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    Home » Sauces, spreads & dips

    Apple chutney with ginger & cinnamon

    Published: Oct 18, 2022 · Modified: Mar 22, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Text overlay: Apple chutney. Apple chutney in bowl with platter of samosas.

    Apple chutney is like a chunky apple sauce with the warming flavors of curry, ginger, and cinnamon.

    It’s so easy to make! It can be eaten warm or cold straight out of the refrigerator.

    Enjoy it as a side dish, dipping sauce, or topping.

    Vegan & gluten-free.

    Apple chutney in a yellow bowl by cilantro, cinnamon, and ginger.

    Want an alternative to apple sauce or cranberry sauce this harvest season?

    Make apple chutney!

    • It is a great way to use the apples from your basket at the orchard.
    • It comes together in just minutes.
    • It is easy to make.
    • It adds sweetness and bite to dishes like vegan holiday roast.
    • It’s also a delightful dipping sauce for samosas.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • What is apple chutney?
    • Step by step instructions
    • Step by step instructions
    • Make it your own
    • Prefer a chunky sauce?
    • Serving ideas
    • Storage instructions
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is apple chutney?

    Apple chutney in bowl by samosas and red napkin.

    Apple chutney is similar to apple sauce. However, it has more of a savory flavor and warming edge.

    Diced apples are filled out with sautéed onions, fresh ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, agave syrup, and a dash of apple cider vinegar.

    A lot of apple chutney recipes call for an excess of sugar or vinegar.

    However, I prefer mine to maintain a little of its tartness from the apples.

    I don’t want their inherent flavor to get overpowered by too much sugar or vinegar.

    So I use just enough of both to heighten their flavors without dominating.

    But apples can vary. So if yours are particularly tart, feel free to add more agave syrup to suit your tastes.

    Step by step instructions

    Here are the ingredients you will need for this apple chutney recipe.

    Labeled ingredients for apple chutney.

    Oil: Avocado oil is my go-to, but any neutral flavored cooking oil will work here.

    Onions: Yellow is my preference, but white or red will work. Or replace with an equal amount of shallots.

    Ginger: Freshly grated ginger adds a floral quality.

    For easiest grating, use a Microplane zester on frozen ginger root.

    Apples: Pink Lady apples are my favorite, but use whatever you have on hand.

    Apple cider vinegar: ACV adds tang and sweetness. It can be replaced with white vinegar or rice vinegar.

    Cinnamon: A little cinnamon brings out the fall flavors. For easiest use, I recommend ground cinnamon, but freshly grated also works.

    Curry powder: I recommend Penzey’s sweet curry powder or S & B.

    You don’t want anything too hot or overpowering. Choose a curry powder with warming spices that let the apples take center stage.

    Salt: A pinch of salt brings it all together.

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Small chunks of apple in a measuring cup.

    Peel apples. Then cut them into small pieces. (Discard the apple cores.)

    Onions sauteing in pot.

    Sauté onions and ginger with oil in a pot until softened & fragrant.

    (Pro tip: A Microplane zester is very handy for grating ginger. If you have lots of ginger root left over after this recipe, freeze it!)

    Apples in pot with spices and fresh ginger.

    Add the following to the pot:

    • Peeled & chopped apples
    • Curry powder
    • Cinnamon
    • Apple cider vinegar
    • Agave syrup
    • Salt

    Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.

    (If your apple pieces are on the larger side, you may need to cook as long as 25 minutes.)

    Apple chutney cooking down in pot.

    Uncover, stir, and let the chutney cook for a couple minutes more to cook off any excess liquid, if your apples are particularly juicy.

    Serve the apple chutney warm. Or move the chutney to a covered container and refrigerate.

    Make it your own

    You can make this tempting side dish your own by varying the ingredients.

    • Vary the type of apples. (Pink Lady apples are my favorite!)
    • Cut the apples into bigger chunks for more texture & crunch.
    • For a totally smooth sauce, blend with an immersion blender.
    • For more texture, leave the peels on the apples.
    • Replace agave syrup with maple syrup.
    • For sweeter sauce, increase the amount of sweetener.
    • Add a sprinkling of cayenne for heat or use hot curry powder.

    Prefer a chunky sauce?

    If you prefer a chunky apple chutney, cut the apple pieces a little larger, and they will maintain more of their crunch.

    Chunky apple chutney needs to cook about 25 minutes.

    If you prefer a saucier & smoother chutney, cut the apple pieces much smaller.

    (Smaller pieces work better for a samosa topping.)

    Chutney made with smaller apple pieces cooks in just 12 to 15 minutes. Super fast!

    Serving ideas

    Apple chutney on holiday roast with broccoli and mashed potatoes.

    Apple chutney can be served hot or cold.

    It is a delicious addition to any of these dishes.

    1. Use it as a dip with vegetable samosas.
    2. Put it alongside a vegan holiday roast with broccoli & mashed potatoes.
    3. Use it as a topping on vegan sausage.
    4. Serve it with sabut masoor dal or chana masala as a cooling side.
    5. Serve it on a vegan cheese board.
    6. At Thanksgiving & Friendsgiving, it is a terrific alternative to orange cranberry sauce.

    (The mini vegetable samosas are one of my favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products.

    You could easily cook your chutney while the samosas are cooking in the air fryer. Air fry the samosas for 7 to 8 minutes at 400 degrees, stopping once to flip half way through.)

