Simple to make this lightly spiced easy tomato chutney is delicious with cold meats and cheese. It’s also fabulous on burgers and with chips.
Chutneys and pickles are easier to make
I’ve dipped in and out of making my own preserves over the years. I made them a lot as a student living on a shoestring and studying Home Economics many years ago, always happy to be gifted spare produce from bumper crops in home gardens to make them from.
And again, much later, when testing recipes and food styling a couple of food preserving books during my career as a food writer and stylist.
Most recently, I got my urban mini allotment with a prolific rhubarb patch. Since then I have made lots of batches of Mr.B award winning rhubarb chutney, as well as lots of jam now that I am beginning to get a good soft fruit crop each year.
Whenever I have got fallen out of the habit of making them and started again, I am always pleasantly surprised to remember just how easy they are to make. Which makes me wonder why I stopped. In the end it’s usually just been down to “life” getting in the way as happens from time to time.
If you are just getting into making your own preserves, I’ve come to the conclusion that chutneys and pickles are easier to make than jam so they are a good place to start.
I’m not saying that jams are hard to make but sometimes judging when setting point has been reached can be a little tricky. There’s none of that when making many pickles. You often just boil until you have the right consistency which is usually pretty easy to judge visually.
Cooks Tip
To test if this tomato chutney is ready simply pull a spoon through the mixture and it will leave a trail that does not immediately fill up with liquid.
A seasonal preserve
I would love to say this chutney came about as a result of having lots of tomatoes I had grown. Sadly not, so far I have not had much success growing them. But many people do, so this is a great chutney to make if you have a glut of tomatoes on your hands.
I decided to develop this one because I love tomato pickle, particularly on burgers or with chips, and usually buy it, so it seemed a shame not to have a go at making my own.
If like me, you do not grow your own it is still worth making in the summer when tomatoes are plentiful and at their most flavourful as well as their cheapest. You will be rewarded with a delicious tasting pickle.
You can use just one variety or a mixture the choice is up to you.
Easy tomato chutney step by step
Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir to mix. Heat gently stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cook until thickened, stirring ocassionally. The chutney is ready when you can pull a spoon through the mixture and it will leave a trail. Pot in warm sterilised jars.
Easy tomato chutney
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 750 g tomatoes chopped
- 2 small eating apples cored and chopped (skin left on)
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 125 g light muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 25 0 ml cider vinegar
Instructions
- Put 750g (5 cups) chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped red onion, 2 chopped eating apples, 4 chopped garlic cloves in a large heavy based pan with 125g (½ cup) light muscovado sugar.
- Add 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground allspice and ¼ tsp ground cloves and stir in 250ml (1 cup) cider viengar.
- Heat gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a gentle boil (just a little more than simmering )and cook uncovered for about 1½ hours until the chutney has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally to begin with and then more frequently as the cooking time goes on to prevent the mixture from burning on the base of the pan.
- When the chutney is ready, you will be able to draw a spoon through the mixture and it will leave a trail that does not immediately fill up with vinegar. Spoon into warm sterilized jars and seal.
- Once the jars are cold, place in the fridge for about 3 weeks before eating for the flavour to mature.
Raj Kumar
Can you use dark muskovado sugar?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I think if you use dark muscovado sugar the flavour will be too strong and not work well, so in this case I would say no.
Karen Ahmet
Your recipe is perfect. Just about to make my 3rd batch today, and I’m doubling up the recipe this time to use the last of my unripe tomatoes before the frost strikes. There’ll be a mixture of colours from orange, yellow to green, although they all look the same once cooked. It tastes exactly like the chutney my Nan made many years ago. The family are pinching jars to take home as fast as I’m making it!!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Karen I loved reading your comment so good to know that your family are enjoying the chutney and its bringing back happy memories. Enjoy your double batch.
Libby
After making passata from homegrown tomatoes I stumbled across this recipe for the leftovers. First time making any type of chutney and it smells and tastes amazing. Brilliant homemade gift too
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Hi Libby, Glad you stumbled across the recipe and liked it. and yes it does make a great homemade gift even though I make my own preserves I still love receiving them as gifts as you know they are made with love.
