Tomato Chutney Recipe- 2 Ways | Cook Click N Devour!!! (2024)

Tomato chutney recipe is an easy and delicious south Indian chutney recipe with fresh ripe tomatoes. It is usually served with idli, dosa, upma, vada and other south Indian breakfast dishes.

It is a very popular and commonly made chutney in south Indian homes just like coconut chutney, pudina chutney, peanut chutney etc. Vegan and gluten free recipe.

It is super easy to make tomato chutney and you need very few simple ingredients. There are tons of variations you can make with this recipe depending on the ingredients you use. In this post I am sharing a traditional and super easy tomato chutney recipe along with some tasty variations.

About This Recipe

Tomato chutney is a south Indian condiment made with tomatoes, lentils, herbs and spices. Traditionally this chutney is made by grinding raw tomatoes along with red chilies, tamarind, jaggery & then cooking it in oil.

Over the time people started making many variations with this tangy tomato chutney recipe like adding onions, coconut etc. I am a big fan of chutney with tomato and any day I prefer this tangy chutney to coconut chutney 🙂

Depending upon the ingredients I have and the dish I am serving with, I make tomato chutney in many flavors. Here I am sharing the following variations of this delicious chutney

1. Spicy tomato chutney with tamarind & jaggery- You can store this for 3-4 days & serve with rice too. This is a no grind chutney where you can finely chop or crush the tomatoes.
2. Onion tomato chutney that goes very well with idli, dosa, utappam etc.
3. Easy tomato garlic chutney that goes well with snacks.
4. Easy Instant pot tomato chutney recipe.

Do try this tasty chutney and enjoy! Here is the detailed recipe with step by step photos.

How To Make Tomato Chutney Recipe

Pick rinse and wipe 3 large tomatoes (about 350 grams) and chop it finely. You can also mince them in a food processor or crush it. Also finely chop 1 large onion.

Heat oil in a pan. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal, chana dal and few curry leaves. Saute for few seconds over medium heat. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Add sliced onions and saute till they turn soft.

Add chopped tomatoes and mix.

Nexta add 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon jaggery and salt to taste. Mix very well.

Add 3/4 cup water and simmer till gravy consistency is reached.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve Tomato chutney with idli, dosa, rice

Instant Pot Method

You can make the same recipe in instant pot in less than 10 minutes. Here are the instructions.

Place the steel insert inside your instant pot and switch in on. Press saute and once it displays hot, add oil. Temper with mustard seeds, chana dal, urad and curry leaves. Add chopped onions and saute for few seconds.

Next add the chopped tomatoes, spice powders- red chili powder & turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. Mix very well. Add 1/4 cup water and stir. Cancel saute, close the instant pot and press pressure cooker or manual mode. Set timer to 4 minutes and pressure valve in seal position. Once the IP beeps, release the pressure gently and check the consistency.

If the chutney is not very thick, you can simmer for 2 more minutes in saute mode. Remove the delicious tomato chutney to a serving bowl and serve as required.

Onion Tomato Chutney Recipe

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes- roughly chopped

1 large onion-cubed

4 dried red chillies or 2 green chillies

2 tablespoons chana dal

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

12 curry leaves

2 tablespoons oil

Method

Rinse and wipe excess moisture from 3 large tomatoes and 1 large onion. Chop them roughly into large cubes.

Heat oil in a pan. I have used two tablespoons sesame oil for sautéing the ingredients and 2 teaspoons for tadka. Once the oil is moderately hot add 4 dry red chillies or 2 slit green chilies . Saute for few seconds. Next add 1 tablespoon chana dal. Saute till the dal turns golden.

Next add cubed onions.

Saute well till they turn a bit soft. No need to brown them. Next add the cubed tomatoes. Saute well and cook for 6-8 minutes in medium flame.

Saute and cook well until the tomatoes wilt and turn soft. Remove from flame. In the same pan saute a small bit of tamarind.

Let cool completely for few minutes and transfer the sautéed onion and tomato mixture a mixer jar. Add salt to taste.

Grind to a smooth paste. Add little water if needed but do not add more than 2-3 tablespoons.

Making Tadka For Tomato Onion Chutney

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal or black gram and also add curry leaves. Fry till the dal turns golden brown.

Pour the prepared tadka to the ground chutney along with the oil.

Mix very well. Serve onion tomato chutney with breakfast like idli or dosa.

Variations

You can add few more simple and basic ingredients in this easy recipe of south Indian style tomato chutney or thakkali chutney to vary the flavor and taste.

Garlic– Along with onions you can also add 3-4 cloves garlic in both versions.

Peanuts– While grinding onion tomato chutney you add 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts. This will lend more volume and make the chutney mildly sweet and creamier too.

Coconut– Instead of peanuts you can also add 2 tablespoons freshly grated coconut or desiccated unsweetened coconut.

Tamarind– In both versions you can add tamarind for tangy tomato chutney. In first variation add two teaspoons thick tamarind extract or paste while sautéing tomatoes. In second recipe add a small piece of tomato while grinding.

Black pepper– You can add few black peppercorns and methi seeds or fenugreek seeds for more flavor.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve this delicious tomato chutney recipe in multiple ways.

The first version – spicy chutney goes very well with idli, dosa but it also tastes very delicious with hot plain rice, curd rice.

The second version -onion tomato chutney goes well with all south Indian breakfast like idli, dosa, pongal. You can also serve this amazing chutney from south Indian cuisine in the following ways

As a dip with snacks like cutlet, pakora, veg rolls etc

Serve with aloo paratha, plain paratha

As a spread for sandwiches and toasts like avocado toast

As spread for tortilla wraps.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Tomato Recipes

Tomato pickle

Easy tomato rasam

tomato rice

Tomato thokku

Are you making this recipe?I would love to see a snap of your creation too.Do snap a pic and share on Instagram with hashtag#cookclickndevouand please give a star rating ★in the recipe card above. Follow us onPinterest,Instagram,Facebook for more recipes and ideas.

Recipe