Tomato Chutney Recipe

Simple Tomato chutney or Thakkali Chutney is a very popular recipe all over india made with just tomatoes, chillies and garlic can be served with idli, dosa, paniyaram, masala dosa, or as a spread for sandwich.

Tomato Chutney Recipe

Tomato Chutney is my go to chutney recipe. Usually I make a big batch, store in fridge and use it through out the week. Tomato chutney is the best pair for idli and dosa. Even I have it with roti or chapati.

This is very easy to make. If you wish to store this chutney longer, the only thing you have to keep in mind is cook till oil separates from the mix. Also use good amount of oil in the chutney which preserves it  for a long time.

About Tomato Chutney Recipe

Tomato chutney or Thakkali Chutney is one of the popular chutney | side dish recipe all over india. It is made a wide number of ways and I have shared most of the version in this recipe post.

Usually tomato chutney needs basic ingredients like tomatoes, chillies, garlic. You can use additional ingredients like coconut, onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves, extra garlic to make it taste different each time.

Sometimes I even add cilantro, capsicum, basil leaves to my tomato chutney which makes it very fragrant.

Ingredients like chana dal, coconut, roasted gram dal, flax seeds is used as thickening the chutney and increase the quantity.

Similar Recipes

Capsicum Chutney
Onion Chutney
Beetroot Chutney
Chilli Garlic Chutney
Onion Tomato Chutney

Watch Tomato Chutney Video

Ingredients for Tomato Chutney Recipe

Tomatoes

Use ripe tomatoes which are little sour for best taste. Tomatoes in season makes the best thakkali chutney. I like to pick medium size red tomatoes for my chutney.

Dry Red Chillies

Tomato chutney gets its spiciness from variety of ingredients like dry red chillies, green chillies, red chilli powder. You can adjust the chilli measurements as per your taste and the level of heat the chilli holds.

Tempering Ingredients

Tempering is a way of giving a finishing touch to any chutney. Whole spices like mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves is fried in oil and poured over chutney to give its aroma.

Optional Ingredients

As mentioned in this detailed recipe post of Tomato chutney, you can add many flavouring ingredients like garlic, coconut, coriander leaves, mint leaves, basil leaves to the chutney to give unique taste each time you make them.

How to Make the Best Tomato Chutney

Cooking Tomatoes

The First step always start by frying garlic, urad dal or chana dal, dry red chillies in oil till golden brown. Sometimes I cook the dry red chillies till dark brown which adds a nice smoky taste to the chutney. Then tomatoes are cooked down till mushy.

Grinding Tomato Chutney

Cooked tomatoes and spices are cooled completely before grinding. The texture of the chutney totally depends upon your taste preference.

Tempering Chutney

Final tempering whole spices like mustard, cumin, urad dal, asafoetida, curry leaves is heated in gingelly oil or ghee and poured over the chutney. Alternatively You can add the ground chutney into the oil and cook till oil separates.

Serving

Tomato chutney can be served with a wide range of south indian dishes like idli, dosa, paniyaram, masala dosa, or as a spread for sandwich.

How to Store Tomato Chutney Longer?

Once the tomatoes are sauted and ground (avoid using water when grinding chutney). Make sure you cook them in the tempering oil till a slick of oil separates from the chutney. Cooking them till oil separates preserves the chutney for longer period without refrigeration which makes it ideal for travelling.

Serving Suggestions

Most South Indians serve chutneys with daily breakfast options like idli, dosa, medu vada, appam, pongal or paniyaram. I like to serve as a spread for phulkas.

I like to apply it as a spread for my wraps too.

Tips for Making Tasty Tomato Chutney

• Make sure you use ripe red tomatoes which are a little sour for best taste.
• Use gingelly oil for maximum flavour. But any flavourless oil can be used as per your preference. Use extra oil for taste and preservation.
• Urad dal can be substituted with chana dal, flax seeds or sesame seeds. Check my variation in tomato chutney below. 
• Garlic can be added for flavour. 

Tomato Chutney Recipe (Stepwise Pictures)

1)Heat oil and add in urad dal.

2)Add in dry red chillies.

3)Saute for a min.

4)Add in tomatoes

5)Season with salt and sugar.

7)Cover and cook.