Debbie
First time I have ever made chutney. The recipe was easy and straightforward. My husband couldn’t wait and tasted some whilst I was putting it in the jars saying it was ” delicious”. It is now “maturing”!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Delighted to hear this and yes it does get even more delicious with a little maturing so you will love it for sure.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Delighted you and your husband like it
Elaine
Hi, I am going to make your chutney later, I only have white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. Would either of these work. Also can I use Preserving sugar for chutneys?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Yes you could either white or red wine vinegar to make this recipe. Preserving sugar has larger crystals that are slower to dissolve and have less “impurities” than regular sugar this means that you tend to get less sum forming when boiling jams and jellies. You would probably get away with using it in this recipe but I would highly recommend using the muscovado sugar or other soft brown sugar as I really think it adds some lovely subtle caramel notes to the taste of the chutney. The preserving sugar may also be hard to dissolve in this recipe. Do let me know how you get on.
Hugh
My first attempt at making tomato chutney and the end product smells and tastes delicious. I substituted juniper for the cloves and added a couple of green cardamoms as well.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Pleased you liked it, Juniper and cardamon sounds like a good variation to me. I think I need to make some more I’ve almost finished my last batch as you say delicious!
Karen
I made a batch of this chutney yesterday and my hubby sampled it and said it was delicious, even without maturing. My question is, does it need to be stored in the fridge before opening or can it just be kept in a cool, dark cupboard?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Ive found it keeps ok stored in a cool dark space and put mine in the fridge after opening. I also ate at least one jar before giving it any time to mature 🙂
Heather Griffiths
Hi Jacqueline,
The five star rating is for your recipe which (although I have not made it yet) looks like it should be delicious & the all-in the pot simplicity I am looking for.
My question: If I use canning jars and process them in a water-bath for 30 minutes would I then be able to store this chutney for 12 months?
Thank you
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
The storage time is fairly conservative and if stored correctly in a cool dry place and the jars are well-sealed it may well last longer anyway. If you take the extra steps you suggest then they almost certainly will last 12 months but as I have not tested I can not guarantee. hope this helps
Alan
Hi, I,m a new visitor to your site , and am just about to make some of your Apple Jelly from windfalls in my garden.
Do you have a recipe for homemade Mango Chutney since my wife and i are big curry fans
Alan
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Hi Alan, sorry I don’t at the moment but I’m going to add it to my to do list as its about time I made it again. Keep your eyes open and hopefuly I will publish it soon
Siobhan
Hello Jacqui
A question … busy making this chutney and your fruit chutney on Monday but we used homemade cider vinegar – made during lockdown from apple peelings. cores, sugar and water – and we read online that homemade cider vinegar should not be used for preserves (because you can’t rely on the acid content)! Tell it to us straight – is the online information correct? And if it is, for how long is it safe for us to eat our batches of your tomato chutney and your fruit chutney and can we safely give them to others? Thank you!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Hi Siobhan
yes it is indeed correct homemade vinegar should not be used to make preserves as you will not know if it has enough acidity to act as a preservative. while if you consume within a couple of weeks of making it you should be fine I would not count on them lasting longer than that. You could freeze the preserves instead rather than wasting them. Scoop out of the jars and freeze in amounts that you can consume within a few days (if you freeze in jars they may crack as the contents expand on freezing.
EBB
Do I need to peel the tomatoes ?
Thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
No You do not need to peel them
Michelle Rolfe
Love the sound of this Jacqui. I am attempting tomatoes for the first time but sadly I will barley get enough to eat straight from the vine. But I did order some green tomatoes from Isle of Wight with the sole purpose of making a green tomato chutney. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I’ve yet to try making green tomato chutney.
Karen Howarth
I made green tomato chutney a couple of weeks ago from a load of my unripened toms. Very tasty. Making red tomato chutney from your recipe tonight for xmas presents. My house smells of vinegar from having make apple and pear chutney last night 🙂 (also for xmas presents)! Karen
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
You have some lucky friends I love getting homemade preserves as a gift, you know they are made with love. My family sometimes moan about the smell of vinegar when I make them but I really don’t mind it, feel it clears the senses. Ive yet to make green tomato chutney.
Chloe Edges
Looks delish, I might have to give this a go if I continue to not be able to eat my tomato crop fast enough!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I think its lovely.
Choclette
I’m completely with you on all fronts. I’ve dipped in and out of preserving all my life, depending on what’s going on at the time. And chutney’s are definitely easier than jams.
Having said that, I’ve never made a tomato chutney and now I’ve seen yours I really want to. Last year we had an abundance of tomatoes from CT’s work. This year, there won’t be any. So I’ll just have to wait until next year.
Janice Pattie
I love both making and eating chutney and I’m adding this recipe to my list!