Tomato Chutney Recipe
Tomato Chutney, also known as Thakkali Chutney, is a popular South Indian condiment made with fresh tomatoes, lentils, spices, and herbs. It is commonly served with idli and dosa and is also enjoyed as a side or spread. This post shares an easy South Indian tomato chutney recipe.
What Makes This Tomato Chutney Different
I make this tomato chutney whenever I want something simple, tangy and quick to serve with South Indian breakfasts or snacks. Unlike many versions, this recipe does not use onion or garlic. Instead, fresh ginger adds a gentle earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with the natural tartness of ripe tomatoes.
One ingredient that makes a difference: Clove (laung) gives this tomato chutney a distinctive warm aroma. I use 1 to 2 cloves, depending on how pronounced I want the clove flavor to be. Two cloves give the chutney a warmer, more pronounced aroma, while 1 clove keeps the flavor milder.
A tip before you begin: The clove flavor mellows after refrigeration. If you’re making this recipe for the first time, I recommend starting with 1 clove. If you don’t enjoy the flavor of cloves, simply leave them out altogether.
Although this is an onion and garlic free recipe, you can certainly add both if you like. They blend well with the tomatoes and give the chutney a different but equally delicious flavor.
If you like chutneys made with tomatoes and onions, do try my Onion Chutney and Onion Tomato Chutney recipes too. Each recipe has its own unique combination of ingredients and flavor.
I usually serve this tomato chutney with Idli, Dosa, Medu Vada or Uttapam. It also pairs well with many South Indian snacks, including pakoda varieties.
For idli and dosa, I often serve it alongside Coconut Chutney, as the fresh coconut and tangy tomato chutneys complement each other really well.
A Look at the Ingredients
This tomato chutney is made with simple pantry staples and fresh tomatoes. Ginger adds a mild earthy flavor, while cloves and black pepper give the chutney a subtle warmth. The tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chili adds another layer of flavor and aroma.
I recommend using ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best balance of sweetness and tang. You can use sesame oil (gingelly oil) for a more traditional South Indian flavor or any neutral oil that you have on hand.
Some more Chutney Recipes that pair well with South Indian breakfast and snacks:
How To Make Tomato Chutney (Stepwise)
Cook & Blend Tomatoes
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan or sauté pan, and add 1 teaspoon urad dal (split husked black gram).
2. On low heat, fry the urad dal till the lentils starts turning a maroonish brown.
3. Once the lentils get a maroonish brown color, add 2 to 3 broken dried red chilies, 1 to 2 cloves, 4 to 5 black peppercorns and 1 inch peeled and chopped ginger.
Stir and sauté till the red chilies change color and become a shade darker, but ensure not to burn any spices or even the chillies.
Tip: I have used here red chillies which are not spicy or hot and hence added 3 of them. If using hotter and pungent varieties of red chilli, add 1 or ½ of it.
4. Then, add 1½ cups chopped tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes) and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
5. Add salt as required.
6. Stir and sauté till the tomatoes soften. About 6 to 7 minutes on low to medium-low heat.
When the tomatoes have softened and cooked well, turn off the heat and set aside the sautéed chutney ingredients to cool.
Ensure that the tomatoes have softened nicely, as if they remain raw or undercooked, there will be the raw taste and flavor of tomatoes in the chutney.
7. Once the tomato mixture cools, add it to a chutney grinder or a small blender. Add 2 tablespoons water and grind to a smooth and fine consistency.
You can also add 1 or 2 tablespoons more water if needed.
Temper Chutney
8. In the same pan or a different pan, heat ½ tablespoon oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
9. Then, add 7 to 8 curry leaves, 2 to 3 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), a pinch asafoetida and 1 broken dried red chili (stem and seeds removed).
Mix and sauté till the curry leaves become crisp.
10. Then, add the prepared tomato paste.
11. Mix thoroughly.
12. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat. If the chutney has become thick for your liking, add a splash of hot water to loosen the consistency a bit.
