Cranberries and salsa aren’t the most likely pair: until you’ve tried this Cranberry Salsa recipe! This fun fall appetizer is zingy and bright, pairing tart berries with fresh cilantro, onion, and jalapeno for a sweet tart dip. Trust us: once you try it, you’ll fall head over heels! Sugar balances out the tart flavor, and the hint of heat from jalapeno is just right for pairing with the berries. Here’s how it’s done!
Ingredients in cranberry salsa
This cranberry salsa recipe is simple to whip up with a few ingredients and a few processor. This one is a spin on a recipe an old friend gave us years ago, and it’s been on repeat every since. Here’s what you’ll need for this easy concept:
Fresh or frozen cranberries Red onion Jalapeño pepper Lime juice Sugar Cilantro Kosher salt
Tips for making cranberry salsa
This cranberry salsa recipe is just a matter of whizzing up a few ingredients in a food processor. But there are a few tips to making this recipe fit your tastes. Here’s what to know:
Customize the spice level to taste. Removing the ribs and seeds of the jalapeño pepper makes a mild salsa. If you’d like it spicier, simply add some of the jalapeño seeds. Err on the side of caution: you can always add more! Taste and adjust the heat level as desired. Defrost the cranberries before you start. The bag of cranberries indicates to refrigerate or leave the berries at room temperature for several hours. A shortcut method? Place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes, then rinse again with warm water. Strain and pat dry with a paper towel. This may add a little extra moisture, which you can adjust for in the next step. Drain the salsa before adding to a bowl. The cranberry salsa can pick up a bit of extra moisture, especially if you’re using frozen berries. It’s helpful to strain it before transferring it to the serving bowl.
How to serve it
Once you’ve got your cranberry salsa, there are lots of ways to serve it! It’s a great for fall and winter, ideal as a Thanksgiving appetizer or a Christmas appetizer. This one works with more than just chips: it’s great as a dip with any sort of cracker. Try this recipe served with:
Tortilla chips Crackers of any type Pita chips Crostini Over a block of cream cheese, served with crackers
Storage info
This cranberry salsa stores refrigerated for up to 1 week. In fact, the flavor gets better the longer you let the flavors mingle! We don’t recommend freezing this recipe, but you won’t have to: it will disappear that fast!
More cranberry recipes
When it’s the season, go big on this tart berry. Here are a few more cranberry recipes to try:
Bake up Cranberry Orange Muffins or Cranberry Orange Bread Mix up Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip or Cranberry Goat Cheese Mix up a Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail, Cranberry Margarita or Cranberry Mimosa Browse all our Cranberry Recipes
This cranberry salsa recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. 5 from 2 reviews
