This fresh cranberry orange relish takes just 10 minutes and 6 simple ingredients. Fresh cranberries, a juicy orange, and a crisp apple are pulsed with brown sugar and cinnamon into a sweet-tart, no-cook relish that brings so much color and flavor to your holiday table.
Quick Glance
- Time: 10 minutes, plus at least 1 hour to chill.
- Ingredients: Cranberries, orange, apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- No cooking: Everything is pulsed together in a food processor.
- Make ahead: It tastes even better after a day in the fridge, and keeps for up to 3 days before serving.
- Quick Tip: Pulse in short bursts so it stays chopped, not puréed.
Jump to:
- Cranberry Relish vs. Cranberry Sauce
- What Makes This Cranberry Orange Relish So Good
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Cranberry Orange Relish
- No Food Processor?
- Variations
- FAQs
- Toni’s Recipe Tips
- How to Use Leftover Cranberry Relish
- Storage
- More Vegan Side Dish Recipes
- Cranberry Relish (With Orange and Apple)
Cranberry sauce gets all the attention at Thanksgiving, but this fresh cranberry relish is the one I reach for when I want something lighter and fresher tasting on my plate. There is no stove involved, and it comes together in the time it takes to rinse a bag of cranberries.
It is the perfect partner for rich holiday dishes like my vegan stuffing, vegan garlic mashed potatoes, and vegan gravy. If you prefer a cooked, saucy version, try my cranberry pear sauce.
Cranberry Relish vs. Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is cooked on the stove until the berries burst and the mixture thickens. Cranberry relish is raw, so the cranberries stay fresh and tart, and the texture is chopped and almost salsa-like. Relish is a little less sweet and has more crunch, which makes it a nice contrast to warm sides.
What Makes This Cranberry Orange Relish So Good
- No cooking: Your stove and oven stay free for everything else on the holiday menu.
- Just 6 ingredients: Fresh fruit, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Make-ahead friendly: The flavors get better as it sits.
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free: Everyone at the table can enjoy it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cranberries: I use one 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries. Frozen cranberries work in a pinch, but the relish will be juicier.
- Orange: One large orange, peeled and seeded. Navel oranges are easy because they have no seeds.
- Apple: One small apple. Sweet apples like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, or Gala balance the tart cranberries, and Granny Smith keeps it extra tart.
- Brown sugar: Start with ¼ cup and add more to taste.
- Cinnamon and salt: A little ground cinnamon adds warmth, and a pinch of salt brings out the fruit flavor.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Relish
Step 1: Rinse the cranberries. Rinse the cranberries well and pick out any soft or bruised ones.
Step 2: Prep the fruit. Cut the peeled orange into chunks, removing any seeds. Core and chop the apple.
Step 3: Add everything to the food processor. Add the cranberries, orange, apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Step 4: Pulse. Pulse until finely chopped but not puréed, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and add more brown sugar if you like.
Let it chill. Transfer the relish to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors can meld.
No Food Processor?
A mini chopper works in batches. You can also finely chop everything by hand with a sharp knife. It takes longer, but the result is just as tasty with a chunkier texture.
Variations
I haven’t tested these variations, but they are popular ways to change it up:
- Old-fashioned style: Many classic recipes leave the orange peel on for a stronger citrus flavor and a little bitterness.
- Ginger: Add a little minced fresh ginger or crystallized ginger.
- Warm spices: A tiny pinch of nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.
- Heat: A little finely minced jalapeño.
- Pineapple: Swap some or all of the apple for crushed pineapple.
- Crunch: Stir in chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Fresh herbs: Add 1 to 2 fresh mint leaves.
- Pear: Use a ripe pear instead of the apple.
FAQs
Yes! The flavor gets even better as it sits. Make it at least 1 to 2 hours before serving, or up to 3 days ahead.
Yes. Thaw and drain them first. The relish will be a little juicier than when you use fresh cranberries.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Give it a stir before serving, since it releases juice as it sits.
No. Cranberry sauce is cooked until the berries burst and thicken, and this relish is raw, so it is fresher, more tart, and has more texture.
I haven’t tried freezing it myself, but a friend tells me she freezes hers for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator and drain any extra liquid.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- Pulse, don’t blend: Short pulses keep the texture chopped instead of puréed.
- Sweeten to taste: Cranberries vary in tartness, so taste before adding more sugar.
- Choose sweet fruit: A sweet apple and a juicy orange add natural sweetness.
- Give it time: An hour in the fridge makes a big difference in flavor.
How to Use Leftover Cranberry Relish
- In holiday sandwiches, wraps, veggie burgers, or a vegan grilled cheese
- Mixed into dairy-free cream cheese as a spread for crackers
- On a holiday board next to my vegan cheese ball
- Swirled into plant-based yogurt or oatmeal
- Spooned over pumpkin pancakes or air fryer apples
Storage
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. It releases liquid as it sits, so stir it and drain any extra juice before serving.
If you tried this cranberry orange relish or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
More Vegan Side Dish Recipes
Cranberry Relish (With Orange and Apple)
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Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries rinsed
- 1 large orange peeled
- ¼ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 small apple cored and chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries well and set aside.
- Cut the peeled orange into chunks, removing any seeds. Core and chop the apple.
- In a food processor, add the cranberries, orange, apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not puréed. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness if desired by adding more sugar.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
Notes
- Pulse in short bursts for a chopped texture, not a purée.
- Sweeten to taste, since cranberries vary in tartness.
- Chill for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
- I haven't tested it with the orange peel on, but many old-fashioned recipes leave it on for a stronger citrus flavor.
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