BEST Mango Chutney
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A reader favorite for over 10 years, just read all the rave reviews! readers RAVE about this mango chutney recipe! Fresh, vibrant, and absolutely BURSTING with flavor, this Mango Chutney recipe makes a versatile and delicious condiment with a wide range of tasty applications. It keeps for a long time in the fridge, can be frozen, and I’ve included instructions for canning so it will keep for up to a year!

As a huge Indian food fan I love exploring and creating a wide range of chutneys out of fruits, nuts, vegetables and a whole host of spices. This mango chutney recipe is one of my favorites. Chutney dates back to 500 BC. Chutneys are endless in variety and ingredients, but they generally consist of fruit, vinegar, and sugar cooked down to a reduction. The word “chutney” is derived from the Sanskrit word caṭnī, meaning to lick. In other words, finger-lickin’ good!
Mango Chutney Ingredients
Fresh mango, sugar and vinegar is added and it is slowly cooked down to a sticky and delicious concoction. For flavor we’re also adding fresh ginger, garlic and red chilies along with spices that are first sauteed in oil to coax out maximum flavor: cumin, coriander, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. These ingredients all come together to create an unforgettable flavor profile.
What Are Nigella Seeds?
Another spice that is in this recipe is nigella, which comes from an annual flowering plant native to south and southwest Asia. Other names for it include black cumin, onion seed and kalonji. It’s hard to describe the flavor of nigella. Wikipedia describes them as “a combination of onions, black pepper and oregano, with a bitterness like mustard seeds.”
The flavor is really unlike anything you’ve tasted before. It’s fantastic! I love to use it at every possible opportunity when I make Indian or Middle Eastern foods. It’s wonderful in curries and it positively transforms breads and potatoes. Nigella is also commonly sprinkled on naan bread in India and is a wonderful spice to use in any “carb-based” dish. It adds an incredible flavor dimension to this mango chutney.
How to Use Mango Chutney
This mango chutney is sweet and spicy and is delicious either as a spread, a dip, or used in cooking a variety of Indian cuisine. Here are just a few ideas:
- As a Condiment: Serve it alongside grilled meats, such as chicken, pork, or lamb. It’s also delicious added to meat dishes like pulled pork and chicken (see my Pulled Chicken Mango Sandwiches).
- In Sandwiches and Wraps: Spread it on sandwiches or wraps for an extra layer of flavor. I also love to add it to these Grilled Cheese & Chutney Sandwiches.
- With Cheese and Crackers: It makes a great accompaniment to a cheese platter. Pair it with sharp cheeses like cheddar or creamy ones like brie.
- In Curries: Stir a spoonful of it into your curry dishes. This is one of my favorite ways to use it, it adds SO much flavor and a nice contrasting touch of sweetness!
- As a Marinade: Mix it with a little olive oil, lime juice, and spices, then coat chicken or pork before grilling or baking. It’s so yummy!
- With Rice or Grain Bowls: Top a bowl of rice or grains with mango chutney for a burst of flavor.
- In Salad Dressings: Incorporate it into a vinaigrette or dressing for a sweet and tangy twist on your salads.
- As a Glaze: Brush some mango chutney over roasted or grilled vegetables to add a glossy finish and sweet flavor. Use it to make my Mango Chutney Chicken.
Mango Chutney Recipe
Let’s get started!
Over medium-high heat, heat some vegetable oil in a medium stock pot and saute the garlic, ginger and some diced red chilies for about a minute.
Add the spices and saute for another minute.
Add the chopped mangoes to the pot.
Add the sugar and salt. Add the white vinegar.
Stir up the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue on a steady simmer for one hour.
After an hour of simmering. Depending on how finely you diced the mango, you can either leave it as is, or you can use a potato masher or blender stick to mash up some of the larger pieces.
After a bit of mashing. Stored in jars in the fridge this chutney will last up to at least two months. You can also freeze it for several months. For long-term storage, can it in airtight jars: Pour the mixture directly into sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours then store jars in a dark, cool place. Will keep for at least a year.
