Serve this festive Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa during the holidays! Blend up fresh cranberries, cilantro, jalapeños, orange juice and honey for one flavorful appetizer!
Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa
Looking for a stress-free appetizer to serve during the holidays? This cranberry salsa is made without turning on an oven or stovetop.
It doesn’t get any easier to whip up a quick healthy snack that is tasty and pretty to look at too! Just look at how beautiful those ruby red berries are!
I folded some of the berry salsa into cream cheese and served it with crackers, but you can also serve it like a traditional salsa with tortilla chips!
Easy cranberry salsa recipe
Whether you serve this salsa traditional-style with tortilla chips or add it to cream cheese, this recipe is ready in under 15 minutes!
Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need:
- Fresh cranberries
- Cilantro leaves
- Jalapeños, seeded and diced
- Fresh orange, juiced
- Fresh lime, juiced
- Honey
- Kosher salt
- Cream cheese
Fresh cranberries are seasonable
You will only see fresh cranberries in the stores for a short time. Their harvesting season is between Labor Day and Halloween, and fresh berries only become available in the stores through December.
That’s why you see the traditional Ruby Red Cranberry Sauce on just about every table during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and not the rest of the year. Snag some up before they’re all gone!
You also might enjoy this Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing or these Cranberry Scones with White Chocolate.
Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa Appetizer
Simple raw cranberry salsa for a quick appetizer for the holiday season
Ingredients
- 12 - 16 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1/2 fresh orange, juiced
- 1 fresh lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup honey
- pinch of kosher salt
- 8 ounce cream cheese (optional)
Instructions
Clean cranberries and put in a food processor or blender with cilantro, orange juice, lime, salt and honey. Pulse until small chunks are formed. Remover are keep covered in the refrigerator for 1 day (preferably so flavors meld). Serve with tortilla chips or drain 1/2 cup of the prepared salsa and fold it into 8 ounces of cream cheese and form a log. Place log on a platter and pour remaining salsa on top of the cheese log. Serve with crackers.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 387Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 20gSugar: 39gProtein: 4g
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
Pin to your holiday appetizer board!
Carol
Can you use goat cheese?
Sandra Shaffer
I flavor will be different, but I don’t see why not! Give it a try and let us know how it turned out!
Helen
All I can say is…. AH-mazing!
I LOVE the idea of folding this into cream cheese and serving with those wonderful posh crackers for the holidays.
Fabulous easy idea – thank you!
Sarah Averett
This is such a beautiful dip! It is just the right colors for Christmas and is going to be such a great addition to my dinner table. Thank you!
Nancy R
I am definitely going to try this for an after Thanksgiving dinner get together.
I have a question for you….since cranberries are available during a limited season, do they freeze well?
Thanks for the delicious recipe and your help.
Sandra Shaffer
Hi Nancy! Cranberries sure do freeze well. I freeze them in the bag they come in. You can also follow this method (I do this for berries) from The Spruce – https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-freeze-cranberries-1327704
Sandra Shaffer
I served this another time and just put it on top of some cream cheese without folding it it. Just as tasty and even easier!
Kelly
This is one of those things you just have to try! I can just imagine how it tastes. 🙂
Sandra Shaffer
The raw cranberries really work well in a salsa. Give it a try, Kelly!
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama
Cranberry salsa?? That is pretty much genius. 🙂
Sandra Shaffer
And it’s so darn good for being as easy as it is to whip up!
Betsy @ Desserts Required.com
This is PERFECT for the holiday season. A great way to take advantage of the fresh cranberry season.
Sandra Shaffer
I made this a day in advance and the pretty color stays nice and bright. Festive for sure 🙂
Sarah
I’ve never had cranberry salsa before! I love that it made with raw cranberries! Perfect recipe for the holidays!
Sandra Shaffer
Try it, Sarah! It’s so tasty and easy to whip up too!
Nicky
My mom first introduced me to Cranberry Salsa. It’s amazing! Your recipe looks great. We like to serve it in our second day Turkey burritos with shredded turkey, rice, and cheese.
Sandra Shaffer
Ohh, I like the idea of serving this in a turkey burrito! I’m going to have to make sure I have some left to pair with leftovers!
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YUM! I am a sucker for ONE anything with that sweet heat profile and TWO anything that is spread on crackers! haha This looks so good!!! I’ve got to make this for Thanksgiving!! I know my family would love it!
Sandra Shaffer
I found crackers that have raisins in them – holy moly does it taste good with the creamy cheese and salsa!
Ashley
If you love anything with a sweet/heat profile, I bet you would love stuffed jalapeño peppers. Mix 1 can ocean spray whole berry cranberries, 8 oz. cream cheese, 8 oz. cheddar cheese (shredded), & 1 bag of real bacon bits or you can use fresh bacon crumbled up. Stuff mixture into jalapeños that are cut lengthwise (seeds,top, & pith removed) and bake at 375° Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. These are too die for. P.S. loved the cranberry salsa.
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Don’t forget that cranberries freeze well. You don’t have to do any prep at all. They can even be frozen in the bag they come in. Then you can make your yummy salsa all year long!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks, Marjie! I think I’ll be doing just that! Freezing them is a great idea.
Katerina
Sweet and spicy, sounds like a great idea!
Sandra Shaffer
Can’t go wrong with that tasty combination 🙂
Karen
This looks yummy but may be too hot for me, but I will be sending my sister here to see this recipe. I know she would love it.
Sandra Shaffer
You can adjust the peppers by adding just one, and always be sure to remove the pith which is where the heat is most concentrated in peppers.
Joy @ Joy Love Food
I love cranberries, but hadn’t thought to combine them with jalapenos, this sounds wonderful, especially blended with some cream cheese, yum!
Sandra Shaffer
The flavors work well together. You can’t go wrong with the heat and sweet combo!
Jessica
Your pictures are mouth watering, and this combination of flavors sounds incredible!
Sandra Shaffer
Thank you, Jessica! This cranberry salsa is so festive and tastes delicious!
Kallee
It looks amazing and so wonderfully flavorful.
Sandra Shaffer
Thank, Kailee!