This sweet and spicy, quick and easy, homemade fresh jalapeno cranberry salsa recipe can be served over cream cheese or it can be enjoyed with tortilla chips and crackers. It requires simple ingredients and is ready in one pot or blender in 15 minutes.
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Nothing can be better than a big side bowl of dip, especially when it's with sweet, spicy and tart with a vibrant red color. Its perfect during fresh cranberry season a.k.a Christmas and Thanksgiving time! This is a holiday spin on a classic Mexican version. Here are some more recipes that you can whip up quickly: Strawberry Salsa (One Bowl, Mango Salsa (One Bowl), Corn Salsa (One Bowl) or even Pineapple Salsa (One Bowl).
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Key ingredients
- Cranberries- These must be fresh. Dried or frozen cannot be used.
- Onions- I like to use red onions but yellow and white also work well.
- Lemon juice- Freshly squeezed is best.
- Cream cheese- Be sure to use a block of full fat cheese. Brie can also be used.
- Seasonings- Use a combination of garlic powder, salt and ginger powder for best flavor.
- Jalapenos- These add a pop of color and a subtle spicy kick.
- Cilantro- This herb compliments all the other flavors perfectly.
- Sugar- Granulated is best. It adds a little sweetness to cut the tanginess and spice.
Variations
- Instead of cream cheese- Brie cheese can be used too. You can also make a charcuterie board with various cheeses and dippers.
- Make it chunky- Chop up each ingredient by hand, to make the salsa more chunky.
- Make it smooth- Pulse the ingredients a little bit more until the ingredients are finer. I am not fond of this because it becomes very watery.
- Pico de gallo version- Add some diced tomatoes. It would still not be the same as my classic Pico De Gallo Salsa (One Bowl) but definitely a fun twist.
- Add avocados- Cut them into small cubes and mix them in for a green color and creamy texture.
- Make it even more spicy- Add more jalapeños and red chili flakes.
- Add orange flavor- By mixing in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1-2 tablespoon orange juice. This adds a wonderful citrus flavor.
How to make easy cranberry salsa recipe from scratch?
1. Add ingredients- In a food processor or blender.
2. Pusle- Until they are coarsely chopped.
3. Chill- Then serve with crackers.
4. Another option- Spoon over block of cream cheese and enjoy.
What to serve with this sweet and spicy salsa?
- It's best served with tortilla chips or pita chips for dipping as an appetizer for holida parties or New Year's parties.
- You can also serve it as a side dish with grilled or baked fish, pork, beef, chicken, shrimp. Try it on this Grilled Chicken Breast (One Pan).
- Use it as a topping in rice bowls, burrito bowls, tamales, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas, nachos and tacos such as Shredded Turkey Tacos (With Thanksgiving Leftovers) and Shredded Chicken Tacos (One Pot). They are also delicious in quesadillas such as Cheese Quesadillas and Vegetarian Quesadillas and even Chicken Quesadilla (One Pan).
- It can also be used as a marinade or an addition in salads or salad dressings.
- If you liked my Salsa Chicken (One Pot) or Salsa Verde Chicken (One Pot), you can easily replace the salsas that were used in those recipes with this cranberry version. It will be great for Christmas dinner parties.
Tips and techniques
- Adjust sweetness- More or less can be added, based on your preference. Instead of granulated sugar, brown sugar honey or maple syrup can be used too.
- Adjust spice level- Use more of less jalapeños, based on your preference. Remove the seeds to lower the spice level.
- Fresh cranberries vs. Dried cranberries- You must use fresh cranberries for a fresh, refreshing flavor. Dried ones cannot be used.
- Resting time is important- Because it allows all the flavors to develop and deepen.
- Lemon juice vs. Lime juice– Either can be used or both can be used together too.
- Serve warm or cold? Typically, it’s served cold. I don’t recommend heating it because it will cause the cranberries to lose it’s crisp texture.
- Use full fat cream cheese-Heat it in the microwave until slightly warm so that it's easier to scoop.
Recipe FAQs
No, they won't work in this recipe. They are not juicy and don't have that same subtle crunch.
Maybe your cranberries were very ripe and had a higher water content or the maceration process has caused the cranberries to break down and release their juices.
Storage
- Refrigerate- In a sealed container for 2-3 days. It gets watery the longer it stays in the fridge. I like to enjoy it within 2 days.
- Freeze- In an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Please note that it will lose its crunch and will be a little watery.
- Make ahead instructions- You can make this 1 day in advance and keep it chilled in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
More One Pot Cranberry Recipes
- Creamy Cranberry Salad (Cranberry Fluff)
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce (One Pot)
- Cranberry Relish (One Bowl)
Recipe
Easy One Pot Cranberry Salsa (Blender)
Video
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Ingredients
- 1 bag Cranberries 12 oz. bag, Fresh, Washed, Patted dry
- ¼ cup Onions Roughly diced
- 1-2 Jalapeños Roughly diced
- ¼ cup Cilantro leaves Fresh
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice Or lime juice
- ½-3/4 cup Granulated sugar Adjust according to your taste
- Salt To taste
- ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 2 packages Cream cheese 8 oz. boxes
Instructions
- Add cranberries, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, lemon juice, sugar, salt, ginger powder, garlic powder in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Do not make the mixture smooth. It's supposed to be slightly chunky.
- Transfer this to serving bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to deepen.Â
- Spoon this mixture over over 2 blocks of cream cheese or you can enjoy it as just plain salsa.
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for 2-3 days. It gets watery the longer it stays in the fridge. I like to enjoy it within 2 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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