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Cranberry Relish

Cranberry relish with bright, chunky fresh cranberries and finely chopped orange and apple. Pulse in a food processor, chill until the sugar dissolves, then stir in pecans right before serving for a crisp bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 140
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cranberry relish
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh, rinsed cranberries.
  • 1 small orange, unpeeled, seeded and cut into chunks Keep the peel for citrus flecks.
  • 1 apple apple, cored and chopped Chop into small pieces for even texture.
  • 0.75 cup sugar Stirs in to dissolve during chilling.
  • 0.25 cup chopped pecans (optional) Add just before serving for crunch.

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Chop the cranberries
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then transfer them to a bowl. Stop when the pieces are chunky rather than puréed.
Chop the fruit
  1. Pulse the orange and apple in the food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down as needed so the pieces chop evenly.
Combine and chill
  1. Stir the orange, apple, and sugar into the cranberries. Mix until the sugar looks evenly distributed.
  2. Cover and chill at 4 hours (or overnight) so the sugar dissolves and the flavors meld. Keep the relish refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
Finish before serving
  1. Stir in the chopped pecans just before serving. This keeps the nuts crunchy and prevents sogginess.

Notes

Pro tip: Chill the relish long enough for the sugar to fully dissolve—overnight yields the best balance between tart cranberries and sweet fruit. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can soften after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute that dissolves for similar results.