Onion Tomato Chutney

Learn how to make Hotel Style Onion Tomato Chutney recipe with step by step pictures. This simple condiment is easy to make in 15 minutes and pairs well with South Indian breakfast dishes Idli, Dosa, Uttapam, Paniyaram, etc.

What is Onion Tomato Chutney?

It is a popular South Indian condiment prepared using onion, tomatoes, and spices as the main ingredients. It is tangy, medium spicy, and has a nutty aroma.

Why You'll Love This Onion Tomato Chutney

• The perfect accompaniment for idli, dosa, upma, vada, paratha, or even rice.
• Easy to make and ready in less than 20 minutes.
• Uses basic ingredients from the pantry.
• Vegan and gluten-free.
• Keeps well in the refrigerator for at least a week.

Ingredients for Making Tomato Onion Chutney

You will require very few simple ingredients to make this easy tomato onion chutney recipe.

• Onions- I like to use red onions as they are sweeter in taste. You can also use shallots or sambhar onions for this recipe.
• Tomatoes - use fresh, ripened, and juicy tomatoes. Roma tomatoes or Red Vine Tomatoes work best. The general rule of thumb is the quantity of tomatoes should be twice the amount of onions in this recipe.
• Red Chillies- Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri Red Chillies to get a bright red color and heat to the chutney. If you don't have it, use Kashmiri red chili powder instead.
• Garlic - use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
• Lentils - Roasted Urad dal adds great texture to the chutney. So don't skip it.
• Tamarind - Adds extra tang to the chutney. You can also use store-bought tamarind paste if that is what you have in hand. If the tomatoes are too tangy then feel free to skip this one.
• Tempering - mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, red chili, and oil are used for tempering.

How to Make Onion Tomato Chutney

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add split urad dal, red chilies, and saute till the dal turns light brown.

Then add garlic, curry leaves, and onion. Saute till onions turn soft and translucent.

Then add in the tomatoes, turmeric, and salt. Cook the tomatoes until they are soft and mushy, around 5-6 minutes. 

Turn off the heat, add tamarind and jaggery. Mix everything well. Cool the mixture.

Once the onion tomato mixture cools, add it to mixi grinder or small blender. Grind it to a smooth paste without adding any water.

For Tempering

Heat oil in a small tadka pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chili, and saute till dal turns light brown.

Then add curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds and pour the tempering over the tomato chutney.

Serve with idli, dosa, uttapam, or any other South Indian breakfast.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this authentic onion tomato chutney with idli, dosas, upma, paniyaram, uttapam, poori, or paratha. You can also serve it with steamed rice and dal with some ghee.

Storage Suggestions

This tomato chutney stays good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. So this is a great make-ahead chutney dish.

Pro-Tips

• Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies to get the perfect bright red color.
• Sauteeing the veggies helps to remove the raw smell and elevates the flavors.
• Adding tamarind gives extra tang, so skip it if your tomatoes are too tangy.
• Adding jaggery (or sugar), cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and balances out the flavors of the chutney.

Variation & Substitutions

• If you don't have dry red chili, use red chili powder.
• Lentils like roasted urad dal add great texture to the chutney and a nutty aroma. Some recipes use both urad dal and chana dal. You can also substitute roasted peanuts with roasted split urad dal.
• Raw garlic is added in many traditional recipes, but roasting helps remove the pungent smell. You can substitute garlic with ginger.

Other Chutney Recipes

• Coconut Chutney
• Coriander Coconut Chutney
• Green Tomato Chutney
• Tomato Chutney
• Raw Mango Chutney
• Ridge Gourd Chutney
• Walnut Chutney
• Red Bell Pepper Chutney

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