10-Minute Fresh Cranberry Relish
Today I have my mom’s 10-minute recipe for fresh Raw Cranberry Relish for Thanksgiving. It is made with raw cranberries and orange. There’s no cook time so it is so easy! It is the perfect tangy sauce to go with your Roasted Turkey this year.
I originally published this recipe on November 22,2014. I have updated the text and images to reshare the recipe with you today.
Table of contents
My mom’s cranberry relish was one of those Thanksgiving traditions that we could always look forward to every year when I was a kid.
There were usually a few different cranberry sauces on the table: a cooked cranberry sauce, my mom’s fresh cranberry relish and then someone always brought the canned kind too! I usually took a little of each! (Yes even the canned kind! What can I say? I love cranberry sauce!)
Fresh Raw Cranberry Relish Recipe Highlights
- It only takes 10 minutes, maybe even a little less.
- It can be made 5 days ahead and even freezes well.
- Leftovers are amazing spread on homemade wheat bread with leftover turkey and gravy! (I even add on a little sausage stuffing on mine!)
- This is a small batch, but it can easily be doubled
- Sweeten it up to your flavor preference
What’s The Difference Between Cranberry Sauce and Relish?
Cranberry sauce is made from cooked cranberries. Cranberry relish is not cooked but instead made with ground or finely chopped raw fresh cranberries.
How To Make Raw Cranberry Relish
Use Whole Unpeeled Orange
- I’d say the best part of this recipe is the flavor the orange rind adds to this recipe. To start, cut it into two halves. Then cut one of the halves into six chunks. If you see any seeds, remove them with the knife tip.
- Process the orange chunks in the food processor by pulsing them until they are about the size of peas or small marbles.
Add Whole Raw Cranberries
- Add in the cranberries, and pulse some more until the mixture is chopped up finely. Don’t forget to scrape it down.
- If you want to use frozen cranberries, that is fine. I recommend thawing them first so they are easier to grind up. They will seem juicy, but that’s not a problem. Once the cranberries are ground and mixed with the sugar and jam and then refrigerated they will become juicier and juicier anyway, so the results will be almost identical.
Add Jam and Sugar to Sweeten.
If you want to use an unrefined sugar source try maple syrup or honey. Also if you prefer a non-nutritive sweetener, just skip the jam and add your preferred sweetener to taste.
- To add the jam, take a couple of tablespoons of raspberry jam and set them in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the jam to loosen it up.
- I use regular high-sugar jam (about 50 cal per tablespoon) for this recipe, since its purpose is to add sweetness. As I mentioned, only two tablespoons was sweet enough for me. If you like more raspberry flavor, add more jam and possibly a little less sugar.
- Add in sugar with the cranberry mixture and stir. Start with two tablespoons, taste and add more if you want. Just make sure to stir until the sugar is dissolved before you taste.
How to Store Raw Cranberry Relish
- Transfer the cranberry sauce to a resealable container and pop it in the fridge for up to five days before you serve it.
- This cranberry sauce will become moister, and let off liquid as it sits in the fridge. Stir it before transferring it to a serving bowl.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- These Simple Skillet Green Beans are possibly one of the most popular recipes on my entire website, and they’re great for Thanksgiving because they’re made right on the stovetop in one skillet.
- This Easy Cheesy Stove-top Butternut Squash recipe is so savory and good, you’ll make it a tradition.
- You can’t go wrong with Simple Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, because when it comes down to it, you’re just gonna add on gravy anyway!
- This Make Ahead Cornbread Stuffing recipe is made with pecans, apples and a little splash of hard cider!
- Make sure you check out my Thanksgiving Planner to help plan out and get ready for your big feast!
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Print10-Minute Fresh Cranberry Relish
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/2 cups 1x
Description
Today I have my mom’s 10 minute recipe for fresh Raw Cranberry Relish for Thanksgiving. It is made with raw cranberries, whole orange that has been ground in the food processor, then mixed with raspberry jam and sugar. It can be made up to 5 days ahead!
