Cranberry salsa makes a tasty appetizer that's the perfect combination of tart, sweet and spicy for all your fall and winter events! Bring it to parties or family gatherings, for appetizers, snacking OR Christmas Tacos. I LOVE this salsa with cranberries. I mean, who wouldn't!!
When I need a dish that's easy to make, serves a group, and a bit out of the ordinary, this is the one I make. I love that it's simple to make and easy to carry with me if I'm traveling for the holidays.
Pair it with your favorite crackers and a selection of other appetizers such as pumpkin dip or these sweet and sour meatballs. It also makes a great addition to any charcuterie or cheese board.
It's also a great way to start off your holiday celebration while the turkey and everything is cooking in the oven!
What is Cranberry Salsa?
It sounds unusually, but you will be seriously addicted after one bite. Cranberry salsa is a sweet, savory salsa.
It's perfect with the tangy-ness juicy cranberries combined with onion, cilantro, and a little sugar. Serve it on your own or follow our suggestion and pair it with cream cheese, you'll be in heaven!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe with simple ingredients.
- Everyone will love it.
- Great flavors.
- Perfect for groups of all sizes.
- An easy way to add fall flavors to your appetizer table.
Ingredients
You don't need a whole lot to make this great tasting fall dip! Pick up the handful of ingredients on a trip to the store.
- Fresh cranberries: Fresh cranberries work best. They give this dip it's tart flavor and great texture. Dried cranberries are overly sweet and won't work as a suitable substitute for this recipe. In a pinch, use whole canned cranberries in sauce.
- Lime: Use fresh for the best flavor!
- Jalapeno: To give the dip a bit of spiciness. Serrano chilies also work though they are a bit spicier. Leave them out if you want a milder salsa.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds delicious flavor along with the lime and jalapeno.
- Sugar and salt: Just a touch of each to balance everything out!
For the full ingredient list and the quantities of each, check the recipe card.
How to Make Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese
Making this holiday appetizer takes just minutes. Here's an overview of the steps and you will find detailed instructions in the recipe card.
Just a note before we get started, I choose to make this salsa in the blender but you can also use a food processor or chop everything very fine by hand if you prefer
TOP TIP: If you like your salsa more puréed than chunky I recommend making it in a blender. For a chunky salsa then be sure to just pulse your salsa and not blend.
- Let's start with the ingredients with more liquid first! Add to your blender:
- cranberries
- lime juice
- jalapeno- for less spicy salsa remove seeds and rinds.
- cilantro
TOP TIP: If Blending add your high content water ingredients first will help your blender to pulse and move the ingredient around without any additional liquid added to the blender.
- On top of the first batch of ingredients add:
- green onions
- sugar
- salt
- Start pulsing your ingredients. Depending on how chunky or smooth you like your salsa will determine how many pulses you do. I like mine somewhere in between chunky and smooth.When using a food processor you can really add all ingredients at once. and Pulse till desired texture.
When using a food processor you can really add all ingredients at once. and Pulse till desired texture.
TOP TIP: For a smoother salsa, use longer pulses and continue pulsing until it's at the desired texture you prefer. Use fewer and shorter pulses if you prefer a chunkier cranberry cilantro salsa.
Next up, a cream cheese layer that compliments the delicious cranberry jalapeno salsa and crunchy crackers.
- Stop blending when the salsa is the texture you prefer.
- Spread room temp cream cheese over a plate or a platter.
- Then top with the cranberry salsa.
Serving Ideas
You won't believe how flexible this salsa can be! Here's some of my favorite ways to serve it.
- Add something crispy: It's great with some sturdy salty crackers or homemade toasts.
- Large charcuterie platter: This is an amazing recipe to serve with your cheese charcuterie board. Plate it on a large platter with meats, cheese and crackers surrounding it.
- Skip the cream cheese: Use the salsa (without the cream cheese) to serve with fish or meats. It's excellent on top of a piece of grilled salmon or chicken.
- It's great with tacos: Or other mexican dishes! I highly recommend these Christmas Tacos!
