A simple tomato chutney that’s perfect with cheese, cold or warm meat, or simply served on a cracker.

Tomato chutney isn’t just what our moms or nanas made. It’s a delicious addition that makes a meal or snack extra special. And this quick tomato chutney recipe gives you everything you need to easily create your own version of this delicious and versatile condiment.

What is chutney?
An idea borrowed from India by our mothers and nanas, chutney is now a popular condiment (and way of preserving food) around the world.
It is a coarse spread made with chopped fruit, vinegar, spices and sugar.
Chutney vs Relish
Chutney and relish are both condiments and often have similar ingredients. It’s not easy to come up with a general rule to tell the two apart, but chutneys are often bulkier and take longer to cook than relish.
Ingredients for tomato chutney
This tomato and onion chutney recipe calls for 1 kg of tomatoes and produces approx 750ml chutney.
Do you have more tomatoes you want to convert?
Simply double, triple or multiply the quantities as you wish.
Or check out my collection of tomato recipes here.
In addition to the tomatoes you will need:
- apples
- onions
- Brown sugar
- clove of garlic
- Ginger
- chili powder
- Salt
- cloves
- Apple Cider Vinegar.

You may also need to add a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a little extra vinegar at the end to thicken the chutney.
How to make tomato chutney
This easy tomato chutney recipe requires no resting time, so you can have a jar of tomato chutney ready in under a couple of hours.
Start by roughly chopping the tomatoes and onions.
Next, peel, core and roughly chop the apples.
Aim for 1-2cm x 1-2cm pieces.
Now put all the ingredients (except cornstarch) in a large saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat until the mixture begins to boil.
Cook gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated leaving a thick sauce.
If the mixture hasn’t thickened enough, add enough additional vinegar to a teaspoon of cornstarch to achieve a runny paste. Add to the chutney and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy.
Pour the hot tomato chutney mixture into sterilized jars and seal immediately.

How do I know if my chutney is ready?
Chutney is a nice, thick condiment and there shouldn’t be any runny liquid on the surface of the mixture once it’s sufficiently cooked.
Some people suggest dragging a wooden spoon through the mixture as a test. If you can see a nice clean line on the bottom of the pot, it’s done.
You have to be careful not to overdo and burn your chutney either.
I recommend playing it safe by adding the cornstarch and vinegar mixture to thicken it towards the end and avoid burning the chutney.
Save the tomato chutney
The shelf life of your chutney will depend on how well you have sterilized the jars, how well you seal the jars, and whether the jar is kept in a cool, dark place, the refrigerator, or some other place.
There are many ways to do all of these things and I won’t cover them here as there is already a ton of information out there.
I choose a very simple method that still means I can keep my chutney in the pantry for at least a few months and another month or more once opened in the fridge.
I sterilize my jars and lids simply by putting them in the dishwasher on a hot setting.
I pour the hot mixture into the jar and immediately seal it with a fresh, clean, plastic-lined twist-top lid — making sure it’s on tight.
I don’t bother with the double boiler step as this chutney has a lot of sugar and vinegar to act as a preservative.
Use for tomato chutney
There are so many ways to enjoy tomato chutney!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Make a ham and cheese tomato chutney sandwich
- Add it to a burger
- Enjoy it with a meat pie
- Serve with pate and cheese
- Add a little to the mix when making homemade sausage rolls.
- Sear a juicy steak and garnish with chutney.


- 1 kg tomatoes
- 3 small apples (or 2 medium)
- 2 Middle onions
- 1 1/2 cups Brown sugar
- 1 Garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 small piece of ginger (about twice the size of a clove of garlic), finely grated (or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves)
- 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornmeal (plus enough extra vinegar to make a runny paste) – if needed to thicken chutney
-
Roughly chop tomatoes and onions.
-
Peel, core and roughly chop the apples.
-
Place all ingredients (except cornstarch) in a large saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
-
Increase heat until mixture begins to boil and cook gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
-
Add enough additional vinegar to the cornstarch to achieve a liquid paste consistency. Add to the chutney and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and shiny.
-
Pour the hot mixture into sterilized jars and seal immediately.
- Do you have more tomatoes you want to convert? Simply double, triple or multiply the quantities as you wish. Or, Check out my collection of tomato recipes under the Collections tab on the cookwithnanaling.com website.
- For best resultschop your main ingredients evenly – about 1-2cm x 1-2cm.
- Is your chutney cooked enough? There shouldn’t be any runny liquid on the surface of the mixture after it’s cooked. Some people suggest dragging a wooden spoon through the mixture as a test. If you can see a nice clean line on the bottom of the pot, it’s done.
- Be careful not to burn the chutney. I recommend playing it safe by adding the cornstarch and vinegar mixture to thicken it towards the end and avoid burning the chutney.
- Use sterilized jars. I sterilize my jars and lids simply by putting them in the dishwasher on a hot setting.
- Pour the hot mixture into the jar and immediately seal with a fresh, clean, plastic-lined twist-off lid – make sure it’s tight.
- Save your chutney Store in a cool, dry place and refrigerate for up to a month after opening. The shelf life of your chutney will depend on how well you have sterilized the jars, how well you seal the jars, and whether the jar is kept in a cool, dark place, the refrigerator, or some other place.
- Enjoy your chutney in so many ways!
- Make a ham and cheese tomato chutney sandwich
- Add it to a burger
- Enjoy it with a meat pie
- Serve with pate and cheese
- Add a little to the mix when making homemade sausage rolls.
- Sear a juicy steak and garnish with chutney.
Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 30G | Protein: 1G | Fat: 0.2G | Saturated Fatty Acids: 0.04G | Polyunsaturated fat: 0.1G | Monounsaturated fatty acids: 0.03G | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 2G | Sugar: 27G | Vitamin A: 582ie | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.5mg