Chutney Recipes | 42 Chutney Varieties

Find 36 Chutney Recipes from the extensive Indian cuisine. Most chutney varieties are basically served as a dipping sauce with Indian snacks. Some of the chutney variants are served as a side with a main course Indian meal while some of them are used as toppings for the awesome Indian chaat snacks. Here you find many variants of chutney recipes that are healthy and delicious.

Table of Contents

  1. What is Chutney?
  2. What is the best way to eat chutney?
  3. Chutney Recipes For Chaat, Sandwich, Snacks

What is Chutney?

Chutney (pronounced chatni) – sometimes also referred to as thogayal in Tamil Nadu, chammanthi in Kerala, or pachadi in Andhra Pradesh – refers to a broad category of Indian condiments or sauces that can be either sweet-tart or savory or spicy. 

They can be made from a wide range of ingredients, from fruits and vegetables to nuts and yogurt. They can also vary widely in consistency (smooth or chunky), preparation (cooked or raw), and presentation (as a side dish, dip, or condiment).

Originally, chutneys were prepared as a way to preserve fresh ingredients, much like jams or jellies elsewhere. The chutneys listed in this section may either be fresh or pickled, though they are different than achaar (Indian pickles) insofar as chutneys must be somewhat spreadable.

DIfferent regions of India are home to different types of chutneys. For example, coconut chutney is made differently depending on whether you are in Karnataka, Kerala or Maharashtra. That said, one thing is universal: chutneys are an indispensable and delicious part of Indian cuisine.

If you are not Indian, you should also note that Indian chutneys differ quite strongly from British and American style chutneys, which are generally a style of fruit preserves that are served in savory applications. 

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What is the best way to eat chutney?

Honestly, it all depends on the type of chutney – some are intended for dipping snacks into, others are intended for spreading on sandwiches or topped on chaat snacks, and still others are used as side dishes to be served alongside rice or curry dishes. 

Chutney is a quintessential part of nearly every Indian meal, and you’ll likely find it on every Indian table. For each of the nearly 42 recipes listed in this section, I’ll provide you with serving suggestions so you know how best to enjoy them. 🙂

Is chutney healthy?

Since chutney is most often used as a condiment or side dish rather than as a meal unto itself, it can generally be said that chutney is healthy if eaten in reasonable portion sizes. That’s to say, I wouldn’t recommend eating chutney by the large bowlful, but adding some chutney to nearly every meal is a widely accepted practice here in India.

How should I store chutney?

Most chutneys should be stored in the refrigerator, and should be enjoyed within a few days of preparation. For any chutney recipes that buck this trend, I’ll be sure to let you know in the post!

Chutney For Dosa, Idli

Idli, Dosa, Vada and their many variants are always mostly paired with coconut chutney and sometimes with tomato, onion and peanut chutney. Coconut chutney itself has many variants and you will find some of them listed below the “All Chutney Recipes” section.

Chutney Recipes For Chaat, Sandwich, Snacks

Mostly the chutney variants used in snacks or for sandwiches are always made with fresh herbs like coriander or mint. The coriander chutney or mint chutney is a bright herby chutney that brings in a lot of freshness when you accompany them with a snack, especially fried snacks like Samosa, Pakoda, Kachori.

The tangy and sweet tamarind chutney and spicy red chilli chutney are mostly added to chaat snacks as toppings. Tamarind chutney is also served as a dipping sauce with many Indian snacks.

For most Indian sandwiches, cilantro or mint chutney are used as a spread and also as served as a side dipping sauce.

Chutney For Rice

In some parts or India, chutney is served as a side with a main course of rice. Some chutney varieties are usually mixed with plain steamed rice and eaten. These chutney variants can be made with herbs, nuts, seeds, veggies or fruits.

Chutney Varieties With Fruits and Vegetables

There is a huge variety of chutneys made with many fruits and vegetables. They can be cooked or raw. Below I have listed four variants made with veggies like carrots, beet and capsicum and a fruit like unripe green papaya.

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