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Cranberry Orange Relish

Cranberry orange relish with finely chopped, not pureed cranberries and orange. Bright citrus flecks from the unpeeled orange shine after chilling for at least 4 hours.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry orange relish base
  • 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 salt
  • 1 fresh mint for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Chop the fruit
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries and the large navel orange chunks in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed, 8-12 pulses. Stop and scrape down the processor as needed for even, chunky texture.
Sweeten and flavor
  1. Transfer the chopped mixture to a bowl and stir in the sugar, orange liqueur (or orange juice), and salt until the sugar looks fully moistened, about 1 minute. The mixture should hold its fine-chopped texture rather than turning smooth.
Chill
  1. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator at 0-4°C for at least 4 hours or overnight. The relish will thicken slightly and the flavors will blend as it sits.
Serve
  1. Stir well before serving so any released juices distribute evenly throughout the relish. Garnish with fresh mint just before serving for a bright, fresh finish.

Notes

For the best texture, pulse in short bursts and avoid going to pureed—chunky relish holds up better after chilling. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days; freezing isn’t recommended because the citrus-and-cranberry texture can soften. Dietary swap: use a 1:1 sugar substitute to keep it sweet while reducing added sugar (check the label for use in chilled fruit mixtures).