This sweet and spicy cranberry-jalapeno salsa is the perfect dip for your next holiday gathering. This salsa is sweet and spicy and SO perfect for the holidays. I highly recommend this fun and creative dish to spice up your holiday meals (literally!)

My friend Leslie Register shared this recipe on her blog, Dear Party Diary, and I bookmarked and made it for Thanksgiving with family. Through this recipe, she created a fresh, healthy way to enjoy cranberries, and the vibrant cranberry salsa in a purple cabbage bowl was perfectly lovely. Trust me, it is SO delicious. 

Leslie lives in Birmingham and authored one of my new favorite cookbooks, Leslie’s Party Diaries. Her book is a treasure for those who want a guide for party planning, hospitality, and entertaining~Southern style. I’ve bookmarked dozens of recipes and have also gleaned a myriad of tips on making party planning less stressful!

Note: The juice from the salsa is plentiful and very bold in color; it will stain clothing, napkins, etc….be forewarned! I let my salsa sit in a strainer for an hour or so before placing it into the cabbage bowl to drain excess.

In the video below, I show exactly how I make this yummy dish from start to finish. Note: I decided from now on to use a regular bowl for the salsa rather than a cabbage bowl. This is neater, and also easier. My bowl is a Beatrix Ball white melamine. Here is one similar that I am actually planning to order for myself:-)

How did I make this recipe different this year?

This recipe is so fantastic and you can make it as it is; however, I made a few adjustments to the recipe when serving it this year. 

While the original recipe calls for purple cabbage, I left it out for my rendition. Another adjustment that I made was instead of granulated sugar, I used simple syrup. Doing this will ensure you don’t have the grit from the sugar in your salsa. 

How do I blend cranberry-jalapeno salsa?

One way that you can make this cranberry-jalapeno salsa is to add your cranberry to the blender and pulse them a few times until they are finely chopped. Once you have done that, you can add the cranberries and chopped ingredients into a bowl and mix from there. 

Another option for blending this salsa is adding all of your ingredients into the blender and pulsing them together. Doing this will make sure that all of the ingredients are uniformly sized and combined. You can pulse the blender until the consistency of the salsa is to your liking, some like it pretty smooth while others like it chunkier. 

What can I serve with cranberry-jalapeno salsa? 

Above all, my main method of serving this salsa is with sweet potato chips. I prefer the Terra Original chips with this salsa. They include sweet potato chips, parsnips, taro, and a few others. Alternatively, this salsa can also be spooned onto the plate and served alongside turkey or any meat that you are serving this holiday season. As well as being delicious, this salsa is also a much fresher, healthier alternative to jellied cranberry sauce.

Tips for making cranberry-jalapeno salsa:

Without a doubt, my number one tip is to wear gloves when chopping jalapenos. Wearing gloves prevents your fingers from stinging after chopping the jalapenos, or much worse, your eyes. Trust me, you don’t want to get jalapeno juice anywhere that it is not supposed to be. 

If you try this recipe, I’d know you’ll love it. I highly recommend Leslie’s Party Diaries for more fabulous recipes like this one!

And please visit our Family Savvy storefront to see my amazon faves and must-haves for you, your home, and your loved ones.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MY HOME TO YOURS!

I hope this recipe and others from Family Savvy make your Christmas and holidays more special (and less stressful). As always, thank you so much for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!

If you like this post, try these recipes:

• How To Make Homemade Egg-Free Eggnog That Everyone Will Love
• How To Make Apple Dump Cake Crisp For the Holidays
• Perfect Party Caramel Apple Dip For The Holidays