Easy green tomato chutney is a simple recipe with only a few ingredients, but it packs a mighty punch in the flavour department. It’s sweet and tangy, with a hint of chilli and is perfect for spreading on sandwiches, adding to a ploughman’s platter, or just stirring into stews or casseroles for extra oomph!
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The best chutney
I always thought that the good old South African Mrs Balls chutney couldn’t be beaten in the flavour department, but I was wrong!
This easy recipe for green tomato chutney has just reached the top spot. I can hear all my South Africans readers saying ‘Ag man, nou praat jy twak‘ which loosely translates as ‘now you’re talking rubbish‘. But it’s true! Honestly – you have to believe me!
This green tomato chutney is sweet and tangy all at the same time, with just a slight heat thanks to the addition of a small amount of chilli. It’s also got a slightly spicy taste from ginger and mustard.
Green tomato chutney has a thick, sticky texture, which comes from the tomatoes and onion being cooked long and slow in a mixture of brown sugar and vinegar until the vegetables have broken down and all the moisture has evaporated.
What I love about this recipe is how easy it is to make. All you have to do is chop up the tomatoes and onions and pop them in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients, and then leave it to simmer for 2 or 3 hours (stirring occasionally) until the desired consistency is reached.
Green tomato chutney will last for up to a year, stored in a cool, dark place. However, once opened you should store it in the refrigerator, where it will last for at least 6 weeks.
What you will need
Equipment
You will need a large saucepan with a non-reactive coating that won’t react with the vinegar. I used my large saute pan so that I could get clear photos of the steps. Actually, a saute pan is ideal for making this chutney because the larger surface area facilitates the evaporation of the liquid.
You will also need a sharp knife and a chopping board for cutting up the tomatoes and onions.
For storing the tomato chutney you will need some glass jars. You can use old jam jars or similar if you don’t have proper preserving jars.
Ingredients
Green tomatoes – these are just tomatoes that are picked before they have ripened. I’m sure I mentioned before in some of my other recipes (such as easy marinara sauce and crustless tomato quiche) that hubby has an allotment. The tomatoes that I used here were the end of the crop, where the plant had started to die down before the tomatoes could ripen.
Onions – yellow or white onions are best, but you could get away with using red onions if that is all you have. You will need roughly half the amount of onions as tomatoes.
Sultanas – for the distinctive fruity chutney taste.
Brown sugar – I prefer using brown sugar for chutney because I like the hint of caramelisation it gives. You could use white sugar instead.
Vinegar – I’ve used white distilled vinegar but you could use brown malted vinegar instead. Apple cider vinegar will also make a good substitute.
Ground ginger – adds a hint of warmth.
Mustard powder – for a slight kick of heat.
Chilli flakes – I like to add a small amount of chilli for added spiciness. You can adjust this to your own taste, or leave it out altogether. For convenience, I use chopped chillies from a jar.
Salt and black pepper – to your own taste.
What to do
This recipe makes about 1 litre (or roughly 2 pints) of chutney.
You do need to allow quite a long time to cook this recipe. It can take up to three hours for the liquid to evaporate, so bear this in mind when starting to make this chutney.
**You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this green tomato chutney on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and peel the onions.
Cut the tomatoes and onions into roughly 1cm (just under half-inch) dice.
When cutting the tomatoes, be sure to remove any blemishes, bruises and soft parts the of tomato that may be going ‘off’.
Place all the ingredients into a large pan and bring to the boil.
Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
After 2 hours the chutney should have turned a deep brown colour, and be starting to thicken.
Remove the lid and continue to simmer until most of the remaining liquid has evaporated. This may take another half hour or longer, depending on how much liquid was in your tomatoes.
The chutney will be ready when you can draw a spatula through the chutney and leave a trail that does not fill with liquid.
Spoon the hot chutney into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately with a lid.
Store the tomato chutney in a cool dark place (ie the back shelf of your pantry or similar) for up to a year. Once opened, store in the refrigerator and use within 1 month to 6 weeks.
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How to sterilise jars
To sterilise jars in the oven:
- Wash the jars and the lids in hot soapy water, rinse, but do not dry them.
- Stand them upside down on a baking tray while they’re still wet.
- Place the tray of clean, wet jars and lids into a preheated oven at 180ºC / 350ºF for 15 mins.
