Cranberry Salsa

Cranberry Salsa

This sweet and tart Cranberry Salsa is a beautiful snack to share during the holiday season. Made with fresh cranberries, sugar, red onion, jalapenos, lime juice, and cilantro. Serve with toasted tortilla chips for a fun and delicious appetizer!

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My Aunt Kim served this Cranberry Salsa at a ladies Christmas party she hosted years ago and I remember I couldn’t get enough of it! I had never really had fresh, uncooked cranberries, so this was a good recipe to start with. Cranberries are bitter by nature and don’t have a pleasant taste on their own, but tossed with a little sugar and you get a sweet, tart taste.

I’ll never turn down a good tomato base salsa but this time of the year, Cranberry Salsa is my go-to. It has a special unique flavor that’s bright and fresh. And as cheesy as this sounds, every bite seriously feels like a holiday party! I look forward to making this salsa every fall/winter season. It’s beautiful, festive, and delicious!

If you love the combination of sweet and spicy you will love the flavors of this salsa. It’s also super easy to make and perfect for a last minute snack idea. I love to bring this to holiday parties because there’s always someone that’s never had Cranberry Salsa. It’s fun to see their eyes light up when they try it.

Ingredients For Cranberry Salsa:

  • Fresh cranberries
  • Red onion, chopped fine
  • Fresh jalapenos, diced fine (seeds and membranes removed)
  • Sugar
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • Lime juice
  • Salt

Eating Fresh Cranberries:

I didn’t even know it was safe to eat uncooked cranberries until I had this salsa. Although we use sugar in this recipe to balance the bitter taste, these little red berries are actually really good for you! Rich in antioxidants, improve immune function, and help promote digestive health, just to name a few.

Can I Use Frozen Cranberries?

Yes! While I prefer fresh cranberries for this salsa, frozen is a great alternative if you can’t find fresh. And no need to thaw them. It’s best to place them in the food processor while they’re still firm and easy to chop.

Is Cranberry Salsa Spicy?

This all depends on the jalapeno and whether or not the seeds are removed. I like a little heat with my sweet so I usually leave the seeds and membranes in one of the jalapenos.



How To Make Cranberry Salsa:

Step 1. Rinse cranberries then add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times until desired texture. I like it on the chunkier side.

Step 2. In a medium size bowl add cranberries and all the salsa ingredients. Season to taste with salt. Stir well, then cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 20-minutes. The sugar needs time to break down the cranberries and sweeten them.

How To Serve Cranberry Salsa:

My favorite way to enjoy Cranberry Salsa is with Tortilla Chips. Or serve over a block of cream cheese or goat cheese, and your favorite crackers, for a beautiful tasty appetizer.



How Long Will Cranberry Salsa Keep Fresh In The Refrigerator?

This salsa actually tastes better the longer it sets which is perfect for a make ahead party. Salsa will stay fresh up to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Can I Freeze Cranberry Salsa:

Yes! Store leftover Cranberry Salsa in a sealed freezer safe container and freeze up to 6 months. Simply thaw and enjoy!


Let’s eat!🤍

Cranberry Salsa

This sweet and tart Cranberry Salsa is a beautiful snack to share during the holiday season. Made with fresh cranberries, sugar, red onion, jalapenos, lime juice, and cilantro. Serve with toasted tortilla chips for a fun and delicious treat!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Resting time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 97kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor optional

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries, rinsed well
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 jalapenos diced fine, seeds and membranes removed leave the seeds in for a spicier salsa
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • salt to taste
  • tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

  • Add prepared cranberries to a food processor and pulse a few times until desired texture. I like it on the chunkier side. If you don't have a food processor, use a sharp knife to chop berries to desired texture. Transfer to a medium size bowl.
  • To the bowl with the cranberries add the rest of the salsa ingredients. Season to taste with salt. Stir well, then cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 20-minutes. The sugar needs time to break down the cranberries and sweeten them. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

Tips:
  • Salsa with stay fresh for up to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 
  • Freeze leftover salsa for up to 6 months in a freezer safe container. 
  • Serve salsa with Tortilla Chips, or over a block of cream cheese or goat cheese and crackers.
  • Use frozen cranberries if you can’t find fresh. No need to thaw. Place them in the food processor while they’re still firm so they chop evenly. 
 
Nutritional facts do not include tortilla chips.
 
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
 
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving  
Calories 97
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 22.9g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2.2g 8%
Total Sugars 19.1g  
Protein 0.1g  
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 120mg 3%

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal

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