How to Make Cranberry Salad

Guide Note

Is it a salad or is it a dessert? After you make the recipes outlined in our guide, How to Make Cranberry Salad, you'll want to enjoy the succulent salad both during and after your meal. Be the hit of your next family gathering by creating the easy dish with a gelatin base, whipped cream base or a combination of different ingredients in one of their tasty variations.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Fresh Cranberry Tips
• Making Cranberry Gelatin Salad
• Making Whipped Cranberry Salad
• Variations
• References

Cranberry Salad Tips

1. Choose fresh cranberries that are vibrant red and firm.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water, then cool it until partially set with cold water.
3. Fold in the fruit and nuts before the gelatin sets completely.
4. Improve the presentation by pouring the mixture into a pan or mold before chilling.
5. Top the salad with a dollop of whipped or sour cream before serving.
6. Create whipped version of the salad using whipped cream and marshmallows to bind cranberries, pineapple and sugar.

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Introduction

• While a Jell-O mold with pieces of pineapple may be the traditional holiday fare, why not spruce the salad up this year with additional texture and color? A cranberry salad combines the typical gelatin with festive red cranberries and tangy oranges, pineapple and crunchy walnuts. You may also love a fluffier dish that uses whipped cream and sweet marshmallows in place of the jiggling gelatin. Once you try these quick and easy recipes, you may never go back to the original.

Fresh Cranberry Tips

• Although there are some recipes that call for canned whole cranberry sauce or even canned jellied cranberry sauce, whole fresh or frozen cranberries are a great choice.^{1 2 3} Use the following tips to buy and store them properly to ensure the best taste for your salad.

Buying

1. 

   (Creative Commons photo by P. A. M.)
   Fresh cranberries are typically in season from September through December.⁴
2. A 12-ounce bag of cranberries holds about three cups worth.⁵
3. Choose firm, shiny berries with a vibrant red color.⁶
4. Ripe cranberries will also bounce.⁷
5. Avoid using cranberries that are discolored, overly soft or shriveled.⁸

Cleaning and Storing

1. Remove any bruised berries, leaves and stems.⁵
2. Rinse them in cold water before using.⁹
3. Store fresh cranberries in their plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two months.¹⁰
4. To keep them longer, wash and pat the berries dry and store them in a freezer bag for one year.⁶

Making Cranberry Gelatin Salad

• Combine the following ingredients to make about seven servings of sweet and tart cranberry salad in less than two hours.

What You'll Need

• Ingredients
• 3 ounce package raspberry gelatin
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups cranberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 orange, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Sour cream or whipped cream (optional)

• Equipment
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Gelatin mold or 9 x 9-inch pan (optional)

What to Do

1. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water.¹¹
2. Stir in the cold water to chill the gelatin.¹²
3. Let the gelatin start to set, but not harden completely.¹³
4. Fold the cranberries, pineapple, nuts, oranges and sugar into the gelatin.¹¹
5. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.¹⁴
   • -To prepare it for serving, you can also pour the salad into a 9 x 9-inch baking dish before chilling.¹²
   • -You can also pour the mixture into a gelatin mold for a dynamic presentation.¹⁵
6. If desired, top the salad with a dab of sour cream or whipped cream before serving.¹³

Making Whipped Cranberry Salad

• If you'd prefer a fluffy cranberry salad that uses whipped cream and marshmallows to bind the cranberries and fruit, try this recipe that will serve 10 people in about an hour.

What You'll Need

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by rochelle hartman)
  Ingredients
• 1 pound cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup crushed pineapple
• 12 ounces miniature marshmallows
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• Equipment
• Food processor
• Hand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Serving bowl
• Spoon

What to Do

1. Grind the cranberries up in a food processor.¹⁶
2. Combine the ground cranberries and sugar in a mixing bowl.¹⁷
3. Let the mixture sit at room temperature until the sugar is dissolved, about one hour.¹⁸
4. In a different mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream until it's fluffy and stiff.¹⁹
   • -Consider putting the hand mixer's beaters and the mixing bowl in the freezer before whipping the cream to make the process go faster.²⁰
   • -You can also use pre-made whipped topping.¹⁸
5. Stir the pineapple into the cranberry and sugar mixture.¹⁹
6. Mix the cranberry and pineapple mixture with the whipped cream and miniature marshmallows in a large serving bowl.¹⁸
7. Refrigerate the salad until you're ready to serve it.²⁰

Variations

• Whether you prefer your cranberry salad with a gelatin or whipped cream base, alter its texture, consistency and base flavors with one of these simple recipe variations.

1. Add cream cheese to give the salad a fluffier consistency.²¹
2. Apples and grapes give a whipped cranberry salad succulent texture.²²
3. Use lemon-flavored gelatin for a different base flavor.²³
4. Sugar substitute and sugar-free gelatin will reduce the salad's calorie count.²⁴
5. Give the salad a heavy cherry flavor by adding pitted cherries and using cherry gelatin.²⁵

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References for How to Make Cranberry Salad

1. ↑ All Recipes: Party Cranberry Salad
2. ↑ All Recipes: Frozen Cranberry Salad
3. ↑ All Recipes: Cranberry Gelatin Salad I
4. ↑ OceanSpray: When Can I Get Fresh Cranberries?
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Cranberry Institute: The Cranberry Institute's Whole Berry Freezing Facts and Cooking Pointers
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Weight Watchers: Selection, Preparation and Storage
7. ↑ Bon Appetit: How to Buy Cranberries
8. ↑ Recipezaar: How to Select Cranberries
9. ↑ OceanSpray: How Do I Use Fresh Cranberries?
10. ↑ Bon Appetit: How to Store Cranberries
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Recipezaar: Jellied Cranberry Salad III
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Recipezaar: Jellied Cranberry Salad
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Food Network: Paula Deen's Cranberry Salad Recipe
14. ↑ All Recipes: Cranberry Salad II
15. ↑ All Recipes: Cranberry Salad IV-2
16. ↑ Razzle Dazzle Recipes: Whipped Cranberry Salad  
17. ↑ All Recipes: Cranberry Salad IV
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2} Recipezaar: Kelley's Cranberry Salad
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} All Recipes: Cranberry Salad I
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Rachel Ray: Cranberry Salad
21. ↑ All Recipes: Creamy Cranberry Salad
22. ↑ About.com: Cranberry Salad  
23. ↑ All Recipes: Cranberry Salad V
24. ↑ Cooks.com: Cranberry Salad with Equal
25. ↑ Group Recipes: Cranberry Jello Salad

Additional Cranberry Gelatin Salad Recipes

• All Recipes: Moore's Cranberry Gelatin Salad
• AOL Food: Cranberry Jello Salad
• About.com: Cranberry Salad  
• Food Network: Cranberry Salad
• Recipezaar: Cranberry Salad Best Ever for Thanksgiving Dinner

Additional Cranberry Whipped Salad Recipes

• All Recipes: Cranberry Salad VI
• All Recipes: Grandma's Cranberry Salad
• All Recipes: Holiday Cranberry Salad
• Recipezaar: Cranberry Salad with Pecans
• Recipezaar: Cranberry and Marshmallow Salad