This past weekend my mum made kitchari, and it went perfectly with this spicy tomato chutney. This tomato chutney is thick, rich and full of flavour, with a gentle heat that builds as you eat. Ripe tomatoes are slowly cooked down with onions, fresh chillies, curry leaves, garlic and ginger until they turn glossy and deeply savoury.

It is vegan, made with everyday ingredients, and goes with almost everything, from rice and flatbreads to samosas and you can even use it on pizza. Make a pot and you will find reasons to use it all week.

Why You’ll Love This Tomato Chutney

Rich flavour – Slow cooking melts the tomatoes down until the taste is deep, savoury and slightly sweet.
Goes with almost anything – Spoon it over rice, serve it with samosas, spread it in a pizza or scoop it up with flatbread.
Made with simple ingredients – Vegetable oil, tomatoes, onions, chillies, garlic cloves, ginger and garlic, a sprig of curry leaves and salt are all you need.
Easy to adjust the heat – Use red chillies, green chillies or a mix, and add as many or as few as you like.
Naturally vegan – There is no dairy or animal products in it.
Great for making ahead – It keeps well in the fridge, and the flavour gets better after a day.

Ingredients for Tomato Chutney

Vegetable oil: It cooks the onions and carries the flavour of the curry leaves and chillies. Substitute: Any neutral oil.

Ripe, soft tomatoes: These are the base, so choose very ripe, juicy tomatoes with plenty of flesh. Soft cooking tomatoes (such as jam tomatoes, ripe plum or roma tomatoes) are ideal because they melt down easily. Canned whole tomatoes will work, but the flavour will be less fresh.

Onions: They soften into the sauce and add sweetness and body. Chop them finely so they melt into the chutney.

Fresh red and/or green chillies: They bring heat and freshness. Remove the seeds for a milder chutney. Substitute: Fewer chillies, or a pinch of chilli flakes.

Curry leaves: They add a citrusy, aromatic flavour that is hard to replace. Tip: Fresh curry leaves give the best flavour.

Garlic cloves & ginger and garlic paste: This deepens the flavour and gives a warm, savoury depth to the base.

Rough salt: Season gradually and taste near the end, since the flavours concentrate as the chutney reduces. Substitute: Fine salt, using slightly less.

How to Make Tomato Chutney

Step 1: Peel and blend the tomatoes. Soak the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes until the skin start to split. Drain, peel off the skins, then blend the tomatoes until smooth.

Step 2: Heat the oil and cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, curry leaves, chillies, minced garlic and ginger and garlic paste. Stir well and cook until the onions are translucent.

Step 3: Add the tomatoes and simmer. Add the blended tomatoes and salt. Stir until everything is well combined, then close the pot lid. Cook on medium-low heat until the tomatoes melt down.

Step 4: Cook Down. Keep cooking on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the oil rises to the top of the chutney. This is the sign to know it is ready.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve warm or at room temperature with rice, flatbread, samosas or anything you like.

Tips for the Best Tomato Chutney

Choose very ripe tomatoes – Soft, ripe tomatoes melt down faster and give a sweeter, deeper flavour than firm ones.
Cook on medium-low heat – A gentle simmer lets the tomatoes break down without catching on the bottom of the pot.
Cook until the oil rises – This is how you know the chutney is ready. The liquid has cooked away, the flavours have concentrated and the oil separates on top.
Stir every so often – The chutney thickens as it cooks and could stick, so stir the pot occasionally, especially near the end.
Adjust the heat to your liking – Remove the chilli seeds for a mild chutney, or leave them in for something fiery.
Taste before you finish – Add salt gradually a little at a time and taste as you go, since the flavours concentrate as the chutney reduces.

What to Serve with Tomato Chutney

This chutney is as versatile as it gets. Serve it with plain rice, kitchari or dhal, alongside spinach and feta puffs or samosas, or with warm flatbread. It also makes a lovely spread for sandwiches and pizza’s, or a punchy topping for fried eggs.

Can I Make Tomato Chutney Ahead of Time?

Yes. It tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to settle. You can make it up to a few days ahead and serve it cold, at room temperature or gently warmed.

How to Store Tomato Chutney

Fridge: Keep it in a clean, airtight container for up to 5 days. A thin layer of oil on top helps preserve it.

To reheat: Warm gently in a pot over low heat, stirring often so it doesn’t catch on the bottom. You can also microwave it in short bursts, until hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of tomatoes should I use?
Use very ripe, soft, juicy tomatoes. Ripe jam, Roma or plum tomatoes work well too.

Do I have to peel the tomatoes?
Yes. The skins turn tough and curl up during cooking, so peeling gives you a smooth, silky chutney.

How do I know when it’s done?
The chutney is ready when the liquid has evaporated, the tomatoes have melted into a thick paste and the oil rises to the surface.

Is this tomato chutney spicy?
With many chillies it has a good kick, but you can control it. Remove the seeds or use fewer chillies for a milder version.

Is it vegan and gluten-free?
Yes. All the ingredients are plant-based and naturally gluten-free.

Why is my chutney watery?
It needs more cooking time. Keep simmering with the lid off for the last few minutes until the liquid cooks away and the oil rises.

Can I make it smoother or chunkier?
Yes. Blend the tomatoes until very smooth for a silky finish, or pulse them lightly if you like some texture.

Can I use canned tomatoes?
Yes, if fresh ripe tomatoes are not available. Use about the same weight, blend them and skip the peeling step.

⭐ Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and a comment below. I’d love to hear how your tomato chutney turned out!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 6

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Ripe tomatoes slowly cooked down with onions, fresh chillies, curry leaves, garlic and ginger until thick, glossy and full of flavour. A vegan chutney that goes with rice, flatbreads, samosas and more.

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
1.5kg jam tomatoes (peeled and blended)
2 onions
10 fresh red and/or green chilies
1 spig curry leaves
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 tsp fresh ginger and garlic paste
rough salt (to taste)

Instructions

Soak the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes until the skin start to split. Drain, peel off the skins, then blend the tomatoes until smooth.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, curry leaves, chillies, minced garlic and ginger and garlic paste. Stir well and cook until the onions are translucent.
Add the blended tomatoes and salt. Stir until everything is well combined, then close the pot lid. Cook on medium-low heat until the tomatoes melt down.
Keep cooking on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the oil rises to the top of the chutney. This is the sign to know it is ready.
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve warm or at room temperature with rice, flatbread, samosas or anything you like.

Notes

Use very ripe, soft tomatoes for the best flavour and texture.
The chutney is ready when the oil rises to the top.
Remove the chilli seeds or use fewer chillies for a milder chutney.
Taste and add salt gradually a little at a time, since the flavours concentrate as it reduces.
Keep it in a clean, airtight container for up to 5 days. A thin layer of oil on top helps preserve it.