Rather than grabbing a can of the blob cranberry sauce found in stores, you can make your very own fresh cranberry salad that is bursting with fresh flavor. We have gone away from making the fresh version of cranberry for the sake of convenience, however it really takes very little time and effort to make if you have a food processor or blender.

This refreshing and flavorful salad is great during the holiday season but also an easy side dish to the table at any time of the year. Their tart flavor pairs nicely with rich foods, providing a fresh tangy flavor. If you like to eat seasonally, it is especially great during the fall and winter months when cranberries are at their peak and in season.
How To Make Orange Cranberry Relish
Ingredients:
- 1 Pint Fresh Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are quite tart, so it is important to pair them with other flavors
- 1 Medium-Sized Orange: Adds a fresh citrus flavor to the salad. A naval orange is my orange of choice.
- ½-1 Apple: I like to choose a sweeter apple for this to balance the tart flavor of the cranberries. The opal apple is my favorite, but other sweet apples such as Fuji or Honeycrisp work great too.
- ¼ Cup Honey: The honey provides a truly powerful sweetener to neutralize the tart cranberry flavor while also providing an additional depth of flavor depending on how dark your variety of honey is. The darker the honey, the greater the depth of flavor.
- ½ Cup Pecans: The pecans will give the salad a little crunch and variety of texture. Wait until the end to add these to prevent them from soaking up too many of the juices and becoming soggy.
- Pinch of Salt (to taste): As always, a bit of salt goes a long way in bringing out all the other wonderful flavors of the dish. The salt shouldn’t be overpowering but just enough to enhance all of the wonderful ingredients.
- Mint (optional): Add a little fresh mint to garnish for variety in flavor and color.
Instructions:
- Add cranberries and orange to a food processor or blender and pulse until the mixture is in small crumbly chunks or until they are your desired consistency.
- Chop the apple into small pieces about ½ inch.
- Mix cranberry and orange mixture, apples, honey, and salt together until combined. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in the fridge to allow all the flavors to come together.
- Pulse the pecans in the food processor or roughly chop them and stir them into the mixture. Top with fresh mint and serve immediately!
Ways to Customize Orange Cranberry Salad
- Adjust the sweetness: If you like your salad a little sweeter add more honey or less for a more tart version.
- Experiment with different types of nuts: Pecans are the most traditional nut of choice. However, brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds work well too. Typically, I just use whatever I have on hand at the time.
- Change of the fruit: I really like the flavor and color combination of the cranberry, orange, and apple, but you could also experiment with pomegranate, pears, or any other fruit of your choice!
Fresh Cranberry Salad
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
- Medium-Sized Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pint Fresh Cranberries
- 1 Medium-Sized Naval Orange
- 1/2-1 Medium-Sized Apple
- 1/4 cup Honey
- Pinch Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup Pecans roughly chopped
- Fresh Mint to garnish
Instructions
- Add cranberries and orange to a food processor or blender and pulse until the mixture is in small crumbly chunks or until they are your desired consistency.
- Chop the apple into small pieces about ½ inch.
- Mix cranberry and orange mixture, apples, honey, and salt together until combined. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in the fridge to allow all the flavors to come together.
- Pulse the pecans in the food processor or roughly chop them and stir them into the mixture. Top with fresh mint and serve immediately!









Leave a Reply