Tomato and Onion Chutney

Bowl of tomato onion chutney with herbs on top on a wood board with a spoon next to the bowl.

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Tomato and Onion Chutney

Tomato and Onion Chutney is a sweet and savory chutney recipe made with ripe tomatoes, herbs and spices. This is a quick and easy Indian fusion recipe, based on South Indian tomato chutney that is incredibly delicious and bursting with flavor. Use as a side dish for meat and fish or as a tomato relish for burgers and more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Sides

Cuisine: Indian/American Fusion

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Method: Stove top

Special Diet: Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30

Servings: servings

Calories: 22kcal

Author: Tracey Hatch-Rizzi

Ingredients

Chutney ingredients

2 pounds tomatoes any variety and size
1 medium onion any variety
½ cup sweetener of choice see Notes for recommendations
2 tablespoons vinegar apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder red chili powder, or chipotle
1 teaspoon ginger powder or 1 inch fresh ginger - finely chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

Tempering ingredients (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
6 dried curry leaves use 6-8 leaves, depending on size. Read more in my Curry Leaves Ingredient Spotlight.
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds optional
1 pinch asafoetida powder optional. Read more in my Asafoetida Ingredient Spotlight.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chutney Instructions

Cut the onion into quarters or large chunks and place in your food processor.
Process into small pieces. If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop by hand.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or ghee into a medium sauce pan and add the onion.
Sauté on medium heat until slightly softened.
Rinse the tomatoes and remove the stems and leaves. Then cut into large wedges and add to the food processor.
Process until you get a thick and chunky consistency, but not completely pureed. If not using a food processor, you can use a blender or finely chop the tomatoes by hand.
Add the tomatoes, sweetener, salt, vinegar and spices to the pot with the onions and garlic and stir until combined.
Simmer on medium-low heat until thick, about 45-60 minutes, stirring often. I like to partially cover the pot to prevent any splatter. As the mixture thickens, you will need to stir very often, every few seconds, to prevent burning.
Turn off the heat and let cool. The chutney will thicken more as it cools.

Tempering instructions (see What is Tempering? in post)

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or ghee to a small pan over medium heat until very hot.
Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, asafoetida and cumin seeds to the hot oil and toast for about 30 seconds or until very fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Notes

Nutritional information is based on using alternative sweetener.

Selecting a sweetener

Use regular sugar, stevia or allulose. Do not use erythritol, as it will crystalize when cooled, causing a gritty crunch. For Whole30, use date paste 1:1 to replace the sweetener.

Expert tips

If chopping tomatoes by hand, you may notice some peels in the finished chutney. Consider peeling the tomatoes before using them. You’ll find complete instructions on how to peel and blanch tomatoes in my Pisto Manchego recipe.
With a blender, the tomatoes will be a smoother consistency. I recommend blending the sautéed onions and garlic with the tomatoes to create an even consistency.

Nutrition