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This cranberry salsa is a bright, festive, and easy holiday appetizer. It’s a sweet-and-spicy combo that is perfect for casual weeknights and holiday gatherings.
Table of Contents
A Quick Look At This Recipe
- Ready In: 15-minute prep
- Serves: 10
- Calories: 79 kcals
- Main Ingredients: Cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeños, lime, sugar
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-free
- Why You’ll Love It: It takes 15 minutes to prep, and the rest of the time it just chills in the fridge. This salsa is one of the easiest (and most delicious) holiday appetizers you can make!
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A few weeks ago, my friend and I tried a sample of cranberry salsa at a local shop, and it was so good I knew I had to make some at home and share it with you.
This recipe is a simple, fresh holiday salsa made with cranberries, jalapeños, cilantro, and green onions, then brightened with sugar and a squeeze of lime juice.
Throughout the year, we enjoy lacto-fermented salsa, but during the holidays, this fresh cranberry salsa is my go-to.
Weaving simple holiday recipes like this into my menu plan makes it easy to feel festive without overhauling my days.
It’s perfect for snacking throughout the day or during family game night. Plus, it’s an ideal, easy appetizer for holiday dinners and gatherings.
Ps. If you are planning your holiday menu, my homemade cranberry sauce is another favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Fresh Flavor: This holiday cranberry salsa tastes bright and fresh, making it a delicious contrast to the season’s warm, comforting dishes.
No Cook: All ingredients go straight into the food processor, so there’s no need to cook.
Holiday Favorite: This festive crowd-pleaser looks beautiful on the holiday table.
Make-Ahead Friendly: The flavor only gets better as it chills, so you can prep it a day in advance with no stress.
Simple Ingredients: You only need a handful of fresh ingredients to make this recipe.
Ingredients
Cranberries: You will need a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries. Frozen cranberries will also work, but you’ll need to thaw and drain them first.
Jalapeños: Use as many or as few jalapeños as you prefer for spiciness. You can also use candied jalapeños. Just blot them dry first.
Green Onions: Use just the green tops. You can also use chives or a white or yellow onion.
Cilantro: Use as much or as little cilantro as you prefer. I use an entire bunch, stems and all.
Lime: I prefer fresh lime juice, but you could also use 2 tablespoons of bottle lime juice per lime in the recipe.
Sugar: You will need regular granulated sugar for this recipe.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You Will Need
Food Processor: You will need a food processor to make fresh cranberry salsa. I use a Cuisinart food processor (the one I use is no longer available, but this one is similar).
Bowl: You will need a bowl to chill the salsa in the fridge.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process to preferred consistency (I like mine fine).
At this point, the salsa will look brown and may taste bitter. The color and flavor will change dramatically as it chills.
I recommend holding off on any adjustments for now.
Step 2: Transfer the salsa to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
After it has chilled and the flavors have melded, taste the salsa. Add more sugar, lime, or salt as preferred.
Step 3: Serve with chips, cream cheese and crackers, or on a turkey sandwich.
Tips for Success
- For a mild salsa, remove the jalapeño’s seeds and membranes. For spicier salsa, use the seeds and membranes. Add as many jalapeños as you prefer for spiciness.
- The flavor of the salsa depends on the freshness and flavor of the ingredients used. Sometimes, for instance, the green onions are stronger than others. Be sure to taste the salsa after it chills and adjust the sugar, lime, and salt as necessary.
- I always adjust the sugar after it has chilled in the fridge. Depending on the potency of the other ingredients, I sometimes add a few extra tablespoons.
- If your food processor is small like mine, you can mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then process them in small batches.
Serving Suggestions
Tortilla Chips: Chips and salsa is a classic combo, and an easy holiday appetizer.
Cream Cheese or Brie: Serve the salsa over a block of softened cream cheese or Brie.
Sourdough: This is great on sourdough toast with a cream cheese shmear or on sourdough brioche sliders.
Charcuterie: Add it to a charcuterie board for a festive pop of color and flavor.
Roasted Meats: Spoon a little cranberry salsa over turkey or roast chicken.
Eggs: If you love salsa on eggs, this is a great variation. I love it over a ham-and-cheese omelet.
Storing
- Store leftover cranberry salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Variations
Orange: Add a little orange zest and swap out the lime with orange juice.
Apple: Stir in finely diced apples for extra sweetness and crunch. This is a great way to use freeze-dried apples.
Pomegranate: Fold in pomegranate seeds for extra color and crunch.
Extra Spicy: Use extra jalapeños or even serrano peppers to step up the heat.
Ginger: Add fresh ginger when processing the ingredients or stir in ground ginger for extra warmth and flavor.
FAQs
Yes, just make sure you thaw them and drain any excess liquid. Otherwise, the salsa will be too watery.
If the jalapeños are seeded with the membranes removed, they are pretty mild. But you can adjust the heat by using more peppers or leaving the seeds in.
No, this is a fresh, no-cook salsa.
Rather than running it through the food processor again, finely mince the extra jalapeño by hand and stir it into the salsa so it doesn’t over-process.
Definitely, but depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to make it in batches.
Let’s Connect!
If you tried this recipe and loved it, leave a comment or review below.
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Cranberry Salsa
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 bunch green onions, roughly cut
- 1 bunch cilantro, roughly cut
- 2 jalapeño, roughly cut (see notes)
- 2 limes, juiced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Make the Salsa. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process to preferred consistency (I like mine fine). At this point, the salsa will look brown and may taste bitter. The color and flavor will change dramatically as it chills. So I recommend holding off on any adjustments for now.12 ounces fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1 bunch green onions, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 jalapeño, 2 limes, salt to taste
- Chill the Salsa. Transfer the salsa to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours. After it has chilled and the flavors have melded, taste the salsa. Add more sugar or lime as preferred.
- Enjoy! Serve with chips, with cream cheese and crackers, or on a turkey sandwich.
Video
Notes
- For a mild salsa, remove the jalapeño’s seeds and membranes. For spicier salsa, use the seeds and membranes. Add as many jalapeños as you prefer for spiciness.
- The flavor of the salsa depends on the freshness and flavor of the ingredients used. Sometimes, for instance, the green onions are stronger than others. Be sure to taste the salsa after it chills and adjust the sugar, lime, and salt as necessary.
- I always adjust the sugar after it has chilled in the fridge. Depending on the potency of the other ingredients, I sometimes add a few extra tablespoons.
- If your food processor is small like mine, you can mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then process them in small batches.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.
We’ve already gone through three batches of this salsa this Christmas season…and it’s December 2, haha!