This easy south Indian style Tomato Chutney has salty, spicy, sweet and tangy flavor notes. Simple spices add depth and deliciousness.
This superb south Indian style Tomato Chutney is a simple recipe you can rustle up in a hurry to serve with any meal. It is easy to make, like a mint chutney or a coconut chutney, and it is just as flavorful and versatile.
With tomatoes in season, there's no better time to make it. If you do, I'd love to know, so be sure to tell me in the comments below!
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this tomato chutney recipe
- It's simple. There's very little prep involved and the chutney, which needs to be cooked, goes from scratch to done in about 30 minutes with very little hands-on time needed.
- It's extremely versatile. In south India, you'd eat this tomato chutney with a "tiffin" dish like dosa or idli But you don't have to limit yourself. Eat the chutney with an aloo paratha or in sandwiches, burgers, or as a side for a vegan steak. It's delicious with nearly anything.
- It's a great use for those seasonal tomatoes. With tomato season on, it's nice to have another recipe where the tomato is a starring act rather than a supporting one, as it often is in recipes.
- It's delicious. Sweet, salty, tangy, spicy. There's something in this tomato chutney for every tastebud and your whole mouth will thank you for it.
This chutney is delicious! Thank you so much for sharing, Vaishali.
-Aeli
Ingredients
- Tomatoes. Any kind are fine, but try to use tomatoes that have a fairly thin skin and ones that are juicy.
- Coconut oil. This is an especially wonderful flavor in south Indian style recipes and it works nicely in this tomato chutney.
- Mustard seeds. Always use black mustard seeds in Indian cooking.
- Curry leaves. A couple of sprigs add delicious flavor to this tomato chutney. You can chop the curry leaves if they are especially large or leave them whole.
- Urad dal (black gram dal). This adds a nice crunch to the chutney.
- Peanuts. The flavor of peanuts with the sweet, tangy tomatoes is amazing. I love them in here but you can leave them out, especially if you are nut-free. You will need to pound or process the peanuts until they are broken into smaller pieces.
- Curry powder (can use Sambar Powder). Sambar powder would traditionally be used in this chutney, but if you have a good curry powder on hand you can use that instead as the flavors should be close to that of a sambar powder, as they are in my homemade version linked here.
- Turmeric. For color and health.
- Paprika. Optional, but adds amazing color to the chutney.
- Cayenne. The traditional version of this chutney can be extremely spicy. I make it only moderately so with a teaspoon of cayenne or Indian red chili powder but that can be a lot for some, so skip the cayenne if you want to, especially if the curry powder or sambar powder you are using is already spicy. You can also just use the paprika, which will add color without the heat.
- Jaggery. Jaggery is an unrefined Indian cane sugar you can easily find online and at Indian stores. But if you don't have this, the flavor of Mexican piloncillo or coconut sugar will work really well.
How to make tomato chutney
Variations
- For more zing, make a tempering or tadka of hot oil and sputter mustard seeds in it, then add two dry red chilli peppers, broken into small pieces, and a sprig of curry leaves. Once the curry leaves fry up, pour the tempering with the mustard, red chilies and curry leaves over the prepared chutney.
Top tip
Break down the tomatoes a bit in the food processor for a creamier consistency to the chutney, but don't puree them into a smooth paste. Coarsely blending the tomatoes retains some wonderful texture but also gives the tomato chutney a better consistency.
Storage and freezing instructions
This chutney will keep well for a week in the refrigerator. For longer storage freeze in a freezer-safe container and thaw completely before using.
What to eat with the tomato chutney
- This south Indian tomato chutney recipe is delicious as a side dish and a perfect accompaniment to dosa, brown rice dosa, sorghum/jowar dosa or adai. Or eat it with uthappam or idli. Curd rice is especially great with tomato chutney. You can find my vegan curd rice recipe here.
- Eat this chutney with aloo paratha or a vegan naan. Or as a condiment in veggie burgers and sandwiches.
More delicious tomato recipes
Tomato Chutney Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 7 medium tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoon urad dal (black gram dal)
- 2 shallots (or red onions, finely diced)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 2 tablespoon peanuts (coarsely pounded in a mortar or pestle or food processor. Don't make this a fine powder--you want some larger pieces for texture. Skip peanuts if nut-free.)
- 2 heaping tsp curry powder (or sambar powder. You might need more or less depending on the brand or recipe you use. Taste and add more if needed)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional, or use less for less heat)
- 1 teaspoon paprika (optional, for color)
- 1 tablespoon jaggery (can use piloncillo or brown sugar or coconut sugar)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, process the tomatoes until just roughly broken down. You don't want a puree but you don't want very large pieces of tomato in there either. You can skip this and just chop the potatoes fine if you'd rather.
- Heat the oil in a nonstick saucepan.
- Add the mustard seeds. When they sputter add the curry leaves, peanuts and urad dal. Stir-fry for a minute until the dal begins to turn a light gold.
- Add the shallots and stir-fry until shallots begin to brown.
- Add the tomatoes, curry powder or sambar powder, turmeric, cayenne and paprika, if using. Stir in the jaggery and add salt to taste.
- Let the tomatoes cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the juices dry up. You will know the chutney is done when the tomatoes begin to caramelize and stick a little to the pan. Make sure you stir frequently so nothing burns.
- Turn off the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
- Try and use juicy tomatoes with thin skins in this recipe for best results.
- You can puree the tomatoes or chop them instead into small pieces for a differently textured chutney. Be sure to let the visible moisture evaporate.
- If you don't have curry leaves, use 2 tablespoon cilantro instead. Add it to the pan at the same time as you would curry leaves.
Aeli
This chutney is delicious! Thank you so much for sharing, Vaishali.
Vaishali
Awesome, thanks Aeli!
Sunshinemom
I love sambar powder added to chutneys, curries and what not! Lovely colour - I can feel its tangy taste! My daughter has been asking me for this for sometime now. I have gotten lazy!!
Usha
Your chutney looks delicious,I make a variation of this chutney off and on but have never tried it with sambar powder and jaggery,will try this soon 🙂
Miri
I lived in Thane too (Vasant Vihar- Pokhran road) very briefly - about two months when we shifted out of our staff quarters in Matunga. I then moved to Bandra as a PG but still remember the lovely hills around us.
The tomato chutney recipe is interesting...thanks for sharing!
Miri