Cranberry Salsa
Updated Nov 04, 2025
My fresh cranberry salsa is a blend of cranberries, jalapeรฑo, orange and lime juice, and cilantro. Very little prep, lots of flavor!
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Try my cranberry salsa!
This Cranberry Salsa is my fall take on my favorite appetizer! It’s tart and citrusy, with just a little heat, and comes together fast. I think it’s great for scooping up with tortilla chips, but it’d also be delicious as alternative to cranberry sauce alongside turkey.
While I think it’d make a great addition to a holiday spread, if you have leftover cranberries after Thanksgiving, I can totally see this fresh cranberry salsa being delicious with roast chicken or air-fryer salmon!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cranberry Salsa Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries: You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this cranberry salsa recipe. If you use frozen, defrost them in a bowl at room temperature for a few hours first.
- Jalapeño: Serrano peppers and Anaheim peppers are good substitutions.
- Cilantro: If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, you can substitute parsley.
- Granulated sugar: Maple syrup or honey works, too.
- Citrus: I use both fresh orange juice and fresh lime juice. Read my tips on how to juice citrus. You could also experiment with lemon juice or grapefruit juice.
- Seasonings: Just salt.
How to Make Cranberry Salsa
Cranberry Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce bag) cranberries
- ½ cup fresh cilantro packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 jalapeño deseeded
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 lime juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the cranberries, cilantro, sugar, jalapeño, orange juice, lime juice, and salt. Process to medium consistency.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Let the salsa sit for 30 minutes, then re-taste it and adjust the sugar as needed. I recommend adding ¼ cup to balance the tartness of the cranberries.
- Storage: Store the cranberry salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Remove the seeds from the jalapeño. I like to cut the pepper in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Don’t forget to wash your hands well after handling the jalapeño!
- Watch the salsa as it processes. I recommend using the manual pulse option on your food processor to stop the salsa when it reaches a perfect medium consistency. If you process it for too long, it could get watery.
- Re-taste and add more sugar. Let the salsa sit for 30 minutes, then re-taste it and adjust the sugar as needed. I recommend adding ¼ cup to balance the tartness of the cranberries.
Serving Ideas
- Chips: Homemade Pita Chips, Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Chips, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
- Thanksgiving Turkey: Dry-Brined Turkey Breast, Air Fryer Turkey Breast, Easy Thanksgiving Turkey
- Mains: Oven-Baked Chicken Breast, Pan-Seared Salmon, Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Herbs
FAQs
You could try making it in a blender or with an immersion blender, but be careful of the consistency. You don’t want it to be too smooth. I don’t recommend chopping the cranberries by hand. That would be difficult!
If you like spicy salsa, you can leave the seeds! That’s where all the heat is.
Comments
Great salsa. I substituted candied jalapeรฑo
Yum, that sounds so good!! Glad you liked it!
Cranberry salsa is awesome. I made it for Thanksgiving
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!! Happy Thanksgiving!
What a fantastic and refreshing twist on a classic! I absolutely love how easy and versatile this cranberry salsa is. The combination of tart cranberries, citrusy orange and lime, and just the right amount of heat from the jalapeรฑo sounds like a perfect balance of flavors. The fact that it comes together in just 10 minutes and requires almost no chopping is a huge bonus for busy cooks like me. I also appreciate all the substitution tips you providedโbeing able to swap ingredients like the sugar for honey or maple syrup makes this recipe adaptable to different tastes and dietary needs. Itโs a great idea to serve this with turkey, but I can totally see myself pairing it with roasted chicken or even just some tortilla chips for a quick snack. Iโm definitely adding this to my holiday menuโthank you for sharing such a vibrant and delicious recipe!
Thanks so much!! So glad you loved the recipe and found it both easy and versatile!!
I always see your videos on YouTube, and I want to try them. I found this recipe in your website, and Iโm so glad I tried this! It is perfect for any holiday party with the sweetness, tartness from the cranberries and slight spice from the jalapeรฑo is perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Yay! So happy you got a chance to try my recipe and liked how the cranberry salsa turned out! Thank you!!
This is so yummy! Great with chips, but I can’t wait to serve it with turkey this holiday season. (I’m going to try using some of the orange rind in the recipe.) I’ve shared this recipe with coworkers so it’ll be on several tables!
Yay, so glad you liked it!! Orange rinds sound like a great seasonal addition. Thanks for sharing the recipe with all your coworkers!