Simple Tomato Chutney Recipe (So Good!)

Jump to Recipe

This beautifully colored, bright red chutney is a staple go-to in many Indian homes. This chutney is heavily based on tomatoes, and this is where it gets its lovely red color from. For this reason, we used to call it “red chutney” as kids.

This chutney is prepared in several different ways in different households and regions of India and the subcontinent. However, the South Indian tomato chutney is different because it is cooked and is a little more on the hotter side. So, it is a spicier, tangier version of the tomato chutney that is made in South Indian homes.

This chutney can be made with several variations, like with or without onions , coconut, and some other ingredients. Today. We’ll just quickly go over the most basic South Indian tomato chutney recipe, which is based obviously on tomatoes and needs very few other ingredients. It is a quick, tangy and spicy side dish that is a great accompaniment to idli, dosa, uttapam, pongal, rice and many snacks like pakoras etc.

So, if tomatoes are in season and you don’t know what to do with them, you have to try this chutney!

Read on to see how easily you can make it at home.

Ingredients for Tomato Chutney

1. 2.5 cups or ½ kg ripe tomatoes
2. 5-6 pieces of garlic
3. 4 inch piece of ginger
4. 8-10 dried chilies
5. A small pinch of turmeric
6. A pinch of salt
7. 1 tsp cumin seeds
8. 2-3 tbsp oil

Tempering

1. 5-6 curry leaves
2. 2 broken dry red chilies
3. 1-2 Crushed garlic cloves 
4. A pinch of red pepper powder
5. A pinch of asafoetida
6. ¼ tsp mustard seeds

Cooking Instructions for Tomato Chutney

Okay cheflings, it’s time to put your chef hat on and jump into the kitchen with a basket full of ripe tomatoes. We are about to make the most delicious red chutney ever. So follow the recipe step by step and master this quick and simple recipe.

1. Rinse your tomatoes well and then chop them into pieces.
2. Take a cast iron pan (for better flavor) and add 2 tbsp oil to it.
3. When the oil is hot, roast your tomatoes until their skin is wrinkled and slightly browned. Larger tomato chunks work better in this step.
4. Add more oil to the pan and when it is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds in the oil and lower the heat to release their flavor.
5. When the mustard and cumin seeds have cracked, stir in the chopped garlic and ginger to the oil. Remember to keep the heat low to avoid burning them.
6. Now add the dried red chilies and let the garlic and ginger turn into a nice golden brown color.
7. Then add the tomatoes to your pan and take the heat to medium high.
8. Add a pinch of turmeric and salt and let the tomatoes release their water and cook.
9. Keep stirring the tomatoes to avoid them sticking to the base of the pan.
10. Let the tomatoes turn mushy.
11. When the water is completely dry and the chutney has become aromatic, take it off the heat.

Tempering the Tomato Chutney

It is tadka time now. Life is boring without flavors, and we don’t want our tomato chutney to be boring at all, so let us temper it.

1. After taking the chutney off heat, you can mash it with a wooden spoon or blend it to a paste as per your liking, and it is ready for tempering.
2. In the same cast iron pan or in a separate tadka pan, heat a tbsp of oil.
3. Lower the heat and add mustard seeds to the oil and always hear them pop.
4. Now add garlic to the pan.
5. Break your dried chili into two and add it to the pan.
6. Once the garlic turns into a nice golden brown color, add the curry leaves to the mixture.
7. Now add a pinch of red pepper powder for the nice red color and your tempering is ready to go.
8. Pour the tempering over your tomato chutney and its chow time!

Serving Tomato Chutney

When your chutney looks bright and red like your cheeks do when you see your crush, it is ready for serving. Serve this chutney with idlis and dosas for breakfast along with traditional coconut chutney. This chutney can also be served with dinner or lunch or with any Indian snack. It serves as a nice dip for nachos as well. Enjoy the chutney!