A wonderfully versatile condiment with an incredible depth of flavor, apple chutney is easy to make and hard not to fall in love with.
Make this homemade chutney and you can serve it with a Sunday roast, a midweek curry, your favorite sandwich and so many other delicious dishes.
Why you'll love this apple chutney recipe
- Easy to make – only around 10 minutes of press work
- Store for over a year
- Elevates so many dishes, from curries and sandwiches to simple cheese and crackers
- There are so many ways to use it. Add it to soups and roasted squash dishes.
- Most ingredients you probably already have on hand.
CHUTNEY EQUIPMENT YOU NEED
Check out the ultimate list to chutney making equipment. You actually don't need that much and most of the items are quite affordable!
Making your own preserves is a great and satisfying hobby. Giving the gift the lovely food to your friends and family are especially rewarding!
Top Tip
Low and slow is the key. Simmer on a low heat for the best flavor.
What to pair with apple chutney
Meat
Bacon, black pudding, liver, pork or sausages are good meats to pair with apple chutney. Also, leftover meats such as chicken, turkey or pork are fantastic when paired with apple chutney.
Apple chutney also makes a terrific alternative to apple sauce.
Cheese board
Any hard cheese would be perfect. Try a nice smoky or extra mature cheddar. You can also go for a full flavored blue cheese, or a soft creamy cheese.
Curry
This chutney recipe has the flavors to perfectly complement all kinds of curries. Whether beef, chicken, lamb, fish, or vegetable, it will elevate the flavors.
Try it with chicken korai, lamb karahi, beef madras, easy chicken curry, chicken pathia, vegetable balti or fish korma.
Dessert
Pair with sweet dishes like a butterscotch or caramel dessert. Praline flavours are also fantastic. Think ice cream, yogurts or any other kinds of dairy-based desserts.
You can also pair apple chutney with all kinds of nuts, especially almonds, pecans or pistachios.
Wine pairing
Something like a cool crisp Riesling would be an excellent pairing with apple chutney.
You could also go for a fruity California Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir. A fresh and fragrant Verdejo would also be heavenly.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Other alcohol that pairs well with apple chutney
If you pair your pear chutney with a cheeseboard, you might want to take a dream double to a triple with a nice little tipple!
While enjoying this apple chutney as part of a cheeseboard, you can enjoy the following drinks with it.
- Brandy
- Calvados
- Cider
- Cognac
- Cointreau
- Grand Marnier
- Madeira
- Kirsch
- Rum
- Sherry
- Vermouth
- Red wine
Alternatively, you can actually make your chutney boozy! Simply pour in 125ml (½ cup) of your preferred alcohol at the end of cooking time and bottle up your pear chutney as soon as possible.
Variations to this recipe
Flavors
Add an extra dimension of flavour to your apple chutney with any of the following:
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 vanilla pod
- 5cm (2in) fresh ginger root, grated
- 50g (½ cup) almonds, chopped or slivered
- 3 star anise
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cassia stick
- 50g (½ cup) walnuts, chopped
- 50g (½ cup) hazelnuts, chopped
- 1 orange, juice and rind
- 1 lemon, juice and rind
- 100g (¾ cup) cooked chestnuts, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped [or less!]
Spices
If you’re planning on using whole spices, place them in a muslin bag, which you can remove towards the end of cooking time.
Varying heat
Add an extra chili to bring more heat to the chutney. If you're not a fan of heat, use one chili or omit them completely.
Popular substitutions
Fruit
Make up your own divine combinations! Swap 50% of the apple in the recipe below with one of the following fruits:
- Pear
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Mango
- Cranberries
- Blackcurrants
- Dates
- Pineapple
- Prunes
- Quinces
- Raisins
Vinegar
The malt vinegar can be substituted with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
What are the best apples for chutney?
Tart apples like Granny Smith apples have a wonderful flavor that makes them ideal for making chutney. Others, such as Fuji, Pink Lady, and Bramley apples are also suitable for making chutney.
What's the difference between chutney and relish?
They are both very similar. Chutneys and relishes often include vegetables, fruits, spices and vinegar. However, there are quite a few differences.
These include the size of the pieces, the overall texture, the cooking process and the overall taste.
For a more in-depth look at the difference between chutney and pickles, take a look at our guide to Chutney Vs Pickle.
How do you know when chutney is ready?
The classic chutney texture is thick and silky. The best way to test it is to use your spoon to draw a channel in the chutney. If it takes a few seconds for the vinegar to run back into the channel, then it’s ready.
If the vinegar runs into the channel straight away, the pineapple chutney needs a little more time. Put it back on the heat and let it simmer for a few more minutes. Then, try the test again.
Do I need to sterilise the jars before storing chutney?
Yes! This is a very important part of the pineapple chutney making process. Sterilising jars not only extends the shelf life of your homemade chutney, but it makes it safe to eat.
Check out our complete guide on How to Sterilise Jars for step by step instructions.
How long does this recipe keep?
Keep your unopened preserves in a cool, dark place. Also, be sure to keep them away from sunlight, which can affect colour and cause fermentation.
Your homemade apple chutney has a shelf life of at least a year. Once opened, store it in the fridge where it will stay fresh for around 2 months.
Can this recipe be scaled?
Absolutely! You can simply scale up this recipe by two or three times, using double or triple the ingredients. Just make sure you have enough jars!
More chutney recipes
Don’t stop with this apple chutney recipe! There are so many more delicious recipes to get stuck into. So, whip up some more chutney magic with some of the following:
- Papaya chutney – much like pineapple, papaya is an underused fruit with plenty of flavor. It’s an excellent ingredient when used to make a chutney, which makes this recipe well worth making
- Mrs Ball’s chutney – a South African favorite, Mrs Ball’s chutney is a wonderful mild chutney that is the perfect mixture of sweet and savory. Made of several fruits, mainly plum, it’s great with turkey, vegetables and especially cheese
- Orange chutney – similar to pineapple chutney, orange chutney is a zesty dish with plenty of charm
- Marrow chutney – a moreish vegetable chutney with a pleasant kick
- Plum Chutney – this spiced plum chutney goes down great at Christmas time
📖 Recipe
Apple Chutney
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 x 200g jars, 30g per portion, 53 portions 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Sweet and tangy, this apple chutney recipe is a delightful blend of flavors. Perfect for pairing with cheese, meats, or as a condiment for sandwiches!
Ingredients
- 1kg (2lbs 4oz) cooking apples, cored, washed and chopped
- 250g (9oz) peeled onions
- 15g (½ oz) garlic cloves
- 450g (1lb) dates, stoned and chopped
- 2 red chillies, chopped
- 450g (1lb) brown sugar
- 500ml (2 cups) ginger beer
- 500ml (2 cups) malt vinegar
- 22g (2 tbsp) white mustard seed
- 2g (1 tsp) ground turmeric
- 5g (1 tsp) salt
- 2g (1 tsp) ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a jam pan or large saucepan.
- Stir the contents over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Crank up the heat and let the mixture reach a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Continue to cook uncovered for 1¼ hours or until the chutney has thickened. Do give it a stir every now and then to prevent the food from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Spoon into hot, sterilised jars. Seal and then let it cool down.
- Label the jars, then let the chutney mature for at least a month before opening. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can easily substitute the dates with sultanas, raisins or black currants.
- The malt vinegar can be substituted with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Chutney
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 76
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 40.7 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Make my day! - Share your thoughts...