Cranberry Salsa

This fresh and festive Cranberry Salsa is the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a little kick – sure to be your new favorite holiday appetizer! Bursting with bright cranberries, zesty lime and just the right touch of heat, it’s delicious with chips, crackers or spooned over your favorite soft cheese. Easy to make ahead and guaranteed to impress at any gathering!

Looking for more amazing holiday appetizers? Here are some of our favorites: Cranberry Brie Pinwheels, Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels and these Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites!

Cranberry Salsa Recipe

If you’re looking for a holiday appetizer that’s vibrant, refreshing and always a crowd favorite, this Cranberry Salsa is exactly what you need. It’s bursting with sweet-tart cranberries, a little heat from jalapeño and irresistible bright flavor. It’s perfect for scooping with chips or spooning over cream cheese or goat cheese. The colors alone make it a showstopper on any holiday table!

What I love most about this recipe is how unbelievably easy it is to throw together. Just pulse everything in a food processor or blender, chill and serve! It’s seriously that simple. Even better, it’s make-ahead friendly, so it’s ideal for busy holiday gatherings, potlucks and last-minute entertaining.

Fun note: My son, Bryce, made that bowl the salsa is being served in! I’m having a lot of fun incorporating his pieces into my photo shoots and videos. You can see even more of his work in the recipe video in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How To Enjoy Cranberry Salsa

I have spent a lot of quality time with this easy cranberry salsa recipe as we worked to fine tune the ingredients and process to guarantee the best results no matter who makes it. I wanted to touch on the many different ways we have enjoyed this salsa over the past weeks.

After the first few rounds where we scarfed the bowl of salsa down with tortillas chips, I started to try different ways of enjoying it. Cream cheese is a classic choice. Simply spread cream cheese in a bowl or serving plate and top with cranberry salsa making sure to drain off excess liquid. You can also serve it poured over a brick of cream cheese. Sturdy crackers are a must and I love an assortment for parties and holidays.

Then it occurred to me that this might be good with goat cheese. I’m a goat cheese fanatic and love it especially for holiday entertaining. Plus, the goat cheese logs are the perfect, festive shape for a cheese board. Same with the cream cheese, you’ll want to remove excess liquid first and then press the salsa around the goat cheese log. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The white of the goat cheese, the bright red of the cranberries and a pop of green for a garnish gives this recipe serious holiday vibes.

Invest in a set of cheese knives to make serving a breeze! This cranberry salsa recipe is a great addition to our favorite charcuterie board!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Cranberry Salsa brings such a fun and delicious twist to classic holiday flavors. It’s bright, refreshing and pairs beautifully with creamy cheeses, chips and crackers. Here’s why you’re going to love this recipe as much as we do:

• Easy To Make: A food processor or blender makes quick work of this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can absolutely prep this recipe by hand. Just make sure to finely mince the cranberries.
• Effortless Entertaining: This bright and flavorful cranberry salsa is so festive and pairs well with a variety of dippers and cheeses for easy, effortless holiday entertaining.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: The salsa gets better with time which makes it a great make-ahead option. Letting it chill helps the flavors deepen and makes holiday prep even easier.
• Balanced: Fresh cranberries, jalapeño and lime create the perfect combination of flavors. Truly an explosion of bright and fresh flavors in every bite!

What You’ll Need

This salsa is essentially the same as my pico de gallo but swapping in cranberries for tomatoes! Of course, we need a little sugar to combat the tartness of the cranberries! This Cranberry Salsa is the festive, flavor-packed appetizer your holiday lineup needs! Crisp cranberries, citrusy lime and a hint of jalapeño come together for a salsa that’s refreshing and totally irresistible. So easy, so impressive, and so delicious! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Fresh cranberries: The star of the show! Their natural tartness creates the bright, refreshing base of the salsa. Make sure to rinse and pick through the cranberries being sure to remove any mushy or damaged ones.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cranberries and helps balance the tartness. Adjust depending on how sweet or tangy you prefer.
• Jalapeño: Adds heat and a subtle earthy flavor. Remove seeds and membranes for mild heat or leave some in for a spicy kick.
• Cilantro: Brings fresh, herbal brightness that complements the cranberries perfectly.
• Green onions: Add mild onion flavor and extra color without overpowering the salsa.
• Lime juice: Provides acidity and helps tie all the flavors together. Fresh lime juice is best for maximum brightness.
• Salt: Just a pinch enhances every flavor and brings balance to the salsa.

How To Make Cranberry Salsa

Sweet meets spicy in this fun and festive Cranberry Salsa that’s guaranteed to wake up any holiday spread! Fresh cranberries, cilantro and lime create the perfect balance of flavor and it’s amazing with everything from chips to crackers to cheese. The easiest win for holiday entertaining!

Let’s take a quick look at how to make this cranberry salsa recipe and as always, you can find the full printable recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Combine cranberries and granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
2. Pulse until chopped (not pureed).
3. Add jalapeno, cilantro, green onions, lime juice and salt.
4. Pulse until desired consistency is achieved. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours.

Serving Ideas:

5. Drain excess juice for salsa and press to the sides of a goat cheese log or on top of cream cheese. Serve with a variety of crackers
6. Serve salsa with tortilla chips or cinnamon sugar chips if desired.

Storage Information

Sweet, tart with a little punch of heat, this salsa pairs beautifully with tortilla chips, crackers, goat cheese, cream cheese – pretty much everything! It’s truly perfect for parties and effortless entertaining! Leftovers? Doubt it! But if you do….

• Refrigerator: Store leftover cranberry salsa in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days. The flavors actually improve as it sits!
• Make Ahead: This is a fantastic make-ahead appetizer. Make it the night before and let the flavors blend overnight.
• Freezing: Not recommended. Fresh cranberries tend to release too much liquid once thawed, changing the texture of the salsa.

Variations To Try

Bright, bold and unbelievably fresh, this Cranberry Salsa brings a fun twist to your holiday snacking! Here are some delicious variations to consider:

• Turn up the fruitiness by stirring in diced apples, pineapple tidbits or pomegranate arils for extra sweetness and texture.
• Heat things up by swapping in a serrano pepper or just keep the jalapeño seeds for more heat.
• Mix in a little orange zest or orange juice for a citrusy twist – cranberry and orange is one of my favorite combos!

Can I make this cranberry salsa recipe without a food processor?

Yes! Just finely chop all the ingredients by hand. It takes a little longer but works beautifully.

How do I keep the salsa from being too “saucy”?

Be sure to pat the cranberries completely dry before pulsing and avoid over-processing. Draining excess liquid before serving also helps.

Is this cranberry salsa spicy?

Not unless you want it to be! Removing the seeds and membranes makes it mild, and you can always adjust the jalapeño to your taste. Double the jalapeno or add the seeds and/or membranes for more heat.

What do I serve with cranberry salsa?

Tortilla chips, cinnamon sugar chips, cream cheese and crackers, goat cheese logs, crostini, or even roasted meats – it’s delicious with pretty much anything!

Trish’s Tips

• Pulse, don’t puree! You want small, evenly chopped pieces, not cranberry soup! Check often and stop before you have just mush left.
• Taste and adjust as needed. Cranberries vary in tartness, so feel free to add more sugar, salt or lime as needed.
• Don’t skip the chilling! The flavor improves dramatically after a few hours in the fridge.
• Drain the salsa before topping cheese. If using over a cheese block or log, drain excess juice so the toppings stay neat and vibrant.

More Appetizer Recipes To Try

1. Bacon Wrapped Dates
2. Stuffed Mushrooms
3. Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls
4. Antipasto Charcuterie Wreath
5. Bacon Crackers