You can easily adjust the consistency from thick to medium, by adding water as needed.
13. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
14. Mix again. Transfer the Tomato Chutney to a bowl and you are now ready to serve it. You can serve it warm or at room temperature.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
The Tomato Chutney is ready to be served with breakfast dishes or snacks like idli, dosa, uttapam, medu vada or appe.
You can also serve it with evening snacks like masala vada, onion bajji or pakoda, potato pakora and many other pakora variants etc.
This chutney can also be used as a spread on your chapati, dosa, bread toast or paratha. You can also serve it a side chutney condiment with rice in your meals.
Store any leftover chutney in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Dassana’s Recipe Tips
- Cook the tomatoes well: Cook the tomatoes until they soften completely and turn mushy. This removes any raw taste and gives the chutney a smoother, better-balanced flavor.
- If the chutney sticks: If the tomatoes begin to stick to the pan while cooking, sprinkle in a little water and continue to cook until they soften.
- Adjust the spice level: Use a hotter variety of dry red chili or increase the number of chilies for a spicier chutney. For a milder version, reduce the chilies or use a less spicy variety.
- Use cloves carefully: Cloves add a warm aroma and depth of flavor. I prefer using just 1 to 2 cloves, as too many can overpower the taste of the tomatoes. If you prefer, you can use only 1 clove or skip them altogether.
- Consistency: Add water gradually while blending to make a thick or medium consistency chutney. Avoid adding too much water, as the chutney should not become thin.
- Tempering: Temper the spices on low to medium-low heat. This helps the mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chili release their flavors without burning.
- Scaling: Double or triple the recipe easily when making it for a larger family or gathering.
Variations
If you enjoy this tomato chutney, here are a few more recipes that use tomatoes in different ways. Each one has its own regional flavors and pairs well with a variety of Indian meals and snacks.
- Kara Chutney – A spicy Tamil Nadu chutney made with tomatoes, shallots, spices and herbs. It is a great choice with idli, dosa and uttapam.
- Tomato Pachadi – An Andhra-style tomato chutney with a spicy, tangy and slightly sour flavor.
- Tomato Thokku – A South Indian tomato relish with spices and tamarind that pairs especially well with steamed rice and chapati.
- Tomato Khejur Chutney – A Bengali sweet and tangy chutney made with tomatoes, dates and panch phoron. It is traditionally served with Bengali khichdi.
- Momos Chutney – A spicy tomato and red chili chutney that is perfect for serving with steamed or fried momos.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Tomato Chutney (South Indian Style)
Ingredients
To Cook and Blend
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (hulled and split or whole black gram)
- 2 to 3 dry red chillies – broken and deseeded, I have used less hot variety of red chillies. Check point no 4 in notes.
- 1 to 2 cloves – optional
- 4 to 5 black peppercorns
- 1 inch ginger – peeled and chopped
- 1½ cups/225 to 250 grams or 2 large tomato – chopped
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), optional
- salt – add as required
- 2 tablespoons water – for blending or grinding, add 1 or 2 tablespoon more if needed
To Temper
- ½ tablespoon oil – sesame oil or sunflower oil or any neutral flavored oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 7 to 8 curry leaves
- 2 to 3 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 dry red chili – halved and deseeded
Instructions
Cooking & Blending Tomatoes
- In a frying pan or sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and add urad dal. On a low heat, fry the urad lentils till they start turning maroonish.
- Once the lentils get a maroonish brown color, add broken dry red chilies, cloves, black peppercorns and chopped ginger. Stir for some seconds, till the red chilies change their color.
- Then add chopped tomatoes and asafoetida. Add salt.
- Stir and saute till the tomatoes soften. About 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium-low heat.
- If the tomatoes start sticking to the pan, add a splash of water and continue to sauté.
- After the tomatoes have softened, turn off the heat and set aside the chutney mixture to cool.
