Martha Stewart Cranberry Relish Recipe

By anabelle

Fact checked by Edward Harrington

Updated October 30, 2026

Martha Stewart cranberry relish is the raw, spoonable kind of cranberry sauce — tart fresh berries and whole orange chopped together, then sweetened just enough to keep things bright. It tastes sharply sweet-tart, with a little bitterness from the orange peel and a clean citrus finish. The texture is chunky and coarse, more relish than sauce, and it holds a soft mound on the plate instead of spreading flat. This version is inspired by Martha Stewart’s classic American entertaining style, not a copy of her exact formula.

It takes 10 minutes of hands-on work and 70 minutes total, most of that unattended chilling in the fridge. The method is no-bake: one food processor or one cutting board and a bowl. It fits a holiday table best, though it works just as well for a weeknight roast chicken or a potluck where you need something cold and sharp next to rich food.

Why This Martha Stewart Cranberry Relish Works

The orange goes in unpeeled, and that peel is the whole point. It brings the faint bitterness that keeps a sweet-tart relish from tasting like jam, and quartering it means the food processor breaks it down evenly with the berries. Seeding it first matters, because a stray seed turns gritty in an otherwise clean spoonful.

Pulsing instead of pureeing is the other key move. Short bursts stop while pieces are still the size of a pea, which gives you a relish with actual texture. Salt and a small amount of lemon juice sharpen the fruit so the sugar reads as balance rather than sweetness.

What You’ll Love About It

Three things make this worth keeping on hand: it takes 10 minutes and no stove, it uses a single bag of cranberries and one orange, and it improves after an hour in the fridge. The color stays deep crimson, and it slices through heavy holiday food without any cooking at all.

Ingredients

One bag of berries and one orange do most of the work here. Have everything measured before you start chopping.

• 1 12-ounce bag (340g) fresh cranberries — picked over and rinsed; frozen berries will make the relish watery.
• 1 medium navel orange (about 8 ounces/227g) — unpeeled, quartered and seeded.
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar — plus more to taste.
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice — from 1 lemon.
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Equipment

• Food processor — fitted with the standard blade; a chef’s knife works if you don’t have one.
• Colander — for rinsing the berries.
• Paper towels — to dry the cranberries.
• Cutting board — for quartering the orange.
• Medium bowl — about 2 quarts (2L) to hold the mixture.
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Airtight container — for storing.

How to Make Martha Stewart Cranberry Relish

Step 1: Pick Over and Dry the Berries

Tip the cranberries into a colander and sort through them, discarding any that are soft, shriveled or split. Rinse them well under cold running water, then spread them on paper towels and pat dry. Skipping the drying step leaves extra water in the bowl, and the relish turns thin and weepy within a day.

Step 2: Quarter the Orange

Cut the orange into quarters and flick out any seeds with the tip of a knife, leaving the peel on. If the orange is very thick-skinned, trim a little of the white pith from the cut sides — too much pith makes the relish taste bitter rather than bright. Keep the colored zest intact, since that is where the orange flavor lives.

Step 3: Pulse Until Coarsely Chopped

Put the cranberries and orange quarters in the food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times, until coarsely chopped and no piece is larger than a pea. Stop and scrape down the bowl once or twice so everything chops evenly. Do not puree — the relish should stay slightly chunky. No processor? Chop both by hand on a cutting board with a chef’s knife, working in batches so nothing escapes.

Step 4: Stir in the Sugar and Seasonings

Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in 1 cup (200g) sugar, 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, if using. Taste it: it should be bright and balanced, and if it is still too tart, stir in up to 2 tablespoons more sugar. Add that extra sugar a spoonful at a time, because the relish sweetens further as it sits.

Step 5: Chill for at Least 1 Hour

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, so the sugar dissolves and the flavors meld. The relish will thicken slightly as it sits and the berries soften a little. Stir it again just before serving to bring the juices back up from the bottom.

Step 6: Serve Chilled

Spoon the relish into a serving bowl and serve it cold alongside roasted turkey or chicken. It looks and tastes best within 2 days of making, while the color is still vivid. Keep the serving bowl on the table rather than in a warm spot, and set out a small spoon so it doesn’t get mixed into the gravy.

