Scoops of pink, creamy cranberry relish on a white plate.
Fall Favorites, Sides, Thanksgiving Sides

Creamy Cranberry Relish

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Refresh your Thanksgiving holiday dinner menu with this sweet, tart, and creamy cranberry relish recipe with horseradish and sour cream. It’s a delicious and unique side dish that’s easy to make ahead and great to serve at any festive gathering!

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If you want a different way to serve cranberries for your holiday dinner, this recipe is UNIQUE.   If you listened to NPR in the 90s, you remember Susan Stamberg.  Every year before Thanksgiving she would talk about Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish and share the recipe.  Cranberry, onion, horseradish, sugar and sour cream.  What a flavor combination. 

This dish uses fresh cranberries.  The original recipe called for the cranberries to be ground with the onions, but you can create a similar texture in a food processor if you don’t have a food grinder.  Adjust the amount of horseradish to your taste.  The final mixture will be a very pretty pink!  You can thaw the relish before serving, but I really enjoy it still mostly frozen.  It doesn’t freeze solid, so you can easily serve it straight from the freezer if you’d like

If the gelatinous cranberry glob that comes in a can is not your favorite – give this one a try!

Ingredients

Whole Raw Cranberries. Fresh are best to get just the right relish consistency. You can use frozen cranberries, but do not thaw them before grinding with the onion.

Onion. White onion has the best spicy bite and slightly sweet flavor. Peel and roughly chop the onion, but there is no need to finely mince.

Sour Cream. Makes the cranberry relish rich, cream, and tangy. Can be subbed with greek yogurt, if you like.

Sugar. To balance the tartness of the fresh raw berries.

Horseradish. The “secret ingredient” to make the best cranberry relish with a unique and delicious kick of spice.

How to Make Creamy Cranberry Relish

Food processor with processed cranberries.

First, grind the raw cranberries and onion together in a food grinder, or process to a coarse grind in a food processor.

Relish ingredients added to a food processor.

In a mixing bowl, fold cranberry mixture and remaining ingredients.

Frozen creamy relish.

Put in a freezer container and seal well. Freeze overnight, or for at least 4 hours.

Scoops of pink, creamy cranberry relish on a white plate.

Serving Suggestions

Move to the refrigerator a few hours before you are ready to serve. This lets the cranberry sauce soften a bit so it gets nice and creamy and scoop-able.

Serve homemade relish with cranberries as a fun and tasty side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other holidays and celebrations. The flavors pair great with savory mains like roasted turkey, chicken, and ham!

It is also perfect to bring in a large bowl to share at potlucks and casual gatherings. It’s right at home on the table alongside casual dishes like fried chicken, pulled BBQ and ribs, hamburgers and hotdogs… Or with nearly any comfort foods.

Scoops of pink, creamy cranberry relish on a white plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this relish recipe with frozen cranberries?

You can but do not thaw first. The berries will become mushy when defrosted, so it’s best to leave them frozen when you process with with onion.

What’s the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish?

Sauce is typically a thick and gelatinous substance. It can have whole or chopped pieces of cranberries, or is made totally smooth. Relish, on the other hand, is a mixture that includes shredded or finely minced cranberries. It is not jelly-like; instead, the consistency is either like a fresh slaw, or a creamy “salad” like this recipe.

How long will cranberry relish last in the refrigerator?

This creamy cranberry relish will keep well for up to 2 months in the freezer and 4 days in the refrigerator.

More Recipes to Try

Creamy Cranberry Relish

Recipe by Pennie Saadallah
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

0

minutes
Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 2 whole raw cranberries

  • 1 small 1 onion, quartered

  • 3/4 cup 3/4 sour cream

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 sugar

  • 2 tablespoons 2 horseradish

Directions

  • Grind the raw cranberries and onion together in a food grinder, or process to a coarse grind in a food processor. In a mixing bowl, fold cranberry mixture and remaining ingredients. Put in a freezer container and seal well. Freeze overnight.
  • Move to the refrigerator a few hours before you are ready to serve.

Notes

  • Leftovers are great with a turkey sandwich!

Like this recipe?

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