Updated: By Katie Crenshaw 18 Comments
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This 5 minute cranberry salsa recipe is made with cranberries, cilantro, granny smith apples, jalapeño, and sugar for a sweet and spicy combination.
Dip it with tortilla chips or serve it over cream cheese with Ritz crackers for an easy holiday appetizer.
The unique flavors also compliment chicken or fish tacos.
It is that time of year for cranberry season and those pretty, bright little cranberries are perfect to make salsa with!
My recipe is a little different from the traditional salsa recipes. The simple ingredients create a salsa that is a little sweet, a little tart, a little spicy, and a lot of GOOD!
Make it for your next holiday party. Your guests will love this easy appetizer!
Watch how to make
Ingredients
You will need the following fresh ingredients to make homemade cranberry jalapeno salsa.
- fresh whole cranberries
- sugar-I use white sugar. You can substitute with honey.
- green onions
- fresh lime juice
- jalapeños- I like fresh jalapeño peppers but you can substitute with the pickled jalapeños.
- fresh orange juice-Adds a citrus sweet flavor without adding more tartness or additional sugar.
- fresh cilantro
- Granny Smith Apple-Traditional recipes use a full cup of sugar. I use less sugar and add the Granny Smith Apple for extra sweetness. It also adds a nice texture. You can substitute with your favorite apple.
- Fresh Garlic-The garlic balances some of the sweetness and adds a bit of savory to the salsa. I recommend fresh garlic, but you can substitute with garlic powder.
(*Full recipe with ingredient measurements is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.)
Steps
The best thing about the Cranberry Salsa (other than it tastes so darn good) is it is made in literally 5 minutes. Follow these easy steps to make this tasty fruit salsa.
- Juice lime and orange. Core and quarter Granny Smith Apple.
- In a food processor, add all of the ingredients. Pulse until finely chopped. Salt to taste.
You can serve it immediately, but it is best to let it set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to build.
Do you like it hot or mild?
Note: This is a spicy cranberry salsa. For hot salsa, follow the recipe as written. For a milder salsa, use less jalapeños and remove the seed.
How do you store it?
Cranberry salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 7 days.
Cream cheese appetizer
This festive cranberry salsa is delicious by itself, but it is also nice on top of a block of cream cheese. Serving it over cream cheese also makes it a great addition for your holiday entertaining.
It is also delicious served over goat cheese and brie.
With all the preparations for the holiday season going on, isn't it nice to have an easy recipe to have on hand? You are welcome! xoxo
For Moreof my Favorite Holiday Appetizer Recipes, Try:
- Marinated Cheese Tray
- Port Wine Cheese Ball
- Italian Marinated Mushrooms
- Asparagus Roll Ups
- Bacon Crackers
- Pimento Olive Cheese Spread
- Fire and Ice Pickles
When you make this recipe, tell me what you think in the comment section!I would love to hear back! My readers will too.
Also post your picture of your cranberry salsa onInstagramorFacebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags!I will share with my followers! xoxo!
Recipe
Fresh Cranberry Salsa Recipe-Sweet and Spicy
This 5 minute cranberry salsa recipe is made with cranberries, cilantro, granny smith apples, jalapeño, and sugar for a sweet and spicy combination. Dip it with tortilla chips or serve it over cream cheese for a flavorful holiday appetizer.
5 from 35 votes
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Course: Appetizer, Sauce, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 81kcal
Author: Katie Crenshaw
Equipment
food processor
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 green onions
- 1 cup or large bunch of cilantro remove any long stems
- 3 jalapeños
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 lime
- 1 orange
- salt to taste
Instructions
Core and quarter Granny Smith Apple. Juice lime and orange. Cut off the tops of the jalapeños. Add to food processor.
1 Granny Smith apple, 1 lime, 1 orange, 3 jalapeños
Add remaining ingredients to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
12 ounces fresh cranberries, ¾ cup sugar, 3 green onions, 1 cup or large bunch of cilantro, 3 garlic cloves
Salt to taste.
salt to taste
You can serve immediately, but it is best to store in refrigerator 4 hours or more to allow flavors to fully build.
Video
Notes
Note:For hot salsa, follow the recipe as written.For a milder salsa, use less jalapeños and remove the seeds.
Nutrition- Nutrition info is based on estimation only.
Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 17.4mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe? I want to see it!Mention @aForksTale or tag #aForksTale!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Kailey Hudson
I had some leftover cranberries I did not know what to do with and decided to give this a try. It is so good! We ate it on chips for days.Katie Crenshaw
Love the sweet, spicy, and tart combination on a salty chip!Hayley Dhanecha
We love all kind of salsa recipe, but never made with cranberries. Can't wait to make this, just waiting for the arrival of fresh cranberries in UK markets.Sandhya Ramakrishnan
What a great idea to use cranberries to make salsa. I have used cranberries as a tomato substitute in a couple of Indian recipes. I like the idea of using an apple as well. The flavors came together very beautifully.Jamie
Wow! A cranberry salsa that looks perfect and so yummy! It has our favorite ingredients in it too! I love the idea of serving this with cream cheese! An awesome appetizer for everyone to love and enjoy! Plus we only need 5 minutes to have this on our table!Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
This was a huge hit at our holiday party! Everyone raved over it and that hint of heat from the jalapeno just made the dip so perfect! Will definitely make again!Carrie Robinson
What a great twist on traditional salsa for the holidays! I love the addition of the tart cranberries. 🙂Tammy
Sounds like Christmas to me! Love the idea of spreading this over cheese for an appetizer spread...perfect combo! Sounds wonderful 😀Mikayla
Just WOW, this is so delicious. I made it to take to my work potluck on Monday, now to keep my husband and kids out of it!Dennis
WE love cranberries and your relish was ah-mazing!! Thanks for sharing your recipeveenaazmanov
I am already drooling. I love the combinations of Cranberry, Apples,oranges and Jalapenos. The sweet, tangy and sour flavors are my favorite.Sharon
This is a unique salsa recipe that is perfect for the holidays when you want a little something 'different'. Perfect for snacking while cooking the main meal.Colleen
I really love the spice of the jalapenos with the tart cranberries. It's unique and different. I made it to take to a holiday gathering and will be serving it over cream cheese. Thank you!Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I definitely need to try this salsa. It sounds delicious and I love that it takes such little time to make.Sapana
So much flavor and so easy to make - loved it!Aimee Mars
I've never even thought of making cranberry salsa! What a great recipe and so seasonally perfect for this time of year.Sunrita | Spiceitupp
I would have never thought of combining cranberries with garlic and onions. This is just so unique.Veena Azmanov
Love the combination of Cranberry, apples and the flavors. This is such an awesome platter for any party.
