Just 5 minutes and 7 ingredients is all it takes to make this easy holiday appetizer! Cranberry salsa is fresh, tart, sweet, spicy, and super flavorful. This salsa tastes best when it rests in the fridge overnight making it a great make-ahead recipe. Serve it alone with tortilla chips or crackers, or you can pour it over a block of vegan cream cheese for a tart and creamy treat.
I just love the bright red color of this salsa! Topped with green jalapeno slices or a garnish of cilantro or green onions this red and green dip is perfect for your Christmas spread. I love adding extra jalapeno to make it spicy (I love spice), but feel free to reduce the jalapeno or even omit it depending on your spice preference.
Traditionally, spicy cranberry salsa is served by pouring it over a block of cream cheese. A store-bought vegan cream cheese will work well or I like to make homemade vegan cream cheese to be extra fancy. However, the cream cheese is optional as I love this salsa served as is!
If you want to turn this salsa into finger food, I recommend choosing a sturdy cracker such as baguette crackers, saltines, or Ritz crackers (which are vegan!). Take each cracker and spread it with a bit of vegan cream cheese, and top it with a spoonful of cranberry salsa. Garnish with some cilantro or green onions if desired then spread on a serving dish. Voila! A beautiful bite-sized app perfect for parties.
This recipe is similar to my Vegan Cranberry Jalapeno Dip. The main difference is that this salsa is pulsed in a food processor making it a finer texture, and it's also less sweet and spicier (more like a traditional salsa but with cranberries instead of tomatoes). Both are wonderful options for the holidays.
How to Make Spicy Cranberry Salsa:
Add the cranberries, sugar, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, 1 jalapeño, and salt to a food processor. Pulse several times, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until everything is mixed and the cranberries are chopped up but still have a bit of texture. Taste, and add more jalapeño if desired depending on how spicy you like it.
Allow the cranberry salsa to rest for at least 15 minutes (or overnight is best), to allow the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to deepen. Stir again before serving. Serve the salsa as is or you could alternatively pour the salsa on top of vegan cream cheese for a beautiful creamy tart combo. Enjoy with tortilla chips or crackers. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This cranberry salsa is...
- Tart, sweet, spicy, and fresh
- The perfect make-ahead holiday appetizer
- A hit at parties!
What to Serve Spicy Cranberry Salsa With:
Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
Easy Crispy Vegan Crackers
Crispy Chewy Vegan Crackers
Quick & Easy Vegan Cheese
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Spicy Cranberry Salsa
Servings: makes about 2 cups
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Ingredients
For the Cranberry Salsa:
- 12 oz fresh cranberries, (2 cups)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 6 green onions, roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 - 2 jalapeños, (depending on spice preference) seeded and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For serving:
- tortilla chips or crackers
- vegan cream cheese, (optional)
- jalapeno slices, cilantro, or green onions, (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, sugar, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, 1 jalapeño, and salt to a food processor. Pulse several times, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until everything is mixed and the cranberries are chopped up but still have a bit of texture. Taste, and add more jalapeño if desired depending on how spicy you like it.
- Allow the cranberry salsa to rest for at least 15 minutes (or overnight is best), to allow the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to deepen. Stir again before serving. Serve the salsa as is or you could alternatively pour the salsa on top of vegan cream cheese for a beautiful creamy tart combo. Enjoy with tortilla chips or crackers. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
More vegan holiday appetizers you might enjoy:
Robin says
Made this and shared with some friends. A year later and they are still raving about it!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That's amazing!! SO happy it's a hit 🙂
Bradi says
so insanely addictive, it's such a fresh and unique dish that's always popular at events; it's so simple but impressive. i like to serve it with club crackers, and go a little heavy on the lime, cilantro, and green onions 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you love it so much Bradi! Thank you for the review 🙂
Trina says
I made this tonight, pretty dang tasty! I used xylitol made from birch trees as my sweetener.
Thank you for sharing,
Trina
Sam Turnbull says
Perfect! So happy you enjoyed it!