- Once the tomato chutney ingredients cool, add them to a chutney grinder or small blender.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water or as needed. Blend or grind to a smooth and fine consistency.
Tempering Tomato Chutney
- In the same pan or different pan, heat ½ tablespoon of oil.
- Add the mustard seeds and crackle them.
- Then add curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and one broken red chili. Sauté till the curry leaves become crisp. Ensure that the spices and herbs do not burn.
- Then add the blended and ground tomato paste. Stir to mix and combine.
- Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat. At this point you can add in a few tablespoons of hot water if the chutney looks thick to you.
- Check the taste and add more salt if required.
- Stir to mix. The chutney is done and ready to be served.
- This Tomato Chutney pairs extremely well with idli, dosa, uttapam or vada varieties. You can even serve this Thakkali chutney with pakodas.
- The remaining chutney can be stored in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.
Video
Dassana’s Notes
- Use tomatoes, which are fresh, red and ripe. They can be tart or sweet-tart but not unripe.
- If the tomato chutney is too sour or tart for your taste, balance it by adding a few pinches of sugar or brown sugar.
- Ensure to cook the tomatoes really well, so that their raw flavor and aroma is not felt in the chutney
- If using medium-hot chillies, add 1 to 2 according to your spice preferences. If using a hotter and spicier variety of chilli, add 1 or ½ of it.
- You can skip adding cloves if you do not prefer it or have any allergy towards it.
- You could use any neutral oil or sesame oil (gingelly oil).
- The recipe can be scaled up to make for more servings.
Nutrition
Tomato Chutney recipe from the archives was first published on December 2014.
Brilliant Recipe and something to make from my excess Tomatoes that I grow.
Bill
Thank you, Bill. Glad you plan to make it and put those homegrown tomatoes to good use. Hope you enjoy the chutney.
Came out really well. Recipe is laid out in very easy layout. A bit too much on the sour side but that could be because I used the canned tomatoes. Thank you so much for all the effort you have put in here ❤️😍🙏
Thank you for sharing your feedback Bineetha. Glad you found the recipe easy to follow.
Yes, canned tomatoes can make the chutney a bit more sour. Fresh tomatoes usually balance it better.
Happy you liked it overall. Thanks for the kind words ❤️🙏
I love to cook as per your recipes. I was looking for the recipe of lemon chutney. But could not find. Can you please help me.
Thank you, Reenu. Happy to know you enjoy the recipes. I haven’t yet posted the lemon chutney recipe.
I had a craving and this hit just the spot! I used the 2nd recipe, and next time I will triple it. Thank you for sharing!!
Nice to know and thanks for sharing the lovely feedback. Most welcome.
I have been following you on Facebook for several years and have tried many of your recipes successfully. Thank you and Happy Christmas and New Year.
Robin
Thank you. Wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I have loved this every time I make it and in-spite of making it now several times. I keep coming back to this recipe before i make it ?
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the rating too.
Hi Dassana
You never know, how much indispensable service you are doing through your recipes. All recipes are practical, healthy, scientific. Your recipes are reflection of your true spirit.
Thanks so much. Glad to read your lovely comment. Thanks also for the rating on the recipe.
Superb, recipe! Much easier than my current one and just as good. I did add three tablespoons of ketchup, which gave a nice deep red color and also a sharp piquant taste! Thanks once again Dassana, I appreciate your instruction and the work you put into testing and presenting all your recipes. Nyle
Thanks a lot Nyle. Glad that you liked the recipe and also that the variation worked well. Thanks again and stay safe.
Just love your website new look and it is more convenient now to search recipes. Thanks dassana for awesome recipes
Thank you Ruchi. Glad that you have liked the new look of the website. Most welcome.
Hi,
This recipe seems really good.
I was wondering if we can freeze it(both versions) if yes,for how long?
Thank you in advance for your reply.
Warm regards,
D
Yes, you can freeze both the versions and will stay good for a couple of months in the freezer.
Thank you for your reply.
Warm regards,
D
Welcome D.
