Last Updated on August 28, 2024 by Megan Jones
This easy green tomato chutney is the perfect way to use up end-of-season unripe tomatoes. Packed with apples, onions, dried fruit and warming spices, it’s sweet, tangy, and seriously versatile.
Spoon it onto crackers with vegan cheese, add to burgers or sandwiches, or serve with roasted veg—it’s a great all-rounder.
Got a glut of green tomatoes or had to pick them early before blight hit? This recipe’s for you.
Ingredients:
Green tomato chutney - Step by Step photos
(Full written instructions in recipe card)
Prep the onions and tomatoes and add salt
Chop the tomatoes, onions into similar size chunks add to a mixing bowl and sprinkle over the salt and mix, leave in a bowl or colander to draw out the excess moisture whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Boil the Vinegar
Add the vinegar and sugar to a large pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to a simmer.
Make the Chutney 'base'
Add the sultanas, mustard seeds and apples to the vinegar mixture. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the apple mixture and simmer for 10 mins
Add the tomatoes and onions to the Chutney base
Strain the tomatoes and onions in a colander (but don’t rinse), then tip into the pan and return to the boil.
Cook the chutney until thickened
Reduce mixture to a simmer, cook for about 1 hr, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick and pulpy. After about 1 hour, all of the vinegar should be absorbed by the ingredients
Swaps and subs, if ya fancy:
Sugar: this can be swapped for light brown sugar, which will lead to an even more 'caramelly' chutney
Raisins: roughly chopped to ensure even distribution in the chutney mix. You can use golden raisins here if you prefer!
Fresh Red Chilli: remove the seeds and membrane to reduce the heat. Can also be swapped for Green chilies to continue the green theme! If you have no fresh Chillies to hand, swap for 1-2 teaspoon of red chili flakes. Feel free to omit if you do not like chilli.
If you’re into sweet-meets-savoury spreads like this green tomato chutney, you’ll love my Cranberry, Harissa & Butternut Squash Hummus—it’s creamy, a little spicy, and perfect with crackers or dolloped on roasted veg.
And if you're after something with a kick of heat and a hint of festive tang, don’t miss my Cranberry Sweet Chilli Jam. It’s a total flavour bomb and makes an amazing addition to cheese boards, sandwiches, or even stirred into dressings.
Chutney Recipe Tips & Tricks
You can use old jam jars for chutney as long as the inside of the lids are plastic coated, otherwise the vinegar will corrode the metal.
250 ml preserve jars are perfect for storing jars of green tomato chutney in small batch portions to prevent food waste.
To sterilise your jars: heat the oven to 100°C / 212°F / Gas ¼. Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse clean and put the jars to dry in the warmed oven. Turn off the oven and leave the jars in until ready to decant your chutney. Put the lids (and any rubber seals) in a water bath of boiling water for 2 minutes.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you so much!
Meg x
- 900 grams tomatoes green
- 500 grams apples cooking
- 500 millilitres Red Wine Vinegar *
- 250 grams sugar
- 100 grams raisins
- 2 medium onions white / yellow
- 35 grams ginger fresh
- 35 grams garlic
- 1 medium red chilli
- 2 Teaspoons mustard seeds. yellow
- 2 Teaspoons salt Flakey
- Prep the onions and tomatoes and add salt: Chop the tomatoes, onions into similar size chunks add to a mixing bowl and sprinkle over the salt and mix, leave in a bowl or colander to draw out the excess moisture whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Prep the remaining ingredients: Measure out the vinegar, sugar & mustard seeds. Roughly chop the raisins, set to one side. Peel and mince the garlic & ginger - add to a small bowl for use later. De-seed and remove the membrane from the red chilli, then finely dice, add to the bowl with the garlic and ginger.
- Boil the Vinegar: Add the vinegar and sugar to a large pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to a simmer.
- Prep the apples: Peel, core and dice the cooking apples.
- Make the Chutney 'base': Add the sultanas, mustard seeds and apples to the vinegar mixture. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the apple mixture and simmer for 10 mins
- Add the tomatoes and onions to the Chutney base: Strain the tomatoes and onions in a colander (but don’t rinse), then tip into the pan and return to the boil.
- Cook the chutney until thickened: Reduce mixture to a simmer, cook for about 1 hr, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick and pulpy. After about 1 hour, all of the vinegar should be absorbed by the ingredients and the chutney should have become a thick, soft, semi-syrupy consistency, it should be thick enough to leave a clear trail across the bottom on the pan when a wooden spoon is drawn across it. (The chutney will continue to thicken as it cools.)
- Decant into jars: Transfer to warm sterilised jars (see tips, below) and cover with lids & seal.
Leave a star rating and review, ask a question, or share a tip!