Welcome to my Mom’s classic Cranberry Orange Relish, the recipe that graces our family’s holiday table at Thanksgiving every year, and a recipe that has shockingly not made it to the blog until just now (sorry, Ma!).  Today, we right that wrong!

This cranberry relish is made with fresh cranberries, whole oranges, and a lot of sugar – and that’s it!  It’s super easy to prepare in a standard food processor, or if you want to do it the way my parents always have, you can bust out your fancy KitchenAid Grinder attachment and send your cranberries and oranges through that.  They would probably argue that the grinder gives you more uniform sized pieces and a better texture (and is, frankly, more fun – but also more time consuming!).  I think you can get pretty close in your classic food processor, which is how I make it now.  It truly couldn’t be easier – toss everything in and pulse to combine.  Cranberry sauce, done!

I have very fond memories of my sister, Grace, and I fighting over who got to push everything through the grinder every night before Thanksgiving with the wooden masher tool (she usually won).  This recipe is best prepared the night before – we all swear it tastes better the second day.  Plus, that’s one less dish you actually have to worry about cooking on Thanksgiving Day, so we love a make-ahead side.  This cranberry relish lasts well for up to a week in the fridge, so it’s great for leftovers (definitely put this on your turkey sandwiches, you’ll thank me!). 

I know I’ve posted several cranberry recipes here on the blog in the past, but this is the one that my Mom always made, and that I always make every year during cranberry season.  My boyfriend, Chris, is a huge cranberry fan, so we always have this in the fridge this time of year.  Plus, Chris’s mom (hi, Susanne!), also makes a version of this cranberry relish for her Thanksgiving table, so that’s a random (but kinda cute?) thing that Chris and I have bonded over during our now 6 (!) Thanksgivings together.

Anyway, aside from this recipe being very sentimental, it’s also easy to make and super delicious!  Recipe down below, along with photos.  I also made a Reel for this on my Instagram if that’s more your speed.  This recipe definitely makes enough for a crowd, but I’ve also made this same amount for Chris and I to have for meal prep for the week.  I like it on yogurt this time of year or just for a snack with some cheddar or goat cheese, and of course, I like it for Thanksgiving.  Give it a try and let me know if you make it!

Happy Holidays, friends!

Cranberry Orange Relish

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh cranberries
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 1 ½ cups sugar

Method:

1. Wash cranberries in a colander, and quickly sort through and remove any soft/rotting berries from the bunch.  Shake to dry, and set aside while you prep the oranges.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry the oranges.  Using a knife, cut off the top (stem) end of the orange, then slice the orange in half (lengthwise).  Next, slice those halves in half again to quarter (lengthwise).  Slice each quarter in half (crosswise) to create nice chunks of oranges.
3. Add the cranberries and the oranges to the bowl of a food processor.  Add the sugar to the bowl of the food processor as well.
4. Place the lid on the food processor and begin to slowly pulse the cranberries, oranges, and sugar.  Pulse for about 2-3 second intervals until everything is chopped up and forms a homogenous relish (this should take about a minute or so).  You may have to stop pulsing and stir to combine the ingredients a bit as you do this, but it will all come together in the end.
5. Taste for sweetness, and add more sugar as needed (this should already be on the sweet side).
6. Transfer to a bowl or an air-tight container.  For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow for all of the flavors to meld before serving.  Serve cold, straight from the fridge.
7. Enjoy!