This fresh cranberry salad is a treat during the holidays and has become a traditional dish at our family holiday gatherings. Although you can find canned cranberries year-round, fresh cranberries are only available in our part of the country during the late fall and early winter. That means the freshest version of this salad is only available once a year during the holiday season.

When I was introduced to this dish many years ago, I was amazed how simple it is to make. It’s a welcome and healthy alternative with a bright and tangy taste.

This recipe serves a crowd, so it's perfect for any large family gathering. Another plus is that it will keep in the fridge for several weeks, provided there are any leftovers.

An amazing combination of cranberries, oranges, pineapple, apples and walnuts, it’s an explosion of tastes and flavors your family is sure to enjoy.

Make sure to get a good portion during the first round of helpings, because it’s only around once a year!

Holiday Cranberry Salad

Yield:

• 2-3 quarts of salad (depending on the size of the apples and oranges)

Prep Time:

• 30 minutes

Cook Time:

• 3-4 hours to chill in the refrigerator (or leave overnight)

Total Time:

• 4 hours and 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups water (boiling)

• 2 packages strawberry Jell-o (3oz)

• 1 can crushed pineapple with juice (20oz)

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 packages of fresh whole cranberries whole (two 12oz to 16oz packages)

• 2 whole seedless oranges with rind

• 3 whole, unpeeled apples (any particular variety)

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Add both packages of strawberry-flavored Jell-o to a medium-sized mixing bowl, then add 1½ cups of boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved. Next, mix in the entire can of crushed pineapple, juice and all.

Rinse and drain fresh cranberries, taking care to remove any berries that are imperfect. Pulse them in a food processor with the “S” blade to chop them, but not so fine that it makes a paste. Remove to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Next, with the grater blade fitted in a food processor, grind 2 seedless oranges, rind and all. Add to the cranberry mixture.

Stir in one cup of granulated sugar.

Core and chop into chunks, 3 whole, unpeeled apples. Add to the cranberry-orange mixture.

Chop one cup of walnuts. Add to the cranberry mixture.

Stir in the Jell-o and pineapple mixture and combine well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until well chilled; about 4 hours or overnight. This salad gets better after it sets for a day or two, but sometimes I can’t wait to have a taste as soon as it’s made!

Tips and Tricks:

You can substitute cherry flavored Jell-o, if you prefer. I use strawberry flavored Jell-o with an added cup of sugar, because the strawberry flavor complements the tartness of the cranberries and oranges.

Tools:

I’ve included links to some tools and equipment you might find useful for making this recipe.

My favorite food processor is the 14-cup processor from Cuisinart (model number DFP-14BCNY), but Amazon is sold out of them at the moment. I’ve included a link to a different model, but still Cuisinart.

The trifle dishes are the same ones I’ve used in my photos.