This Green Tomato, Chili & Apple Chutney is perfect for when you are faced with end of season green tomatoes that just refuse to ripen. Made with (optional) apples and a hint of chili, this delicious condiment is a great way to use up Autumn ingredients and have something delicious ready to use with cheese or gift at Christmas.
This easy green tomato chutney recipe was born quite some time ago (way back in 2015 when I started my first blog), and it has been one that I turn to at that time of year when I have a glut of unripe tomatoes. The great thing is that once you have the recipe, you can vary the quantities according to what you have available, which as gardener's know, tends to vary quite a bit year on year!
Some years I find my tomato plants are super productive and ripen up really well, in which case I make my Granny's Tomato and Onion Chutney which uses overripe tomatoes.
The key to creating a good chutney, is layering different levels of spice and flavour, in order to preserve a glut of whatever it is you have a glut of. I've eaten all kinds of sweet, tangy, and savoury spreads... the best always have a pleasing resemblance to their original main ingredient , with a hint of sweetness, a tang of vinegar, and a layering of spices that intrigue the palette. I love to add chutney to a salad sandwich, or to layer onto a cracker with vegan cream cheese, served up with my Vegan Savoury Cheese Biscuits (Cookies) or to give out as Christmas presents or for teacher appreciation gifts.
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🍅Ingredients
- Green Tomatoes: If you're a gardener, you'll know that some years you'll have loads of unripe green tomatoes to use, other years, just a few stubborn ones. Make up the weight with apples.
- Apples: choose a tart cooking apple (or whatever your neighbour brings around). You can also omit the apples if you have a huge amount of green tomatoes to use up and don't want to bulk out the recipe too much.
- Chillies - either red or green chillies
- Garlic- I like to use fresh garlic cloves.
- Onion- brown or white onions, or even banana shallots work.
- Brown/Malt or Apple Cider vinegar-Make sure not to use the super astringent white vinegar that you get for cleaning. Apple cider or malt vinegar is milder and tastier in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: Or white, I like brown for the slightly warmer taste but you can use a mixture or just whichever you prefer.
- Cumin and/or mustard seeds: Either work well, or you can use a combination of both.
- Ginger (Fresh ginger root OR you can also use ground ginger, however it will be slightly less potent. )
See recipe card for quantities.
👩🍳Instructions
The method for this easy green tomato chutney is pretty simple:
- Dice the onion and finely chop the garlic.
- Remove the stems and any not so good bits from the raw tomatoes and chop into 1-2 cm pieces.
- Peel and core the apples and dice.
- Finely chop the chilies. (adjust according to how spicy you want the chutney)
- In a large saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a rolling boil, then reduce to a medium heat and simmer. Make sure you don't let it over boil, or catch on the bottom of the pan.
- Cook for around 1 hour. Use a potato masher to mash it up a bit so it is a more even texture. You want it to be a bit chunky and not too watery.
- Sterilize some wide mouthed jam or preserve jars.
- Very carefully spoon the hot chutney into the prepared jars, tap the jars a few times to remove air bubbles from the churney, then wipe the rims and seal tightly.
- The chutney is best left to cool and is most delicious if left for a month before eating (if you can wait that long) .
Hint: The cooking time will vary according to how much chutney you are making and the liquid content. Cook the chutney for longer if you double or triple the recipe or if the apples or tomatoes you use have more moisture content.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
This delicious green tomato chutney recipe is a really great template for adding other flavours to (check out the comments and add your own for some other ideas that people have tried with the recipe). I would choose just a few rather than add all of them in!
- Curry Leaves - A few fresh leaves added in at the end.
- Whisky or Brandy -As suggested by one of my blog readers!
- Bell Peppers or capsicum - chopped and added at the same time as all the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon Sticks or powder- for a fragrant and gentle curry.
- Star anise- fragrant and so pretty.
- Garam Masala or Curry Powder- A few tablespoons mixed with the vinegar to ensure it does not become clumpy.
