This five minute cranberry relish with orange and apple is an easy, healthy Thanksgiving side that's fresh, tangy, and a total crowd-pleaser. Made with real fruit and no cooking required - it's the bright, zippy counterpart to all the cozy holiday dishes!
As soon as cranberries hit the stores, I know it's time to make this cranberry relish! It's truly the easiest side dish (five minutes, no stove, just a few fresh, seasonal ingredients) and it adds that zippy, colorful pop every Thanksgiving plate needs.
I've been making (and eating!) this cranberry relish since I was a kid, and it's still unbeatable. The tangy-sweet combo of cranberries, oranges, apples, and a little organic cane sugar is bright and fresh. Plus, it tastes even better chilled, so you can prep it ahead and cross one more thing off your list.
With recipes like maple walnut roasted Brussels sprouts and healthy mashed potatoes, there's plenty of savory on the table, so this fruity relish balances it all out. (And gives you a well-deserved cooking break 😉).
P.S. . My wild rice and pomegranate salad adds another sweet, colorful touch if you're building out your holiday sides!
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Key Ingredients
- Whole cranberries - Fresh cranberries are best and easy to find around the holidays.
- Unpeeled oranges - The peel adds incredible citrus flavor and a vibrant color. I recommend buying organic if possible, and washing the orange peel really well before using.
- Apples - Choose a sweet or sweet-tart, crisp variety like Honeycrisp, Jazz, Pink Lady, or Fuji.
- Granulated sugar - I love using organic, and regenerative if possible, for the most sustainable option. But whatever you have will work!
Please see recipe card for full ingredient quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Sweetener: I recommend granulated sugar for texture, but you can swap 1:1 with maple sugar or date sugar. If you prefer liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, just know the texture will be a bit runnier (and the flavor slightly different).
- Fruit swaps: Replace half the apple with pineapple or pear for a fun twist! A juicier fruit will make the relish softer. I recommend starting small, then taste and add more if needed.
- Orange & apple varieties: Just like in my citrus mint salad recipe, different fruits bring out new flavors, and it's fun to experiment! Try Cara Cara or navel oranges and your favorite crisp apple for unique results.
- Orange zest - If you're nervous about plopping a whole orange in this relish (don't be!), you could also zest the orange using a microplane, peel it, and only add the zest and orange flesh.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Cranberry Relish
Step 1: Wash the cranberries, orange, and apple; then, cut the orange and apple into chunks (note, no need to peel the orange). Place into a food processor with sugar.
Step 2: Blend until the mixture has a relish-like consistency (usually about 45-60 seconds). Taste, and if more sugar or a touch of salt is needed, stir it in with a spoon instead of blending more. Once it tastes perfect to you, transfer to an airtight container to refrigerate until it's ready to eat!
Note: Depending on the orange peel's thickness, sometimes it's best to place the orange chunks in the food processor first so that they're closest to the blade. This ensures that there won't be large chunks of orange peel in your cranberry relish.
Success Tips
- Chill before serving: Even 30 minutes in the fridge makes a big difference! The flavors meld together and taste extra refreshing when cold.
- Taste and adjust: Everyone's sweet-tart preference is different. Add a little extra sugar or salt until it tastes perfect to you.
- Orange peels: If possible, use organic oranges since the peel is blended in. Non-organic is fine too, just wash really well A vegetable scrubber is helpful! And remember, add the oranges first to break down the peel evenly.
Do you have extra cranberries on hand after making this cranberry relish? This wholesome cranberry orange muffins with Greek yogurt are a great way to use them up!
Cranberry Relish FAQs
Cranberry sauce is cooked on the stove with sugar and water, resulting in a syrupy, sweet consistency, whereas cranberry relish is uncooked and blended with fresh fruit like oranges and apples. It's bright, tangy, and full of texture.
Serve this relish with a roasted turkey (literally, dip the turkey in it!) on Thanksgiving or turkey sandwiches. It would also be delicious with roasted whole chicken or pork tenderloin, or as a bright and zippy topping for grain bowls.
To store, place the relish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, place the relish in an airtight container (leaving a bit of space for relish to expand when frozen), and keep it in your freezer for up to three months. When you're ready to eat, thaw in the fridge and enjoy!
Nope! If you make the recipe as written, the orange peels will taste cohesive with all of the other ingredients. The citrusy component of the orange flesh and orange oils released from the peels will be balanced with sweetness from the apple and sugar.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
I'm all about the side dishes when it comes to Thanksgiving! Here are some other favorites that would be delicious with your meal.
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Relish with Orange and Apple (5 Minutes!)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: ~2 cups
Description
My family favorite cranberry relish recipe made with orange, apple, and fresh cranberries. Ready in 5 minutes for a bright, tangy, no-cook Thanksgiving side that you can make advance!
Ingredients
- 1 12-oz. bag of fresh cranberries
- 1 apple (I like Fuji for this recipe!)
- ½ an orange, unpeeled
- ¼-⅓ cup organic cane sugar*
Instructions
- Chop fruit. Cut apple into chunks and discard the core, then halve the orange half.
- Blend in food processor. Place all ingredients in a food processor (or high speed blender) and process until a well-chopped, relish consistency forms (45 seconds - 1 minute will do).
- Taste and adjust sugar. Move relish to a medium bowl, serving dish, or container that you'll use to store in fridge. Taste and stir in more sugar to taste.
- Chill. Chill the cranberry relish until you're ready to use.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Store or Freeze: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, store in an airtight container with little space available for expansion, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Sugar: I rarely use cane sugar, but for this recipe, I make an exception! I like the resulting cranberry relish consistency better than when I use a liquid sweetener. That said, a lightly flavored natural sweetener such as agave would work. Note that a liquid sweetener will change the resulting texture to be more runny.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Side dish, Thanksgiving
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 14.9 g
- Sodium: 1.6 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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Janice says
My mom made a very similar cranberry relish at Thanksgiving every year and we passed it on to my husband's side of the family. This brings back a lot of memories of happy and fun Thanksgivings with family. Love this cranberry relish. Thanks for sharing.
Tera says
That is awesome! It brings back a lot of memories for me too 🙂