Name: Fresh Cranberry Salsa
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 12 oz bag of cranberries; 1/2 cup sugar; 3 green onions (sliced with white parts removed); 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (washed, dried); 2 jalapeno peppers (seeded, chopped fine); 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced); 2 tablespoons lime juice

Cranberry Salsa is a fun and festive spread that is easily put together in less than 5 minutes! Just a few fresh ingredients you will have a stunning salsa for the holiday season that you can use a ton of different ways!

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Cranberry Salsa

I love the holidays, especially because you can find fresh cranberries in the store again!

These fresh and tart berries are perfect for a million different uses. I love it on my leftover turkey sandwich but it’s also great over a block of softened cream cheese with some crackers.

You can also spoon it over some brie and bake it for an amazing holiday appetizer. It looks totally fancy and takes less than 5 minutes to throw together, making you look like a star!

I love it spread over some fluffy cream cheese for a cranberry dip (one of my favorite holiday appetizers) alongside this cranberry sangria! They will be the stars of your holiday parties.

Other Delicious Salsa Recipes

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Ingredients Needed

Cranberries – Cranberry season is mid to late October and that’s when fresh cranberries start appearing in my grocery store! Fresh or frozen cranberries work best for this recipe. Canned cranberry sauce will not work in this recipe.

Sugar – Use plain white granulated sugar for this recipe. You can also use honey in a pinch if you need to.

Green Onions – I love these sliced thin in the salsa and then sprinkled on top for a garnish.

Ginger – Fresh ginger is best for this! You can find a knob in the produce department. Store it wrapped in a paper towel or in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator. Then grate on a zester when ready to use.

Jalapeno – I like the kick of heat this gives the salsa. Take out the seeds and remove the ribs to keep the heat in check. You can also leave them out altogether if you don’t like the spice.

Cilantro – Fresh is best!

For more insider tips & tricks, and a candid behind the scenes look follow me on social media! Check use out on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (yes, people still use Twitter, LOL!)

cranberries in a processor — add cranberries to processor

bowl of minced cranberries — add cranberries to processor

How to make Cranberry Salsa

First: Rinse and drain cranberries, discard any that are soft or bruised. Add to food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Second: Slice the green onions, grate the ginger, chop the jalapeno and cilantro. Add to the finely chopped cranberries.

Third: Mix in the 1/2 cup of sugar and lime juice. Mix to combine. Taste to see if the flavors are good. Not sweet enough? Add more sugar 1 teaspoon at a time.

cranberry salsa in a bowl — pour in sugar

Fourth: Cover bowl of cranberry mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate to let the flavors develop, the salsa will initially be bitter so allowing it to sit will let it sweeten before serving.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How long does it last?

You can store this fresh salsa in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container. It is great for so many dishes.

Want to enjoy it year round? Buy a couple extra bags of fresh cranberries and store them in the freezer until ready to make them.

How to Use Fresh Ginger

You can find a knob of fresh ginger in the produce section. Scrape the brown papery skin off the ginger with a spoon or vegetable peeler.

Grate it on a microplane or zester. Use fresh grated ginger immediately.

Ways to Enjoy

with buttery crackers (Ritz crackers or Club are my favorite but some like Wheat Thins or tortilla chips.)
top brie and bake
spread it on all those leftover turkey sandwiches
top some bruschetta
pour over a block of cream cheese for a quick and easy appetizer

Tapas Tips & Tricks

Chop the jalapeno peppers, green onions, and cilantro in a small food processor first before adding in the rest of the ingredients.
To keep the salsa from getting too spicy, remove the ribs and seeds from the peppers before adding to salsa.
Scrape the skin off the ginger with a spoon before grating.
Use fresh lime juice and lime zest. Here are some tips for zesting limes.
The longer this sits, the better the flavor. Also, the cranberries will release water. You might need to drain/stir the salsa before serving.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

bowl of salsa with text "fresh cranberry salsa"

This fresh cranberry salsa recipe is quick and easy to make and look fabulous at any holiday party! You can also use it for topping leftover turkey sandwiches or on pork chops.