10-Minute Fresh Cranberry Relish

Today I have my mom’s 10-minute recipe for fresh Raw Cranberry Relish for Thanksgiving. It is made with raw cranberries and orange. There’s no cook time so it is so easy! It is the perfect tangy sauce to go with your Roasted Turkey this year.

I originally published this recipe on November 22,2014. I have updated the text and images to reshare the recipe with you today. 

My mom’s cranberry relish was one of those Thanksgiving traditions that we could always look forward to every year when I was a kid.

There were usually a few different cranberry sauces on the table: a cooked cranberry sauce, my mom’s fresh cranberry relish and then someone always brought the canned kind too! I usually took a little of each! (Yes even the canned kind! What can I say? I love cranberry sauce!)

How To Make Raw Cranberry Relish

Use Whole Unpeeled Orange

I’d say the best part of this recipe is the flavor the orange rind adds to this recipe. To start, cut it into two halves. Then cut one of the halves into six chunks. If you see any seeds, remove them with the knife tip.Process the orange chunks in the food processor by pulsing them until they are about the size of peas or small marbles. 

Add Whole Raw Cranberries

Add in the cranberries, and pulse some more until the mixture is chopped up finely. Don’t forget to scrape it down. If you want to use frozen cranberries, that is fine. I recommend thawing them first so they are easier to grind up. They will seem juicy, but that’s not a problem. Once the cranberries are ground and mixed with the sugar and jam and then refrigerated they will become juicier and juicier anyway, so the results will be almost identical. 

Add Jam and Sugar to Sweeten.

If you want to use an unrefined sugar source try maple syrup or honey. Also if you prefer a non-nutritive sweetener, just skip the jam and add your preferred sweetener to taste. 

To add the jam, take a couple of tablespoons of raspberry jam and set them in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the jam to loosen it up.I use regular high-sugar jam (about 50 cal per tablespoon) for this recipe, since its purpose is to add sweetness. As I mentioned, only two tablespoons was sweet enough for me. If you like more raspberry flavor, add more jam and possibly a little less sugar.Add in sugar with the cranberry mixture and stir. Start with two tablespoons, taste and add more if you want. Just make sure to stir until the sugar is dissolved before you taste. 

How to Store Raw Cranberry Relish

Transfer the cranberry sauce to a resealable container and pop it in the fridge for up to five days before you serve it. This cranberry sauce will become moister, and let off liquid as it sits in the fridge. Stir it before transferring it to a serving bowl. 

More Thanksgiving Recipes

These Simple Skillet Green Beans are possibly one of the most popular recipes on my entire website, and they’re great for Thanksgiving because they’re made right on the stovetop in one skillet.This Easy Cheesy Stove-top Butternut Squash recipe is so savory and good, you’ll make it a tradition. You can’t go wrong with Simple Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, because when it comes down to it, you’re just gonna add on gravy anyway! This Make Ahead Cornbread Stuffing recipe is made with pecans, apples and a little splash of hard cider! Make sure you check out my Thanksgiving Planner to help plan out and get ready for your big feast! 

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Print