast to the rich holiday foods. It’s also delicious on my leftover turkey sandwich recipe, stirred into yogurt or oatmeal, or used as a topping for pancakes and waffles.
Looking for More Holiday Side Dish Recipes?
If you’re planning your holiday menu and want a few more sides, try my sweet potato biscuits, broccoli salad with cranberries, or crispy brussel sprouts with parmesan!
What to Serve With Cranberry Orange Relish
Of course, a classic pairing for cranberry orange relish is Thanksgiving turkey (or roasted turkey legs or smoked turkey breast!), but it’s also wonderful with holiday ham, my baked pork tenderloin recipe, or Dutch oven roasted chicken.
Don’t forget to serve it with your other favorite holiday sides like hasselback sweet potatoes and homemade dinner rolls.
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Fresh Cranberry Relish
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 medium navel orange
- 1 small apple
- 1 7-oz. can crushed pineapple drained
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the cranberries in a colander. Place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Empty into a large bowl.
- Slice off each end the orange and discard. Cut the orange into wedges (do not peel), removing any seeds, and place in the bowl of the food processor.
- Core and cut the apple into wedges (do not peel) and place in the food processor with the orange. Pulse until the fruit is coarsely chopped. Add to the bowl with the cranberries.
- Add the drained pineapple and pecans to the fruit along with the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Start with ¼ cup of sugar at a time, addig more as needed. Since the crushed pineapple and the orange will have some natural sweetness, I found that a half cup was the perfect balance of tart and sweet for my liking.
- Use a food processor carefully. Pulse without fully blending so the fruit stays coarsely chopped instead of pureed! You want it to have a bit of texture.
- Leave the orange peel on! I know it sounds crazy, but we keep the whole orange in here, with the peel and all. Just make sure to use an orange with a relatively thin peel, like a Navel orange!
- Make it ahead. Don’t stress on days you are hosting holiday dinners! This relish gets even better after chilling overnight, so you can make it a day ahead of time.
- Serve it chilled. Cold relish is so refreshing against warm holiday dishes!
- To store: This relish will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Just before serving, stir and garnish with fresh mint, more chopped pecans, or star anise, if desired.
- To freeze: Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to one month!
- Make ahead: Cranberry orange relish is actually better when it’s made a day ahead, and it’s one less thing to think about on Thanksgiving or Christmas day!
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
I loved the flavor combination, but there was a bitterness that I suspect came from the pith of the orange. I’ll try this again and zest and peel the orange before adding to the food processor.