For long-term storage you can also can this mango chutney. I always make a double batch of this and can it so we can enjoy it all year long.
Canning Instructions:
Pour the mixture directly into sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours then store jars in a dark, cool place. Will keep for at least a year.
Enjoy!
For more delicious Indian recipes be sure to try my:
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Butter Chicken
- Chana Masala
- Tandoori Chicken
- Masoor Dal
- Shrimp Curry
- Egg Curry
- Dal Palak
- Dosa
- Chicken Biryani
- Chicken Xacuti
- Curry Powder
- Garam Masala
Save This Recipe
BEST Mango Chutney
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil (neutral tasting)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger , finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1 red chili , sliced (optional: remove seeds and membrane for less heat)
- 2 teaspoons whole nigella seeds (optional but HIGHLY recommended for incredible flavor)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large mangoes (about 300 grams each), peeled and diced; can substitute around 1500 grams frozen mango
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high in a medium stock pot. Saute the ginger, garlic and red chilies for a minute. Add the spices and saute for another minute. Add the diced mangoes, sugar, salt, and vinegar and stir to combine. Bring it to a rapid boil and reduce to medium-low. Steady simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. If you prefer smaller chunks, use a potato masher to mash the mixture to the desired consistency.
- For storage, chutney will keep for a while because of the high acidity content. A conservative time frame would be up to 2 months in the fridge (in a sealed jar) or for several months in the freezer. For best results let the chutney sit for a few days before using to allow the flavors to develop and mellow. Canning Instructions (for even longer shelf-life): Pour the hot mixture directly into sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours, then store in a dark, cool place. Will keep for at least a year.This makes roughly 2 1/2 pints of mango chutney.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet March 9, 2013
can you use this recipe with green mango?
Hi Maria, yes you can.
The most fantastic chutney recipe on the internet. And there are over 100. My husband was raised for five years in India (son of a US diplomat) so he know his chutney. This is spectacular!!!
That’s a compliment indeed, Una, thank you so much! <3
FANTASTIC!
Sorry, the grays mango chutney that you can buy in stores just does not cut the mustard! This recipe is so tasty with a good balance of spice and sweet. Definitely a must try recipe.
That’s wonderful, Melissa, thank you so much! :)
Just made this and I love it! I cut the recipe in half, used a whole fresno pepper and 3/4 of the sugar since the mangoes were sweet already. If they were not then I would have gone with the whole cup. My house smells amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
That’s awesome Colleen, thanks so much for the feedback! The sugar also plays a thickening role (also pH level for canning) as it turns to syrup so you may find that your chutney is very runny. If that’s the case you can thicken it at the end with cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in a little water, but these aren’t recommended for canning and things with cornstarch also don’t freeze well, it breaks down when thawing. Just wanted to give you a heads up.
I love this recipe! I shared the final product with my family members and they love it too. Can I substitute peaches for mango? since they are in season right now. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Tammy, I’m happy it was a hit! And yes, you can absolutely use peaches!
simply amazing! I used honey instead of sugar and cut way back..it was a perfect sauce for my palate!!!
Terrific, I’m so glad it was a success, thank you Marie!
the reason I didn’t leave any stairs is because I haven’t finished it yet but I am making it my son-in-law says it smells wonderful and I read the reviews and they all sound like it’s a winner recipe
That’s great, Lynda, happy cooking and I look forward to hearing what you think!
I made this recipe to enter into our State Fair. I wasn’t able to get the whole Nigella seeds but was able to find ground Nigella seeds so I went with that. I added black sesame seeds to get the same appearance. I did have a difficult time to get it to set enough (sloshy products get marked down) so I ended up cooking it longer which caused it to darken and lose some of that beautiful mango color!) The flavor was wonderful though and it got a first place and Best of Class for Chutneys!
That’s awesome, Leslie! But if it won 1st place, why only 4 stars??? :) Did you by chance cut down on the sugar? The sugar plays a key role in enabling it to set.