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Cranberry Orange Relish

Cranberry orange relish with finely chopped cranberries and unpeeled orange for bright, juicy texture. A quick pulse in the food processor makes it evenly chopped, then chilling firms it up for easy serving.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 118
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry orange relish
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh, rinsed cranberries.
  • 1 large navel orange Unpeeled, seeded, and cut into chunks.
  • 0.75 cup sugar Adjust to taste if you prefer it sweeter.
  • 1 tbsp orange liqueur or orange juice Choose orange liqueur for deeper flavor or orange juice for a lighter one.
  • 1 pinch salt Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
  • 1 fresh mint For garnish before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Chop
  1. Pulse the fresh cranberries and orange chunks in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. Stop and scrape down the processor sides if the mixture looks uneven.
Mix
  1. Transfer the chopped cranberry-orange mixture to a bowl and stir in the sugar, orange liqueur (or orange juice), and salt until the sugar looks mostly dissolved. The mixture should look evenly glossy and speckled with orange.
Chill
  1. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at 40°F for at least 4 hours or overnight. Visual cue: it will thicken slightly and the flavors will look more cohesive.
Serve
  1. Stir well before serving to redistribute juices and zest flecks. Visual cue: the relish should look bright and evenly mixed again.
Garnish
  1. Garnish with fresh mint right before serving. Visual cue: scatter small mint leaves on top for a fresh green contrast.

Notes

For the best texture, keep pulsing in short bursts and stop as soon as the mixture is finely chopped—overprocessing can turn it watery. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because the cranberries lose their best bite after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace the sugar with an equal amount of a 1:1 sugar substitute meant for cold mixing (follow the package for sweetness level).