Add this Cranberry Orange Relish recipe to your Fall dinner rotation, and you won’t regret it! Fresh cranberries are simmered in a bright, sweet, fresh squeezed orange juice, chilled, then served alongside or on top of all your favorite foods. If you’re looking for a vibrant, citrusy side dish loaded with those beautiful seasonal spices then this cranberry relish recipe is for you!
Reasons You’ll Love This
Easy Peasy – You’ll have a simple, fresh cranberry relish on the table in no time!
Familiar Flavors – Cranberry Orange Relish is one of those nostalgic recipes you won’t tire of!
Merry and Bright – The flavors in this dish are warm and comforting while also being tangy and bright! It’s the perfect flavor explosion to add to any meal.
Versatile Dish – Whether you pair this with a Thanksgiving Turkey, Christmas Ham, Swedish Meatballs, or load it up on a sandwich for lunch, this relish recipe has your back!
A dollop of cranberry orange relish next to some tender turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy stuffing, savory green beans and buttery rolls is exactly what I’m talking about. It’s the perfect balance of sweetness, and acidity that a Thanksgiving dinner needs, and I personally can’t go without it!
Ingredient Info
- Cranberries – Fresh, whole cranberries are best for this recipe. If you use frozen cranberries, that’s fine, the cook time might just take a bit longer. Substituting dried cranberries will not work.
- Orange – You need the juice of one whole orange and it’s zest. You can use store bought orange juice, if it’s 100% orange juice. Anything else like a Sunny-D or V8 will make the dish too sugary.
- Honey – Honey has a perfect natural sweetness that compliments the cranberries perfectly. You can also use maple syrup or agave syrup instead.
- Pecans – Chopped pecans add a beautiful texture to this dish. If you want you can substitute for chopped walnuts, or cashews, or leave it out entirely.
Step by Step Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cranberries, water, honey, orange juice, cinnamon, orange zest and salt. Stir everything together to combine. Allow this mixture to come to a boil while occasionally stirring. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer.
- Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes while stirring occasionally, until the cranberries break down and the sauce thickens. It should be fairly chunky. Remove from heat after time is up and fold in the chopped pecans. Allow it to cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer it to a container and cover. Let it cool in the fridge for at least an hour, then serve! Enjoy!
Tips & Advice
Storage – You can store the leftover cranberry orange relish, covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, just thaw in the fridge when you’re ready to serve it again.
If you want you can make this up to a week ahead of time and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. In fact, I think it tastes better if it sits in the fridge overnight because the flavors have time to marinate.
Smooth It Out
If you’d like a smoother consistency for your cranberry orange relish, you can blend the finished product with an immersion blender for a few seconds after it cools. Be careful, however, not to over blend the sauce.
Equipment
For this simple cranberry orange relish recipe, you’ll just need a saucepan and something to stir with!
FAQs
It is usually eaten as a side dish alongside your typical Thanksgiving dinner, but you could also use it as a topping for yogurt or oatmeal, mix it with a salad dressing, use as a sandwich topping, bake with it, or even use it as a marinade for meats.
It will last up to a week, and possibly even a bit longer if stored properly. It will also last in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Serves Well With
Serve this lovely side dish alongside some of these main dishes, as well as some other fan favorite side dishes!
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Spiral Glazed Ham
- Honey Mustard Pork Chops
- Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Butternut Squash
- Green Beans Almondine
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Candied Yams
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sausage and Apple Stuffing
- Pumpkin Cornbread
- Cornbread Stuffing
- Chicken Stuffing Casserole
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Cranberry Orange Relish
Equipment
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 large orange (zested & juiced – this is approximately 1/4-1/3 cup of juice)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup pecans (chopped)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cranberries, water, honey, orange juice, cinnamon, orange zest and salt. Stir everything together to combine. Allow this mixture to come to a boil while occasionally stirring. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer.
- Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes while stirring occasionally, until the cranberries break down and the sauce thickens. It should be fairly chunky. Remove from heat after time is up and fold in the chopped pecans. Allow it to cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer it to a container and cover. Let it cool in the fridge for at least an hour, then serve! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
What is the serving size! Nutrition information is irrelevant if you do not provide the serving size, (once’s, gram’s) and I must know this for required carb counting!