What to Serve With It

• Roast turkey — the classic pairing, hot bird and cold relish.
• Roast chicken — a weeknight version that needs the same acidity.
• Stuffing and gravy — cuts through both in one bite.
• Sharp cheddar — spoon it over cheese and crackers before dinner.

Tips for the Best Results

Keep the orange peel but trim heavy pith, since that is what tips the relish bitter. Pulse rather than run the processor, and stop while pieces are pea-sized. Let it chill a full hour before you judge the sweetness — the sugar needs time to dissolve.

Easy Variations

• Extra citrus — swap the lemon for 2 tablespoons (30ml) lime juice.
• Warm spice — increase the cinnamon to 1/4 teaspoon for a warmer note.
• Finer texture — pulse 5 to 6 times for a smoother, spoonable relish.
• Apple crunch — stir in 1 small peeled apple, finely chopped, before chilling.

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerator — keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days and stir before serving.
• Freezer — freezes well for up to 2 months in a sealed container.
• Thawing — thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well to recombine.
• Serving cold — no reheating needed; serve it straight from the fridge or at cool room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

These values are estimates per serving and will vary with the size of your orange and how much extra sugar you add.

FAQs

Can I make this Martha Stewart cranberry relish recipe ahead of time?

Yes — it is one of the few things that is genuinely better made ahead, and it needs at least 1 hour in the fridge anyway. Make it the day before you plan to serve it for the brightest flavor and color, and stir before setting it out.

Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?

You can, but thaw and drain them well first, since frozen berries release a lot of liquid and the relish turns looser. Fresh berries give the firmest, most vivid result, so save frozen ones for a cooked sauce.

Why did my relish turn out bitter?

Bitterness almost always comes from too much white pith or from unseeded orange pieces getting chopped into the mix. Trim the pith from thick-skinned oranges and seed them carefully, and a pinch more sugar will round off any remaining edge.

Where did cranberry relish come from?

Raw chopped cranberry and orange relishes became a standard American holiday side in the 20th century, when fresh cranberries grew widely available and home cooks wanted a no-cook alternative to boiled sauce. The combination of whole orange and raw berries is now a fixture on Thanksgiving tables across the country.

Martha Stewart-Inspired Cranberry Relish

Print Recipe

A bright, jewel-toned cranberry relish inspired by Martha Stewart’s classic American entertaining style, with a bracing sweet-tart balance and a deep crimson color. It is a no-mess alternative to cooked cranberry sauce, made in one bowl or a food processor, and it has a chunky, spoonable texture that holds its shape on a plate.

• Author: Anabelle McLean
• Prep Time: 10
• Total Time: 70
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: No-Bake
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 12-ounce bag (340g) fresh cranberries, picked over and rinsed
• 1 medium navel orange (about 8 ounces/227g), unpeeled, quartered and seeded
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Pick through the cranberries, discarding any soft or shriveled ones, and rinse them well in a colander. Pat them dry with paper towels so the relish does not turn watery.
2. Cut the orange into quarters and remove any seeds, leaving the peel on. If the orange is very thick-skinned, trim a little of the white pith from the cut sides so the relish does not turn bitter.
3. Put the cranberries and orange quarters in a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times, until coarsely chopped and no piece is larger than a pea. Do not puree; the relish should be slightly chunky. If you do not have a food processor, chop the cranberries and orange by hand on a cutting board with a chef’s knife.
4. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the sugar, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon, if using. Taste and add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar if the mixture is too tart; it should be bright but balanced.
5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, so the sugar dissolves and the flavors meld. Stir again before serving; the relish will thicken slightly as it sits.
6. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve chilled alongside roasted turkey or chicken. The relish will keep its color best if served within 2 days.

Notes

Store the relish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; stir before serving. For the brightest flavor and color, make it no more than 1 day ahead. It freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir before serving. Do not reheat this no-cook relish; serve it cold or at cool room temperature. For a finer texture, pulse fewer times, and for a sweeter relish, add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time after the initial chilling.

Nutrition

• Calories: 126
• Sugar: 27g
• Sodium: 75mg
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

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