Make-Ahead Cranberry Orange Relish with Pecans
A vibrant, chunky holiday side dish made with fresh cranberries, orange zest and juice, maple syrup, and toasted pecans. This relish is easy to make ahead, allowing flavors to meld for a perfect balance of tart, sweet, and crunchy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes (plus 4+ hours chilling)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340g) fresh cranberries
- 1 large orange (for zest and juice)
- ½ cup (60g) raw pecans
- ¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Toast the pecans in a small skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes until nutty and darker. Cool completely, then chop roughly by hand.
- Zest the orange using a microplane, avoiding the bitter white pith. Juice the orange to yield about ¼ cup.
- Pulse the fresh cranberries in a food processor in short bursts until broken into small pieces (coarse sand texture). Do not puree.
- Transfer chopped cranberries to a medium glass bowl. Add orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup, apple cider, and salt. Stir until syrup is dissolved.
- Fold in the chopped toasted pecans.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld and cranberries to soften.
- Taste before serving and adjust sweetness or tartness if needed. Serve chilled.
Notes
Toast pecans carefully as they burn easily. Chop pecans by hand for better texture. The relish tastes better after sitting in the fridge for 24 hours. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/4 cu
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 2
Keywords: cranberry relish, holiday side dish, make-ahead recipe, Thanksgiving sides, cranberry orange pecans, vegan side dish, gluten-free recipe