- Holidays: This fall dip with cranberries is perfect for Thanksgiving and other autumn parties and events.
Variations
- Less spicy or not spicy! It's easy enough to adjust the amount of the jalapeno to get the spiciness just to where you want it! You can even replace the jalapeno with red or green bell pepper for a milder flavor.
- Swap the lime with freshly squeezed orange juice for a sweeter cranberry dip.
- Cranberry pico de gallo. If you prefer a chunkier consistency more like a pico de gallo, coarsely chop up the cranberries and the other ingredients and mix up in a bowl.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing cranberry salsa. It will change the consistency of the fresh cranberries and other ingredients.
Can I make cranberry salsa in advance?
This is an easy and great dish to make ahead, or if you need something that will be easy for transport this is your guy!
Make your salsa before and seal it in an airtight dish. Save the cream cheese for right before serving. Spread on the platter and top with the salsa from the air tight dish.
If you are serving/traveling within a 30-60 minute window it is fine to combine the cream cheese and salsa on platter or dish.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Use fresh cranberries. The flavor of this dip is amazing and won't get the same results using a substitute but you can use canned in a pinch with some tweaks to the recipe!
- For a less spicy salsa, skip the jalapeno.
- Serve up this tart and spicy salsa on its own or with cream cheese!
- Keep the dip chilled until you're ready to serve!
Fresh cranberries are usually available in the produce section beginning in the fall months. They are sold in small bags rather than loose and will usually remain available until December in stores but it may vary depending on demand. They last for quite a bit (up to two months in the fridge) so I will sometimes buy several bags when I see them to make sure I have them around for a bit.
No! When you remove the seeds and rinds from the jalapeño you take away most the spice. It also help to use a bigger jalapeño. Smaller jalapeños tend to be spicier.
Cranberry Salsa
Ingredients
- 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries OR use 1 can of whole cranberries in sauce found by your pie fillings in the baking aisle.
- ¾ cup sugar If using canned cranberries as a substitute, eliminate this ingredient.
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1 bunch green onions 4-5
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 limes juiced 2-3 tbsp
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 package cream cheese
Instructions
- Mix jalapeño, cilantro, green onions in a food processor or blender, add salt, and lime juice.
- Pulse until minced
- Add Cranberries and sugar. Pulse until minced also.
- Drain salsa of excess liquid in a fine mesh strainer.
- In a serving dish smooth cream cheese out and pour the salsa over the top.
- Serve chilled with tortilla chips or crackers.
Video
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries. The flavor of this dip is amazing and won't get the same results using a substitute.
- For a less spicy salsa, skip the jalapeno.
- Serve up cranberry salsa on its own or with cream cheese!
- Keep the dip chilled until you're ready to serve!
Sylvia deWolde says
This dip was AH-mazing! Huge his at family Christmas this year, I’ll have to bring a double batch next year. I even went right back out and got the ingredients to make it again.
It’s so easy to make, just make sure you add the ingredients in the order listed in the recipe. I did not and ended up dumping it into a bowl after a few pulses and adding them back in correctly. Also, I used a food processor and it worked like a charm.
Tonya says
My family loves this and wants it year round! Is there a way to can or freeze it.
Kadee says
I'm not sure what freezing would do to the texture after it is prepared, but you can freeze the fresh cranberries. I just throw the entire bag in the freezer for future use.
Sophie says
I crave your cranberry salsa recipe every year! the best
c says
OMG made this for thanksgiving and the platter was licked clean.
Ellen says
I made this for our thanksgiving charcuterie assortment and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Easier to eat while standing around or cooking than regular salsa and chips. I used whipped cream cheese as the base which worked fine.
Meggan S. says
I made this last year to take to a family Christmas party and it was DEVOURED! My husband has already has requested I make it as an appetizer on Thanksgiving this year! It seems so fancy, it's really pretty, and it's so easy!
Emily Kemp says
What a delicious sounding salsa I would never have thought to put all those ingredients together!
kendal says
where did you get that great wood cheese board?
Desarae says
It is a boo's Cutting block!