Cranberry Salsa

This savory Cranberry Salsa recipe puts a unique twist on cranberries. Spooned over a block of cream cheese and eaten with crackers, this delicious and festive appetizer is sure to be a crowd pleaser, perfect served up alongside our cranberry holiday punch!

 

Why we love this recipe

As a food blogger, I’m probably not supposed to tell you this, but here it goes. Chips and salsa is my favorite meal.

Never mind the fact that I know far better than to be eating this for a meal, but if I have a jar of salsa in the fridge, a bag of tortilla chips in the pantry, and no one to cook dinner for, the odds are very high that chips and salsa will be dinner.

And you know the phrase “if you can’t beat em, join em”? Well, that sort of applies here. If I can’t beat the habit, I may as well make the most kick-butt homemade salsa that I can. Enter this Cranberry Salsa.

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

If you’re going to make salsa at home, there’s no point in making it boring. I’ve made pineapple salsa and mango salsa before, but with the holidays quickly approaching, I thought today we could really step out of our usual salsa comfort zone and make it with cranberries.

Holiday hint: don’t miss my cranberry orange sweet rolls for a fabulous holiday breakfast!

We’ll toss the cranberries with some other delicious ingredients, then roast them on a baking sheet to bring out an even richer cranberry taste. Mix with pomegranate arils, spoon over a mound of cream cheese, and serve!

More cranberry recipes

1. During the holidays we all eat too many sugary sweets. Try this cranberry smoothie as a refreshing holiday detox!
2. Need a festive beverage to serve at your holiday dinner party? Try this cranberry sangria recipe!
3. If it’s dessert you’re looking for, I know you will love this quick cranberry apple cobbler.
4. Traditional whole cranberry sauce is way better than that can of jellied cranberries, so this year make your own!

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Cranberry Salsa

Cranberry salsa puts a unique twist on salsa. Spoon over a block of cream cheese and eat with crackers for a festive holiday appetizer.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 to 10

25 minutes mins

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
• ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 finely chopped jalapeño seeds removed
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 1 lime zest + juice
• ▢ ¼ tsp cumin
• ▢ Pinch of salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 Tbsp cilantro chopped
• ▢ 1 pomegranate
• ▢ 1 8- oz block of cream cheese

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Baking sheets
• ▢
  Mixing bowls
• ▢
  Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, toss together cranberries, sugar, jalapeño, garlic, lime zest + juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Spread into a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until berries burst.
• Remove from pan, leaving the excess juice on the pan, and gently combine with cilantro and pomegranate arils.
• Cover and set in the fridge to cool and let the flavors blend (1 hour to overnight).
• Place cream cheese on a serving dish and spoon cranberry salsa on top. Serve with an assortment of crackers.

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This post originally appeared here on Oct 18, 2016.