Summer’s bounty of fresh produce is such a wonderful gift. Usually.
But if the season has been a little too bountiful, all at once, and you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with, chutney to the rescue.
I’m a dip, spread, and condiment lover. I can make a meal from grazing on various salsas, guacamole, hot pepper jelly, mango chutney, homemade honey mustard, crackers and chips.
But normally when I want some dip, I want it sooner rather than later. With this, there’s no canning required and it’s ready in one hour.
There’s a creeper heat because in addition to 4 tomatoes, I used 1 large red pepper and 1 small yellow banana pepper. They’re mild peppers and I took most of the seeds out.
Make the chutney spicier by using a serrano or habenero if you’re brave, or sprinkle in cayenne pepper.
I didn’t want to sweat too much while I was eating, so kept the heat at a mild level. But like most spicy food, that the more you have, the more you want.
The brothy liquid is so full of flavor that I wanted to eat it like soup, and did.
It’s made with apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, cumin, smoked paprika, molasses, cloves. I love all those spices and flavors, but use whatever spices and seasonings you have on hand from curry to cayenne.
I didn’t add any salt because we’re a low-sodium house, and because I don’t think it needs salt. If you do, add salt to taste.
Make it in one hour by roughly chopping the veggies, tossing them in a pot, and let it boil with the lid cracked at a fairly strong boil for 30 minutes.
I removed the lid and let it boil on high for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid volume as quickly as possible. I didn’t have time or desire for slow-cooking and hours of simmering.
I was craving tomatoes and wanted to dig in as soon as possible. I eat one tomato every day like many people eat an apple a day.
Technically-speaking I’m not sure where chunky tomato soup, salsa, and chutney intersect.
Un-technically speaking, I think the intersection is in this jar.
What can you use it for? Put it on bread and let the juices soak in. Or make bruschetta. Use it to marinate your favorite protein, serve it with chips like a salsa, use it as sandwich relish, or on crackers with a hunk of cheese.
Mix it into a brown rice salad, use it over noodles like pasta sauce, make Vegetable Lasagna (vegan, GF) with it, or eat it like chunky Tomato Soup.
If your garden overflows or your eyes are bigger than your stomach when you see all those gorgeous tomatoes for sale in the markets this time of year, now you know what to do with them.
I’ve been happily eating my vegetables.
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One-Hour Sweet with Heat Tomato and Pepper Chutney (vegan, gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 4 medium tomatoes, I used vine-ripened about 1 pound, diced large & chunkier
- 1 large red pepper, seeded and diced medium
- 1 medium yellow/sweet onion, peeled and diced small
- 1 small yellow banana pepper, seeded and diced fine (removing seeds reduces heat. For spicier chutney, use serrano, habenero or your favorite pepper with the appropriate heat level, to taste)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger, fresh ginger may be substituted
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar, white vinegar may be substituted
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons light or medium molasses, optional
- 2 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey, optional
- salt, optional and to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except molasses and salt in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to combine.
- After mixture has come to a boil, put a lid on the pot but keep it ajar with a few inches of opening for steam to escape. Allow mixture to boil quite rapidly for about 30 minutes. I did not check on the mixture or stir it during those 30 minutes. I left it alone to boil.
- After 30 minutes, if desired, add molasses, bourbon, salt to taste (I didn’t salt it), and stir to combine.
- Allow mixture to boil uncovered for 5 to 15 minutes, or as long as desired so that the liquid volume has reduced by at least half, or has reduced to desired level. It will not get thick like a sauce; but it will have reduced.
- Transfer mixture to heat-safe jars or containers. I filled two 12-ounce jars to the brim. To make filling the jars less messy, I first poured the chutney from the pot into a large glass measuring cup, then filled the jars.
- Allow jars to cool on counter before putting lids on and refrigerating. Chutney will keep for at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Although it’s possible to can this with a water bath, I did not and don’t know how long the processing time is. I’d follow similar processing times for canned or stewed tomatoes. I have frozen the chutney in re-purposed plastic butter and yogurt containers for about 1 month, thawed when ready to eat, and it was just as good as fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tomato fan? What are you making with seasonal summer produce?
This is such a great versatile recipe! I need to try banana peppers, I’ve never had them!
Such a fun little pepper – it has heat, but not too hot, so for kids or resistant-to-heat people, it’s a good ‘intro’ pepper :) Then again, my 6 yr old likes her peppers so hot she sweats. lol
I do love what goes on in your creative food head.
Sweet and heat are the best combo.
Anytime I see sweet with heat on the menu it’s a done deal for me.
There is this chicken wing joint here that has sweet & heat wings, that I get “just” for the sauce.
Girl I’m telling you it’s so good.
So seeing this chutney has me all excited.
:::printing::::
I used to waitress at a lunch spot in college and they had wings and while I dont eat chicken, there was the sweet/heat sauce and just carrying a tray of those wings was so good. I love the combo!
Glad you like my what goes on in my head. If you like these flavors, there’s a post to bourbon baked beans I linked to in the related recipes that is that same concept, with baked beans. BEST BEANS i have ever had!
Oh my GOD, THIS “I didn’t want to sweat too much while I was eating,” MY POST TODAY!!!
Good god this looks delicious. I am such a chutney lover. My tomatoes are so close…..I could probably pick a few and make some green tomato chutney right now. Uh oh….putting ideas into my head….
Girl I know. It was crazy. I read your post on the fly and didnt comment on all the similarities but yeah, what are the odds that we both post tomatoes, the same day. In 4+ yrs, I don’t think I’ve ever done a tomato-centric post as much as this one!
You will LOVE this stuff. Lmk how it goes with any adaptations!
Such a scrumptious use for an excess of tomatoes! Very creative and smart for end of summer produce! Thanks for sharing, Averie. :)
Love the combo of spices in this! Sounds fabulous; thanks for sharing! ;)
What great timing! I prefer my tomatoes cooked rather than fresh, and we have some from the garden waiting to be eaten. Glad I have most of those spices on hand already!
And as usual, your related posts reminded me of an older recipe that I wanted to make and ‘forgot’ about- easy pickled veggies! Cucumbers are taking over the garden :)
Your garden sounds awesome! Glad you’re able to have so much great produce!
My husband would go nuts for this … and frankly so would I : ) I love that it only takes an hour – sometimes I definitely want things fast! haha No patience for certain things!
Exactly. I don’t have time for long, drawn out recipes usually!
What a great way to save summer vegetables! I will try this recipe, but will swap honey for sugar. Thank you!
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Love the flavors you added to your chutney! This would be so good over baked brie with crackers… think I just found dinner!
Can I come over for dinner? Sounds perfect!
I can’t get enough of versatile recipes like this. Serious life savers. Keep em coming Averie!!
Thanks, Todd! They will never get the views that cookie recipes do, but they are practical and versatile!
We are swimming in tomatoes so what a great idea! This would be a great hit to give to friends as a little “you are pretty special” gift too!
It would be a GREAT gift. And your tomato swimming issue sounds fun :)
I have never attempted to make chutney, but I’m definitely thinking it’s something I should try.
Wow that looks awesome! Definitely a recipe I want to try :)
During the cold months of winter I like food that makes me sweat – summer is an oaky time to turn down the food heat. :D This chutney not only sounds delicious, it’s gorgeous too! Love the chunks of peppers and onions (I’d want to eat it by the spoonful!).
I can’t wait to make this and slather it atop cheesy cornbread! What a killer combo that will be :) Pinned!
And thanks for pinning!
I can think of 101 ways to eat up this chutney!!!
Awesome! Because I was fearing people would be like…well what can I do with it? :)