Go Back

Cranberry Orange Relish

Cranberry orange relish made by pulsing fresh cranberries and unpeeled orange into a fine, bright chop, then chilling until it tastes fully melded. Expect juicy, jewel-toned texture with tiny orange flecks and a fresh mint finish.
Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 105

Ingredients
  

Cranberry orange relish
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1 large navel orange, unpeeled, seeded and cut into chunks
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp orange liqueur or orange juice
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 fresh mint

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Chop the fruit
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries and orange chunks in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. Scrape down once if needed so the texture stays mostly uniform.
Season and chill
  1. Transfer the chopped cranberry-orange mixture to a bowl and stir in the sugar, orange liqueur (or orange juice), and salt until evenly distributed. The sugar should look mostly damp and glossy.
  2. Cover the bowl and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Keep it cold so the relish thickens slightly and the flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir the relish well before serving to redistribute any liquid that may have released in the fridge. The chop should look bright and evenly coated.
  2. Garnish with fresh mint just before serving. Add mint leaves for a fresh green contrast over the cranberry-orange surface.

Notes

For the best texture, pulse in short bursts so the mixture stays finely chopped rather than smooth. Storage: cover and refrigerate up to 5 days. Freezer: not recommended because the relish can become watery after thawing. Dietary swap: use a sugar substitute that measures 1:1 (or reduce sugar) for a lower-sugar version while keeping the same method.