Home » From Fast Food to Fine Dining: Copycat Restaurant Recipes for Every Taste! » Luby’s Cranberry Relish
by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated 9 Comments
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You can have this cranberry relish at home with our recipe. This cranberry relish has oranges, apples, and fresh cranberries and tastes so good! I got the ingredients straight from Luby’s, but the amounts took several holidays to perfect. They gave me the recipe to feed 200 people!
The tart taste ofcranberry relishis the perfect contrast to heavy sauces and carbohydrates. That is why it isn’t easy to find a table anywhere in America that doesn’t have at least one version of it come the fourth Thursday in November. But you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to serve up this delicious side dish. It can and should be enjoyed throughout the year, just like it is at Luby’s cafeteria in Texas.
Luby’s no-cookcranberry relishstarts with fresh cranberries and then adds apples, oranges, and a touch of sugar to round out the flavor profile. This recipe saves time because it actually improves in flavor when stored in the fridge overnight. Give this simplecranberry orange relisha try, and it will probably become a cherished family recipe.
Table of Contents
What is the Difference Between aCranberry Relishand a Cranberry Sauce?
When it comes to cranberries, some folks prefer sauce, others like relish, but many are confused about the two’s differences. There is a straightforward way to tell them apart: Cranberry sauce is cooked, whilecranberry relishis not.
In fact, cranberry sauce is very similar to a jam or jelly as it is cooked on the stovetop with sugar and water until the cranberries start to break down. Sometimes a few spices and other flavorings are thrown into the pot, perhaps even a little pectin to help thicken the sauce. The cooking process and the larger amount of sugar in cranberry sauce recipes produce a sweet dish with just a hint of tartness.
On the other hand, tartness is the overriding flavor ofcranberry relish. The fresh uncooked cranberries really come through and can surprise those who are used to eating cranberry sauce.Cranberry relishis definitely more of a ‘grown-up’ side dish; however, many former cranberry sauce fans grow to prefer the relish version over time.
Fancying Up FreshCranberry Relish
Although this recipe is perfectly fine the way Luby’s serves it, you may want to think about a few ways to really make it your own when you make it at home. Here are a few suggestions to help get your mind working:
- Add a cup of chopped pecans, 8 ounces of crushed pineapples, and 2 cups of unsweetened coconut flakes.
- Combine a two cup of chopped walnuts with thecranberry relishbefore resting in the fridge overnight. Sprinkle more on top before serving.
- Increase the sweetness naturally by adding 2 cups of dried dates to the relish.
- A cup of chopped candied ginger adds a little spiciness.
Tips For Making, Enjoying and Storing FreshCranberry Relish
- You can use frozen whole cranberries for this recipe.But first, thaw the cranberries in a colander in the sink before using them in the recipe.
- Store in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge.You can freeze in a well-sealed freezer bag for up to a month. Let frozencranberry orange relishthaw slowly in the fridge.
- More than a side dish, you can eatcranberry relishin many ways.Try it on top of your waffles or mixed with cream cheese and spread on a bagel. Boost the flavor of your favorite balsamic vinaigrette by adding a few spoonfuls of relish to it.
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Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need
- Fresh cranberries
- Apples
- Seedless Oranges
- Sugar
- Red food coloring
How to Make Cranberry Relish
- Insert knife blade into the bowl of a food processor.
- Place cranberries in the processor bowl.
- Slice and cube apples, removing core and seeds but leaving the peel on.
- Zest one orange then peel and section oranges.
- Add apple cubes, zest, orange sections, sugar, and food coloring to the food processor bowl.
- Process until all is pureed and blended.
- Refrigerate overnight for best results.
Holiday Salad Recipes
- Lime Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
- Lime Jello Salad with Pineapple
- Orange Jello Salad
- Cranberry Salad
- Carrot Raisin Salad
- Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad
Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
- Deep Fried Turkey
- Copycat Honey Baked Ham
- Cranberry Butter
- Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
- Southern Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
- Cheesy Creamed Corn
Be sure to check out more holiday salad recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes right here on CopyKat.com!
Luby’s Cafeteria Cranberry Relish
You can make Luby’s Cafeteria Cranberry Relish at home.
5 from 4 votes
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Copycat recipe, Cranberries, Luby’s Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 207kcal
Author: Stephanie Manley
Ingredients
- 16 ounces whole cranberries
- 2 oranges
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 apples
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 drops red food coloring
Instructions
Using your food processor, dump cranberries in a container with a puree blade. Slice and cube apple, removing seeds but leaving the peel on. Add into a processor. Wash thoroughly one orange and scrape zest.
Peel both oranges, section and add to mixture. Add sugar and food coloring. Puree until all is blended. Refrigerate overnight for best results.
Notes
Thanks to Pam Hite for sharing this recipe. She suggests that the above is Luby’s original recipe; however, I also add one small can of crushed pineapples, one small bag of coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans. It’s a must-have on our holiday dinner table
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 22.4mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.2mg
About Stephanie Manley
I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.
Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
John Fuller
Your recipe is great and tastes great. This is the way my mother and our family have been making cranberry relish since the early 1950s. I make 2 batches and the second one has
an ounce of ” Fireball Cinnamon Whisky” and no red dye as the berries we use from Northern
Ontario are quite red.and we use Ambrosia apples also.Reply
Marsha
Are the cranberries suppose to be cooked before going into the food processer? Aldente?
Reply
Stephanie
The cranberries are raw.
Reply
Leone Heinold
The picture shows large pieces of cranberries but you say to puree? This sounds so very good! I will try this soon.
Reply
Stephanie
Yep, reshot the photos, everything is pureed.
Reply
Sheralyn Miller
I have a big supply of frozen cranberries on hand. Can these be used instead of fresh cranberries?
Thank you!Reply
Stephanie
I think so.
Reply
Yes u can use frozen cranberries as fresh ones … I rinse mine off and use them asap … the recipe I use them for I do not let them thaw … I grind them up frozen …
I did let 1 batch thaw and it was mush ………
Boil fresh cranberries for 8 min. before placing in food processor. Do not exceed 15 min, as it then changes the entire taste of the berries to a sour mash.Reply