8)Once cooked, add them to a blender

9)Puree till smooth.

10)Lets make seasoning. Heat oil and add in mustard seeds, curry leaves.

11)Add asafoetida

12)Let them sizzle.

13)Add in tomato puree.

14)Add in little water and mix well.

15)Cook till thickens.

16)Done.

17)Serve

Variations of Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney or Thakkali Chutney can be made in so many variations and varieties. You can add garlic, basil leaves, coriander leaves, curry leaves, cilantro and flax seeds to make different variations of tomato chutney for idli, dosa.

Tomato Garlic Chutney Recipe

You all know that I love garlic in anything. If you are a garlic lover like me,Then this one is for you. This can be served with idli or dosa. With this chutney I can promise that you will eat couple more idli. So here you go for the recipe.

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai and add in 20 garlic and fry till golden. Add in 2 chopped Tomatoes and salt and cook till tomatoes gets mushy.
• Now let this mixture cool down and take this in blender and make in to a fine paste. Transfer this to a serving bowl.
• Make tempering by heating 1 tbsp oil and adding 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp chana dal, 1 tsp urad dal, 2 dry red chilli, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ¼ tsp asafoetida and a sprig curry leaves. pour this over the chutney and mix. Serve.

Tomato Curry Leaves Chutney Recipe

The combination of tomatoes and curry leaves in this is perfect and taste wonderful. The chutney has a nice flavour of curry leaves and coriander leaves in them.

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai, saute 2 tbsp sesame seeds, ½ cup coconut, 4 chillies, 1 cup curry leaves and 1 cup coriander leaves. Add in blender and crush them lightly.
• Saute 3 chopped tomatoes with salt and 1 tsp sugar till soft. Take everything in a blender and puree.
• Make tempering by heating 1 tbsp oil and adding ½ tsp mustard, and ½ tsp urad dal. pour this over the chutney and mix.

Tomato Coconut Chutney Recipe

Simple version of tomato chutney with an addition of coconut which adds a creamy texture to it.

• Saute 1 onion, 3 chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric powder with coconut and salt. Grind into a smooth puree.
• Make seasoning with 1 tbsp oil, ½ tsp mustard, ½ tsp urad dal, 1 tsp chana dal, a sprig of curry leaves, 4 crushed garlic and ¼ tsp asafoetida. Pour this over chutney and mix.

Tomato Basil Chutney Recipe

This aromatic and tasty tomato basil chutney which is not only tasty but is so delicious. You can enjoy it with hot idlies or dosa.

• Saute 4 garlic, 4 dry red chillies in oil. Add in 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 cup basil, salt. Saute for 3 to 4 mins.
• Cool this mixture and Grind into a smooth puree. Serve.

Tomato Flaxseed Chutney Recipe

Tomato flaxseed chutney is one of my latest discovery. I bought few packets of flaxseed from my super market and have been looking for recipes to include it. Whenever we make chutney, we either add some chana dal or coconut for the thickness in it, so this time i thought of using flaxseeds in them which gives the thickness automatically.

• Saute 4 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp flax seeds, 2 dry red chillies and take it in a blender. Add in 2 chopped tomatoes and saute for 3 mins.
• Take it in a blender add in 1 tsp tamarind, salt and puree.
• Make tempering by heating 1 tbsp oil and sizzling ½ tsp mustard and a sprig of curry leaves.

Tomato Coriander Chutney Recipe

Coriander leaves adds a citrus punch to your dishes also it makes it taste great. This chutney gets green specks of coriander scattered through out.

• Saute 10 shallots, 3 tomatoes, 4 dry red chillies, 1 tsp cumin seeds, a small piece tamarind, salt, sugar, 1 cup cilantro for 5 mins. Cool this and puree.
• Make tempering with oil, mustard, urad dal, asafoetida, dry red chillies and curry leaves. pour this over chutney and serve.

Tomato Mint Chutney Recipe

Mint adds a refreshing note to any dish. This chutney is one such recipe. So good and delicious make you want to eat one more dosa!

• Saute 3 tomatoes, 3 dry red chillies with 1 cup mint leaves. Grind with salt, 1 tsp sugar and tamarind.
• Heat oil for tempering. Add in mustard, urad dal, dry red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.

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