Ingredients
- 1/2 navel orange (with skin), cut into 6 pieces
- 12 ounces cranberries, picked over and rinsed
- 2 tablespoon raspberry jam, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
Instructions
- Remove any seeds from orange (if there are any) and place in food processor fitted with steel blade attachment. Process until chopped into pieces no larger than a pea. Add cranberries and pulse until the cranberries are finely chopped.
- Whisk raspberry jam in a medium bowl to loosen. Add cranberry mixture and sugar and stir thoroughly until the jam is incorporated and the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
It is fine to use frozen cranberries, but it is easier to grind them in the food processor if they are thawed first. They will be more juicy initially, but after everything is mixed together and refrigerated for several hours, will be indistinguishable from relish made with unfrozen cranberries.
If you do not like to use plain white sugar, sub in maple syrup or honey. If you prefer a non-nutritive sweetener, skip the jam and add preferred sweetener to taste.
Can be made up to 5 days ahead.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 43
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 0 g
Great photos! Great recipe, love that it is quick and easy to pull together. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
At this point, 10 minute recipes are all I can handle adding to my list of things to do. Can’t wait to get the apron on, and start cooking.
I love the little bit of raspberry jam you threw in there!
Totally Rebecca. I had doubts that it would make a difference, but I love the flavor it adds.
Okay— so I’m obsessed with how you’ve styled that relish on the spoon!!! I’ve been commenting to myself how I dislike how most people style cranberry sauce. I mean, I don’t think I could do it better, but YOU JUST NAILED IT!
Aww thank you Kristina. I took 86 photos of this dang stuff. I couldn’t quite get it. Once I thought of the spoon idea, it started to come together for me. Thanks so much my dear.
Ouch – that orange soda to the eye sounds so painful!!!
However – I bet this orange cranberry relish could help distract from the pain! It sounds wonderful!
Hope y’all get your hands on that recording – and I think we should start Thanksgiving trick or treating – for leftovers! Yeah! 🙂
Ha ha. I know, it makes me smile thinking of all of those times. That recording would be so funny!
Cranberry sauce is one of my favorite parts of the Thanksgiving meal as well! I’ve never had a fresh cranberry version however, only the canned stuff. Will have to pin 🙂
Oh you’re in for a treat Emily!
Great twist on cranberry sauce
It is a good one. Thanks for stopping by Sarah.
Too beautiful — mom’s always know best!
Yes they (we) do!
Your cranberry relish sounds and looks wonderful.Love its festive colour.
Thanks so much Angie. Have a great week.
This relish is just so perfect for me to make for this upcoming Christmas. Love how quick, simple and delicious the recipe is!
It is so easy. I can’t believe this is the first time I have made it.
Love this relish, also a favorite of mine. My mom used to invite the neighbors and singles to our house for Thanksgiving and it was always…interesting! Must be nice to have those memories!
Hi Danielle. I have been getting so many responses that this is similar to their mom’s recipe too. I love that! Yes “interesting” indeed. One of the comments from someone who was there all those years read this and told me he thought it was remarkably PG. Ha ha.
things i love: 1. that we both did a cranberry relish. 2. the lovely colors in your relish. 3. the awesome black painted surface. 4. that spoonful! 5. your fun reminiscing thanksgiving hijinks.
I love that you love those things. Esp the fact that you love the black painted surface. I took that out and put the spoon on it on a whim, and it totally worked for me. I was like aha! I took 80+ shots of this cranberry sauce. That tray brought it together for me.
I will make this and think of you all in Wycombe with find, warm memories of your Mom, always cooking and gardening! Thanks for sharing Katie!!!
That makes me so happy to know Danielle. Have a great holiday.
Your Thanksgiving stories were so fun to read! This cranberry relish sounds wonderful. I love how vibrant it is!
I have to say it was fun to write them too Genevieve. Thank you for your comment.
So colorful and fast! Yum, Katie!
Hi Cindy. Fast is always good around here. Thank you so much for visiting today.
This looks fantastic! I love that your mom includes the orange skin. I bet that gives it a great flavor.
Yes, I love that part of it too, the little bit of bitterness adds a great balance. It is so fresh!