Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Fresh ginger and a pinch of black pepper add heat to this cranberry salad. Heat and cranberry salad are two words you’ve probably never heard together. We know, it sounds unconventional (and it is), but this Cranberry-Apple-Ginger Salad is absolutely delicious, and there’s still plenty of sweetness from the cranberries and apple cider. This is cranberry salad is the perfect mix of surprise and tradition. Although we’re in support of using the freshest ingredients for our recipes, frozen cranberries work just as well for this recipe, and they’ll be especially easy to find around the holidays. Chopped apple slices and celery give this Cranberry-Apple-Ginger Salad a surprising crunch, which most cranberry salads lack. One Test Kitchen professional said this colorful, flavorful salad is “so much better than the canned stuff.” We recommend using Fuji apples for this recipe to add as much sweetness as possible. If you’ve got a mile-long to-do list the day of serving, take one thing off your plate (couldn’t help the pun) and make this Cranberry-Apple-Ginger Salad up to three days in advance. Cover and store it in the refrigerator. Pull it out when the table is being set. This unique cranberry salad can be served on its own or with a protein like turkey, ham, pork chops, or chicken. Tell Mama you’ll take care of the cranberries this Thanksgiving with this cranberry salad that’s unlike anything you’ve tried before.
How to Make It
Step 1
Bring the cranberries, brown sugar, apple cider, ginger, and black pepper to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries pop and mixture thickens, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Step 2
Stir in pineapple, celery, and apple. Transfer to a serving bowl; cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.
