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.
"So much flavor and so easy to make - loved it!" ★★★★★-Sapana
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.
You and your guests will love this easy appetizer! Enjoy! xoxo ~Katie.
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Ingredients and substitutions
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.)
Watch how to make
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.
Flavor Tip
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 want your salsa hot or mild?
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 spread over a block of cream cheese. Serving it as a cream cheese appetizer 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
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 on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Fresh Cranberry Salsa Recipe-Sweet and Spicy
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.
Kailey Hudson says
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 says
Love the sweet, spicy, and tart combination on a salty chip!
Hayley Dhanecha says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
What a great twist on traditional salsa for the holidays! I love the addition of the tart cranberries. 🙂
Tammy says
Sounds like Christmas to me! Love the idea of spreading this over cheese for an appetizer spread...perfect combo! Sounds wonderful 😀
Mikayla says
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 says
WE love cranberries and your relish was ah-mazing!! Thanks for sharing your recipe
veenaazmanov says
I am already drooling. I love the combinations of Cranberry, Apples,oranges and Jalapenos. The sweet, tangy and sour flavors are my favorite.
Sharon says
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 says
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 says
I definitely need to try this salsa. It sounds delicious and I love that it takes such little time to make.
Sapana says
So much flavor and so easy to make - loved it!
Aimee Mars says
I've never even thought of making cranberry salsa! What a great recipe and so seasonally perfect for this time of year.
Sunrita | Spiceitupp says
I would have never thought of combining cranberries with garlic and onions. This is just so unique.
Veena Azmanov says
Love the combination of Cranberry, apples and the flavors. This is such an awesome platter for any party.