- Other vinegars such as red wine or white wine vinegar to replace the apple cider vinegar
- Chili flakes in place of the fresh chilli.
- No apples: replace the apples entirely with green tomatoes.
🔪Equipment
To make this chutney recipe you will need a big saucepan and 4 or 5, 500ml/16oz jars. A ladle or funnel is also useful for pouring in the churnty.
🥫Storage
The vinegar and sugar content in this green tomato and chilli chutney ensures that once it has been boiled and sealed in sterilized jars, it can last for up to a year, or even longer unopened. Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 2 weeks. (Don't stick your dirty butter knife in there and it might last longer!)
❗Top tip
To sterilize the jars to use them, put them on a high heat through the dishwasher or wash in hot soapy water and dry in a cool oven. Be sure not to touch the inside of the jars or the jar lids and to seal them up tightly.
❓FAQ
You can use tart or cooking apples for making chutney. I have also used eating apples from my tree and the recipe worked out well.
If your chutney is watery or too liquid, it has not been simmered long enough. Return it to the pan and simmer for longer until the water is evaporated and you have a thicker chutney.
Other Condiments:
Love relishes and mayos? Me too- try these!
Burgers and More
Chutney and Relishes are great with burgers and BBQs!
📖 Recipe
Green Tomato, Apple & Chilli Chutney
Equipment
- 4 500ml/16oz jars
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 1 kg (5 ½ cups) (ish) green tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 800 g (4 cups) chopped apples ((around 1 kg before coring & chopping))
- 4 cloves garlic (, finely chopped)
- 1 (1 cup) large onion (, finely chopped)
- 200 g (⅞ cup) brown sugar
- 200 ml (⅞ cup) malt vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) cumin seeds
- 3 (3) chillies finely chopped
- 1 inch (1 inch) piece ginger (, peeled & finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) salt
Instructions
- Make sure everything is chopped. Peel the apples before chopping them.
- Put all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and let them cook until they release their juices, then bring to a rolling boil for just a minute.1 kg (ish) green tomatoes, roughly chopped, 800 g chopped apples, 4 cloves garlic , 1 large onion, 200 g brown sugar, 200 ml malt vinegar, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 3 chillies finely chopped, 1 inch piece ginger, 1 tablespoon salt
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or up to 2 hours, until it looks like a 'chutney' - use a potato masher to break up ingredients a bit if necessary.
- Sterilize jars & spoon in & seal.
- Leave for at least 3 weeks for the flavour to develop
Notes
As I don't have a dishwasher, I boil the lids, and use metal tongs to pull them out & position them on the jars.
This makes around 3 x 500 ml jars.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
This delicious green tomato chutney recipe is a really great template for adding other flavours to (check out the comments and add your own for some other ideas that people have tried with the recipe). I would choose just a few rather than add all of them in!- Curry Leaves - A few fresh leaves added in at the end.
- Whisky or Brandy -As suggested by one of my blog readers!
- Bell Peppers or capsicum - chopped and added at the same time as all the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon Sticks or powder- for a fragrant and gentle curry.
- Star anise- fragrant and so pretty.
- Garam Masala or Curry Powder- A few tablespoons mixed with the vinegar to ensure it does not become clumpy.
- Other vinegars such as red wine or white wine vinegar to replace the apple cider vinegar
- Chili flakes in place of the fresh chilli.
- No apples: replace the apples entirely with green tomatoes.
Dawn says
How can it come to a rolling boil if there's only 200ml of liquid?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
The tomatoes release a lot of their own juices which combined with the liquid create enough to come to a boil. It might take a few minutes to all cook down, but once it does, there will be plenty of liquid to bring to a proper boil. You only need it to be super bubbly for a minute, then reduce to a simmer.
Paul Davis says
Check which . Malt vinegar as in the recipe is too strong
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Thank you for your feedback. It can really depend on your personal taste as to which vinegar you use. I have used both malt and apple cider vinegar and like the outcome of both. That said, they all benefit from 'maturing' for a few weeks which also mellows the flavor.
mrs J Samson says
How many calories in this recipe.?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
We have updated the calories on the nutrition label at the bottom of the recipe.