Please make fast and musical videos for your recipes for better understanding.
making professional quality videos takes a lot of time. maybe when i have a staff i can make videos. thanks for the suggestion priya. though for some recipes i have made videos and i have uploaded them on our youtube channel also.
Awesome.. tried this and it turned out to be the star of our evening . Thank you so much for ur recipes
Welcome.
Chutney came out very well, thanks a lot for this wonderful receipe. Nice aroma. I love your cooking style. Overwhelmed!
thank you jasmine. glad to know. happy cooking.
I made this tomato chutney today… It turn out awesome…… My family loved it….. Thank u so very much. .
Welcome Ashwini. Glad to know this.
This chutney is delicious I did leave out the chili in the temper as It was hot enough for us without the extra chili. I used dried Kashmiri chilies . Love your site and your amazing detail and step by step photos. Thank you.
Welcome Libby. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback.
Tried many of your recipes, they are really good with good information. Thanks… Keep posting, God bless you.
Welcome Prajakta. Thanks for your best wishes and positive feedback.
How many days you can preserve tomato chutney.
PK Sharma, you can keep the chutney for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
This recipe is amazing. I have made many diffeent types of chutneys. This surpassed them all.
thanks a lot elsie for this feedback. glad to know.
Tried it….turned out so tasty…!!!
Thank u for awesome recipes…
Welcome Suvarna
I just love ur recipes ……. they are very helpful….. I have almost tried 8 of ur recipes and everything came out well….
Thank you for all ur recipes
thank you varalaxmi.
All recipes I love from this website excellent!!!
All recipes I love from this website excellent!!!
glad to know this, thanks for positive feedback rashmi 🙂
thanks rashmi for positive views 🙂
mam, i tried ur many recipes and i got lots of compliments, thank you.
thats nice to know nitisha. thanks a lot.
thanks nitisha for positive feedback, glad you got so many compliments.
Very nice recipe.
thank you.
Very nice and aromatic chatney i have ever tried
Thank you so much
welcome kavita thankyou for your positive feedback.
Very useful ..very supportive method..
thankyou prathima 🙂
nice recipe
Thank you for the recipe.
welcome deepesh 🙂
One picture is a thousand words. Very easy to understand for people who want to learn to cook.
Thanks.
thankyou osly for your kind words 🙂
Hi. .. your recipes are really helpful to make varieties … it’s a quick and easy guide to whatevr I wanna make.. thank u so much for posting it
welcome always ami and thankyou for your positive words.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I tried it. The aroma, the look and the taste – all were awesome.
thankyou mayur 🙂
Tried… It was good
Awesome blog for working women & newly married girls….
Ma’m ur receipes i also tried…
All the receipes nice…
thanks dhanashri
Tomato chutney is my all time favourite but i never cooked it on my own. I tried your recipe and i got compliments from my husband. I have just started cooking and getting compliments boosted my morale,thanks to you. 🙂
welcome manogna. glad to know this.
I love ur website very good n easy to make veg dishes are available…
Thks
welcome nahida. glad to know this.
Hi,
I love your website.I am a hard core non vegetarian. But for veg recipes,I follow your website. I thought I will write today cos this week I made four of your recipes,andhra tomato dal ,bhindi do pyaaza,idli with idli rava and this tomato chutney to go along with it.As always everything came out exceptionally well. Thank you very much for your wonderful recipes.
welcome smrithi. thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
Super chutney
Hi Dassana,
Just wanted to know how much cloves and black pepper need to be added as I am not seeing either in the ingredients list.
Regards,
Amitha
thanks for pointing this out. 4 to 5 black pepper and 1 to 2 cloves. i have updated the recipe.
How much tomato paste?
susan, difficult to tell as tomato paste is very concentrated.
Can this be stored outsider the fridge for few days.
ashwini, no it will get spoiled.
Thanks a lot, really good!
welcome alessandro
Explicas todo de maravilla
gracias.