Cranberry Salsa

This Cranberry Salsa is a complete departure from traditional cranberry sauces. Uncooked cranberries are sweetened and blended with both sweet and hot flavors to create a deliciously unique condiment.

Got chips?

It was mid-summer when I started dreaming up this cranberry concoction. While my family and I were contemplating whether the elevated temperatures really warranted turning on the air conditioner, I was also starting to fantasize about how I could take some traditional Thanksgiving tastes – like cranberry sauce – and give them a new life.

And this? This ain’t your grandmother’s cranberry sauce. Oh no, it’s totally different.

This Cranberry Salsa is made from ripe cranberries that I bought roadside on Cape Cod. It’s sweet and spicy, a perfect contrast to salty tortilla chips. It should also be amazing on a turkey sandwich … you know, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s something that you take one bite of and instantly want more. And perhaps the best part? It takes no time to make.

To make it hot, I used a habanero pepper, which gave it a hearty bite. If you like really hot, include the pepper seeds in the salsa. For a milder salsa, use a milder pepper like a jalapeno.

This might not be the sauce you thought you wanted for Thanksgiving. But it’s amazing — use it as an appetizer or alongside the turkey. The leftovers will be ideal for turkey and cheese quesadillas, nachos, alongside omelets …

But, that’s if you have any leftover to eat. It’s just so amazing.

For the recipe, head over to SheKnows where I wrote about three alternatives to cranberry sauce, including this one.

Cranberry Salsa

Yield: 6 servings

Serve salsa with tortilla chips or as part of a Tex-Mex themed Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner -- or whenever you want. When choosing the hot pepper, choose wisely: A habanero will make this into a very hot salsa; a Serrano or a jalapeno will result in a milder salsa.

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Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
• 1 chile pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks with juice
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fully combined. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.