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Cranberry Relish

Cranberry relish is a bright, chunky no-cook side made by pulsing fresh cranberries with orange and apple, then chilling until the sugar dissolves. After a few hours, it becomes a sweet-tart, spoonable topping with crisp fruit texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry relish
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1 small orange unpeeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
  • 1 apple cored and chopped
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.25 cup pecans chopped; optional

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Chop the fruit
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then transfer them to a bowl. Aim for visible cranberry pieces rather than a smooth purée (visual cue: chunky texture).
  2. Pulse the orange and apple in the food processor until finely chopped. Keep pulsing in short bursts so the mixture stays finely chopped but not paste-like (visual cue: small, even pieces).
Mix and chill
  1. Stir the orange, apple, and sugar into the cranberries until evenly combined. The mixture should look glossy and speckled (visual cue: sugar fully distributes through the berries).
  2. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight to dissolve the sugar and meld the flavors. Refrigerate until the relish looks slightly more cohesive (visual cue: syrupy sheen and better clumping at the edges).
Finish
  1. Stir in the chopped pecans just before serving. Fold until evenly speckled so the nuts stay crunchy (visual cue: toasted-looking nut flecks throughout).

Notes

For the best texture, pulse in short bursts and avoid over-processing the cranberries so the relish stays chunky. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; it can be frozen for up to 1 month, though the fruit texture may soften after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace the sugar with an equal-measure granulated sweetener made for 1:1 baking and chill as directed.