Per 20g (tablespoon) serving is around 26 calories.
This recipe makes around 3 jars which we think would have 20 servings per jar.
Jane Lindsay says
Im making this now. I wonder if a few fresh curry leaves would be good?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I haven't tried with them, but I imagine they would be very good in it! The flavours would certainly match very well. Please let me know if you do end up using them and how it turns out!
Martin Murray says
I’ve doubled up on all the ingredients as picked 2.3kg of green tomato’s to use. Also gave away around 8kg but received 10kg of sweet cooking apples ?
Subbed the cumin for Mustard seeds and added a couple of drams of 18 year old single malt.
First time making chutney and all home grown by us and our neighbour
Tastes yummy ? but took over 5 hours due to the amount ?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
OH sounds amazing! I love how chutney can be adapted to what you have a big glut of to use up! And now you'll have loads to give away for presents too 🙂 x
Loraine Brown says
I added some apple pulp left over from making apple jelly as well as peeled and chopped windfall eating apples. Left out the cumin seeds and added a tablespoon of whole grain mustard. Used apple cider vinegar. It only took an hour to cook. Can’t wait to try it in a month’s time. Thanks for the recipe.
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Mustard seeds sound like a delicious alternative to cumin! Glad you liked the recipe & hope the results are delicious!
Diane says
My chutney is often a little runny. I wonder if it’s because I make it in a straight sided stock pot rather than the open jam pan my mother would use, so less surface area for steam to escape and the sauce to reduce.
Question: Should the apples be a particular type, like Granny Smith, which fall apart as you cook them?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
My chutney runniness depends on the amount of liquid in the pot- to make it less runny you could boil for a little longer to evaporate some of the liquid, or yes, use a jam pan.
For the apple variety- I've used all kinds over the years. Some from neighbours, some from my little apple tree in the garden. I'm not sure any are a 'type'- It really depends on what I have a glut of! (our own apple tree is a rescue from a garden centre, I don't even know what variety it is!!)
Tracey D Shepherd says
I have just started this recipe, chopped loads of green tomatoes, some apples, garlic, chilli’s and half a red pepper that I had left over, leaving it now until tomorrow then to add the wet stuff, smells Devine so hopefully will taste amazing in a few months..x
Trish Barnett says
I am going to make this today. I shall also add some figs off my tree and reduce a couple of apples. I will let you know how it goes.
Christina says
Thank you for this recipe. I made it September 2019 and had it January 2020 it is absolutely gorgeous. I followed the recipe exactly. Someone gave me unwanted green tomatoes unfortunately I am unable to buy them anywhere in the UK.
Meic says
You can orderthem by the kilo on-line from the Tomato Stall
Vanessa says
Fab Christina! We love a good bulk buy too ?
tezliz says
do you leave skin on the apples?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I peeled the apples for a smoother chutney.
tezliz says
do you leave the skin on the apples?
David Lewis says
Followed the recipe but substituted the malt vinegar with red wine vinegar and added 1tsp of all spice. From the test taste seems like a promising chutney but will let the flavours to infuse for another 3 weeks to make my final assessment. Made 5x 425ml jars in total.
louise says
Ohh.. hope it tastes delicious! Sounds like you've made enough to share with friends too!
Kathryn Grace says
That looks wonderfully delicious. I'll tuck this away and save it for next year, as I don't believe our CSA will send any more green tomatoes in our farm box this fall. I was wondering how many jars and of what size this recipe makes.
louise says
Hi Kathryn,
This made 3 x 500ml jars & a little left over which we ate up straight away! As I was using up produce I kind of winged it a bit, but was very happy to have it turn out. x
Mark says
Do you really mean a tablespoon of salt?? That's a LOT of salt!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
It does seem like a lot, but it's to preserve around 2kg of produce. 1 tbsp = about 15g. You can reduce the salt if you wish, however I do not recommend to reduce it by more than half. (7g)