This Cranberry Jalapeno Relish is quick, easy, and delicious; made with just five ingredients, including apple and orange, ready in under 15 minutes, it's a sweet-and-spicy side dish ready to serve a family or a crowd.
Thanksgiving dinner is just around the corner, and you're searching for an easy, classic condiment with a spicy twist that also brings all the fall flavors?
This sweet and spicy jalapeno cranberry relish is an ideal addition to your holiday menu(also this jalapeno peanut brittle).
With simple ingredients like jalapeno and cranberry(fresh or frozen), you can create a memorable dish that could turn into your new tradition(like this cranberry jalapeno dip), the same as mine.
What I enjoy most about this recipe is how customizable it is. If you want some extra heat, add another jalapeño. Or make it sweeter by adding in a bit more sugar. No matter how we tweak it, this relish always tastes the best!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️Quick & delicious side!
⭐️It's make-ahead-friendly and pairs beautifully with everything from turkey to sandwiches.
⭐️This recipe is also dairy-free and vegan.
Ingredients
- Cranberries: For this recipe, I've used fresh cranberries (my grocery store has carried them this season). I've also used frozen cranberries in the past. Both versions worked very well(like in this cranberry jalapeno jam recipe and this jalapeno pineapple jam).
- Jalapeño: We prefer a mildly spicy relish. Therefore, I used only the flesh of the jalapeno and removed the seeds and the white pith inside(which holds most of the heat). If you prefer more intense heat, you can include the whole Jalapeño(see below for more details on adjusting the heat level).
- Apple: Any variety of apples works well for this recipe. I've used Honeycrisp apples for their crisp texture. Granny Smith or other apple varieties would also work well.
- Orange: You can stir in the orange zest for additional flavor.
- Sugar: I've used granulated white sugar. You can also substitute with brown sugar or honey.
How To Make Cranberry Jalapeño Relish
- Add the roughly chopped apples to a food processor and pulse until coarse.
- Add orange slices to the same food processor and pulse again.
- Add the cranberries and pulse (you can also pulse all the ingredients together).
- Stir in the finely chopped jalapeño, sugar, and salt until well mixed. Serve with tortilla chips.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This jalapeño cranberry dish is good to make with mild to medium heat.
The heat comes only from the jalapeños; most of it is concentrated in its seeds and white membrane. Remove these(reserve them so you can add them later) to make the dish milder.
Add the seeds and membrane back a little at a time until it suits your heat tolerance. Or add in another jalapeño or serrano pepper for intense heat.
How To Use
- Spoon it over carved turkey slices as a topping.
- Spread it over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers.
- Serve with the stuffings to complement its savory flavors.
- Smarter as the top layer of the sandwich or burger.
- Drizzle over the salad for a quick, delicious dressing.
My Expert Tips
Cover the cranberry jalapeno relish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to develop well-rounded flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've tried adding chopped cilantro; it tasted excellent. You can also add orange zest for warm fall flavors.
Yes, you can, but note that the sugar in this recipe is required to compensate for the cranberry's natural tartness. Reducing the sugar makes this relish taste tart.
You can store the leftover cranberry jalapeno relish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can prepare this dish and refrigerate it for 1 to 24 hours. The good news is that the flavors develop as this jalapeno cranberry relish sits in the fridge.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Cranberry Jalapeno Relish Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup fresh cranberries or frozen, thawed
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
- 1 apple cored and chopped
- 1 orange peeled and chopped (remove seeds if any)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the chopped apple to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer it to the bowl.
- Add the orange pieces to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chopped orange to the bowl.
- Place the cranberries in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped and transfer
- Stir in the jalapeño, sugar, and salt. Mix well until combined.
- Garnish with extra cranberries and orange zest if desired.
Notes
- Remove jalapeño seeds and pith for milder heat, or add them back gradually for a spicier kick.
- Serve with turkey, cream cheese and crackers, sandwiches, salads, or as a savory topping for stuffing.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months;
- No reheating is necessary, defrost it by placing it in the refrigerator overnight and serve it chilled.
This is such an amazing side dish!! Tried it multiple times and always a hit at my house!
Hi Toni! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
I made this cranberry relish for Thanksgiving and it was amazing! The spicy and sweet combo really made it outstanding!
AMAZING! Thank you Tayler!
This is such an easy and delicious recipe, I cannot wait to make it again!
Yay! Thanks Shadi!