    Storage instructions

    Apple chutney keeps well in the refrigerator. In fact, the flavors improve over time as everything melds.

    So this is a good one to make ahead of time if you’re planning a holiday get together.

    Store it in an airtight container. And it will last for about a week in the refrigerator.

    Apple chutney in bowl by samosas.

    📖 Recipe

    Bowl of apple chutney by samosas.

    Apple chutney with ginger and cinnamon

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 7 votes
    Use this warming chutney as a dip with vegetable samosas or as a topping on a holiday roast. Slide it on top of seitan sausages. Or serve it with your favorite curry.
    So many delicious options!
    Makes 1 cup of apple chutney.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Indian, Vegan
    Keyword: fall recipe, relish, sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred oil
    • ½ cup yellow onions chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon finely grated ginger I use a Microplane zester
    • 3 cups peeled and chopped apples Chopped small* (Discard apple cores)
    • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons agave syrup or maple syrup
    • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon curry powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Bring pot to a medium heat with oil.
      Add onions and ginger. Saute a couple minutes, until softened and fragrant.
    • Add peeled & chopped apples, apple cider vinegar, agave syrup, cinnamon, curry powder, and salt to pot.
    • Turn heat to low. Stir and cover for 12 to 15 minutes, until the apples have softened and are starting to break down a little.
    • If there is excess liquid, take the lid off of the pot and allow the apple chutney to cook for a couple of minutes more.
    • Remove from heat & serve right away. Or put the apple chutney in a covered container and move to the refrigerator.

    Notes

    *If you prefer a chunkier chutney, chop the apples into medium pieces instead. However, you’ll need to cook it for approximately 25 minutes instead.
    Apples vary in sweetness. If yours are on the tart side or if you simply prefer a sweeter sauce, add more agave syrup or maple syrup.
    Store apple chutney in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    Content, photos, and recipe updated October 18, 2022. Originally posted October 15, 2018. 

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

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    1. Jessica Davidson

      September 07, 2020 at 7:03 pm

      Hello, How much does this recipe make in jar wise? I love the recipe and making for my hospitality assessment in school but unsure on how many jars i can fill when it says 4 servings? Thank you

      Reply
      • Cadry

        September 07, 2020 at 9:14 pm

        I’m glad you love the recipe! Jars vary in sizes, so I can’t really say how many you can fill. This recipe makes one cup of chutney. So once you know the size of your jars, it should be easy to figure out from there. Good luck with your assessment!

        Reply
    2. Kathy Hester

      October 22, 2018 at 7:22 pm

      5 stars
      Time to use up all our extra apples! Chutney in any form is great, but I love the fall recipes.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 24, 2018 at 11:01 am

        So true! This time of year it adds a lightly sweet edge to comfort food.

        Reply
    3. Becky Striepe

      October 22, 2018 at 6:47 am

      5 stars
      Ooh I love chutney but have never made one with apples before. Clearly, this is something I need to remedy immediately!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 24, 2018 at 11:00 am

        Yes, get on that ASAP. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Linda from Veganosity

      October 20, 2018 at 8:42 am

      5 stars
      We love savory apple recipes! This sounds so good, Cadry. It would be great on a vegan cheese board. YUM!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 20, 2018 at 9:16 am

        Yes, it would! I love having lots of different tastes on a vegan cheese board. That’s what makes it extra fun.

        Reply
        • Alexandra Desroches

          November 02, 2021 at 1:55 pm

          I was wondering how long does it keep in the fridge, and can i put it in jars and can them to keep them on the shelf for a year? Thanks!

          Reply
          • Cadry Nelson

            November 02, 2021 at 2:55 pm

            Apple chutney will last for about a week in the refrigerator. I have very limited experience with canning, and so I can’t help you there. Sorry! I hope you enjoy the chutney.

            Reply
    5. Alisa Fleming

      October 17, 2018 at 11:09 am

      This intrigues me, especially the onions with the apples. I don’t do a lot of fruit with savory, or even chutneys for that matter. Might need to branch out!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 19, 2018 at 8:12 am

        You should give it a whirl sometime!

        Reply
    6. Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes

      October 16, 2018 at 5:36 am

      5 stars
      I have so many apples sitting in my kitchen waiting for me to do something with them. Now I found the perfect thing! Xour apple chutney looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 16, 2018 at 8:57 am

        It’s kismet! I hope you enjoy the apple chutney, Vanessa!

        Reply
    7. Dianne

      October 15, 2018 at 3:24 pm

      I don’t think I’ve ever had apple chutney before. I have a big bag full of apples in the fridge, so I’ve been on the lookout for recipes. This one looks perfect!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 16, 2018 at 8:57 am

        That’s great, Dianne! I hope you enjoy it! I look forward to seeing what you serve with it.

        Reply
    8. Shell

      October 15, 2018 at 12:20 pm

      What a great way to use those apples! I’ve seen mango chutney at my favorite Indian restaurant, but haven’t seen other varieties before.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 16, 2018 at 8:56 am

        Thanks, Shell! Were you able to use all of your apples? I’m fond of mango chutney too. Cilantro/mint chutney is my favorite one at Indian restaurants. From what I’ve read, although chutney started in India in 500 BC, using apple in chutney is more of a British thing. Chutneys got to England & France sometime in the 1600’s.

        Reply

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