To sterilise jars in the microwave:
- Wash the jars and the lids in hot soapy water, rinse, but do not dry them.
- Place them in the microwave whilst still wet.
- Microwave on full power for 2 minutes
- If the lids are made of metal DO NOT MICROWAVE. Instead, place the lids in a pot of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
Ways to serve green tomato chutney
There are so many ways you can make use of this chutney:
- If you are South African, then it goes without saying that you will plop a spoonful on top of your curry with a couple of slices of banana and a sprinkling of coconut.
- Spread it on your sandwiches to elevate them to something magical. Green tomato chutney goes particularly well with ham or cheese. Why not try making a grilled cheese sandwich spread with this chutney?
- Serve a spoonful alongside a pork pie or a scotch egg.
- Stir it into soups and casseroles to add extra flavour.
- Mix one or two spoonfuls of chutney with mayonnaise for a quick and easy dip for crisps or crudites.
Tips and FAQ
Yes, tomato chutney can be frozen for at least 1 year. Pack it into a suitable air-tight container (I’d suggest Tupperware or similar) before freezing.
Allow to defrost in the refrigerator and eat within 6 weeks.
When you add chutney into the glass jars, the chutney should still be hot from the stove. If you ladle it into cold jars, the quick change of temperature may cause cold jars to crack.
Yes, just make sure they are completely clean and have been sterilised following my instructions in the post.
Top tip – it may be cheaper to buy cheap supermarket ‘own brand’ products in glass jars and use those jars instead of buying empty preserving jars.
When you add hot chutney to jars, the hot air above the chutney is expanded. Once the lid has been put on, and the chutney cools, the air will contract, helping to create a tighter seal.
It may seem as though your chutney will never thicken. This could be caused by the amount of liquid in the fruit. Just increase the heat slightly and cook it for longer so that the excess liquid has a chance to evaporate. When doing this, stir frequently so that the chutney does not burn on the hot pan.
Save for later
If you would like to try this green tomato chutney for yourself why not pin the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily. Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Other recipes
If you are looking for a sweeter chutney, why not try this recipe for pear and onion chutney.
If you want something with a bit more heat, this Thai sweet chilli sauce is delicious.
You may also like to try this Jack Daniels dipping sauce – which is very similar to the one served in TGI Friday’s restaurants.
The recipe
Easy green tomato chutney
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Saucepan or
- Mason jars
Ingredients
- 2¼ pounds / 1 kg green tomatoes
- 1¼ pounds / 500 grams white onions
- 1 cup / 150 grams sultanas
- 1¾ cups / 350 grams dark brown sugar
- 1½ cups / 360 ml white distilled vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon chllli flakes or to taste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and peel the onions and cut them into roughly 1cm (just under ½-inch) dice.2¼ pounds / 1 kg green tomatoes, 1¼ pounds / 500 grams white onions
- Place the tomatoes and onions with the rest of the ingredients into a large pan and bring to the boil.1 cup / 150 grams sultanas, 1¾ cups / 350 grams dark brown sugar, 1½ cups / 360 ml white distilled vinegar, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon mustard powder, 1 teaspoon chllli flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 2 hours the chutney should have turned a deep brown colour, and be starting to thicken.
- Remove the lid and continue to simmer until most of the remaining liquid has evaporated. This may take another half hour or longer, depending on how much liquid was in your tomatoes.
- The chutney will be ready when you can draw a spatula through the chutney and leave a trail that does not fill with liquid.
- Spoon the hot chutney into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately with a lid.
Notes
- Wash the jars and the lids in hot soapy water, rinse, but do not dry them.
- Stand them upside down on a baking tray while they’re still wet.
- Place the tray of clean, wet jars and lids into a preheated oven at 180ºC / 350ºF for 15 mins.
- Wash the jars and the lids in hot soapy water, rinse, but do not dry them.
- Place them in the microwave whilst still wet.
- Microwave on full power for 2 minutes
- If the lids are made of metal DO NOT MICROWAVE. Instead, place the lids in a pot of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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Thank you for a most excellent recipe, my first with green tomatoes. I used apple cider vinegar, doubled up on the spices and added 2 Granny Smith apples. Love your site!
You are very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Much appreciated.