Make this mint chutney in five minutes and add tons of flavor to any Indian meal! It's perfect with Indian chaat dishes like samosa, vegetable pakora or bhel, in wraps like a vegan Frankie, a sandwich or a veggie burger. Or serve as a side with a yummy vegetable biryani or with a south Indian dosa or idli.
Here's a delicious and easy mint chutney recipe to fall in love with. It's loaded with so much fresh flavor from mint and cilantro, plus it's tangy, spicy, and quite perfect for serving with any Indian recipe.
You'll very possibly find a version of a mint chutney (or a pudina chutney as it's known in parts of India) in the refrigerators of most Indians because this is such a versatile condiment. You can buy jarred and bottled mint chutney or cilantro mint chutney at Indian stores anywhere in the world but nothing parallels the freshness and taste of a homemade mint chutney.
Chutneys in India are either drizzled over various kinds of chaat or street food dishes, or they are used as a condiment in wraps and sandwiches, to enhance the flavor of the stuffing. This mint chutney is perfect for those roles, but it is also a great substitute for a traditional coconut chutney served alongside a dosa or idli or rava upma. Or you can even slather it over burger buns to cradle your favorite veggie burger.
Why you'll love this mint chutney recipe
- It is an explosion of flavors, tangy, spicy, salty and -- je ne sais quoi! This green chutney tastes so fresh and delicious. It's the taste of summer in a bowl.
- It is SO EASY to make. Just a handful of ingredients and five minutes is all you need. Anyone can do it!
- It is so versatile, you can use it to enhance nearly any food. Don't just think Indian food with this mint cilantro chutney. It is perfect for sandwiches and burgers, or as a sauce for a tofu or tempeh steak. Your imagination is the limit!
- Everyone can eat it. There's no gluten or soy in this recipe and the peanuts are easily replaced (see faqs below for substitution suggestions).
Ingredients for mint chutney
- 1 packed cup fresh mint leaves. Peppermint or spearmint are both fine here.
- 1 loosely packed cup fresh cilantro or coriander leaves. These add a nice spiciness to the chutney and keep the mint flavor from being too overpowering.
- ½ cup lightly roasted peanuts. These add a lovely nuttiness and body to the chutney.
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Or use 2 cloves garlic and a ½ inch knob of ginger.
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds. Sold as anardana in Indian stores, these are the coarsely ground seeds of the pomegranate fruit. They add a nice depth and tang to the chutney. You can leave these out if you can't find them or add a teaspoon of chaat masala instead.
- 2 green chili peppers. Jalapeno, serrano or Thai peppers are all fine. Choose a pepper based on your spice tolerance. You can reduce the number of peppers to one and make sure you deseed the pepper and remove the ribs to reduce heat further.
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice. Add more if you want a tangier chutney. Some recipes add yogurt and you can use a quarter of a cup of vegan yogurt here, but I like the flavor of the lemon juice better here. Also the lemon keeps the chutney from discoloring.
- Salt to taste.
- 1 cup water
How to make mint chutney
- Place all ingredients in the blender or food processor.
- Pulse until the herbs are broken down into small bits. Drizzle in half a cup of water through the feed tube and continue to process until a coarse paste forms.
- Add the remaining half cup water and continue to process or blend into a smooth paste. This takes much less time in a blender, but you can do it in a food processor.
- Serve the chutney cold or at room temperature.
Watch how to make mint chutney
Frequently asked questions
Sure. The cilantro helps balance the flavors without making a strong presence felt. But if you want a stronger mint flavor just use two cups of mint and leave out the cilantro.
It's easy to make this chutney nut-free. Leave out the peanuts and instead use an equal quantity of roasted chana dal (sold in Indian stores and online as chana dalia)
The chutney can be refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for up to four months. Defrost completely before eating.
Mint chutney is wonderful with Indian street foods and as a condiment with nearly any Indian restaurant style meal. But it also is a great sauce to drizzle on hamburger buns for veggie burgers or in wraps.
More yummy chutney recipes you might like
Mint Chutney (Pudina Chutney)
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 packed cup mint leaves (trim out tough stems. Tender stems are fine to use)
- 1 loosely packed cup cilantro (including stems, which have lots of flavor)
- ½ cup peanuts (lightly roasted on a skillet or in microwave)
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (alternatively use 2 cloves garlic and a ½-inch knob of ginger)
- 1 teaspoon anardana (pomegranate seeds. Leave these out if you can't find them or use a teaspoon of chaat masala instead)
- 2 green chili peppers (reduce to one and deseed if sensitive to heat)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except water in the blender or food processor.
- Pulse until the herbs are broken down into small bits. Drizzle in half a cup of water through the feed tube and continue to process until a coarse paste forms.
- Add the remaining half cup water and continue to process or blend into a smooth paste. This takes much less time in a blender, but you can do it in a food processor.
- Serve the chutney cold or at room temperature.
Video
Recipe notes
- A food processor will get the job done but a blender works better for this recipe because it blends it up much quicker.
- You can make this chutney with mint alone. The cilantro helps balance the flavors but if you want a stronger mint flavor just use two cups of mint and leave out the cilantro.
- To make the chutney nut-free leave out the peanuts and instead use an equal quantity of roasted chana dal (sold in Indian stores and online as chana dalia.
- The chutney can be refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for up to four months. Defrost completely before eating.
- Serve this mint chutney with any Indian meal or with burgers and in wraps.
Marsha
My favorite mint chutney. I use it for everything, including sandwiches and wraps. So versatile and yummy.
Vaishali
Awesome, so happy you love it!
Michele Martin
This is a simple and delicious mint/cilantro chutney. I've made it twice. The first time I used chaat masala and left out the peanuts. The second time I forgot to add the chaat masala, used kala namak instead and cashews instead of peanuts. Both times it was delicious. Next time I must try it exactly as written, with peanuts and anardana. I love your recipes!
Vaishali
So happy you loved the chutney!