Apple Chutney Recipe (Indian Style)

A small bowl of apple chutney with curd rice in the back.

Apple Chutney Recipe (Indian Style)

This easy Indian-style apple chutney is sweet, tangy, mildly spicy, and packed with warm spices. It comes together in just 40 minutes with simple pantry ingredients — and once you try it, you'll want a jar of it in your fridge at all times!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings (~2 cups)

Calories 77kcal

Author Kanan

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya) Coarsely crushed in mortar and pestle or spice grinder
1 Green chili finely chopped
2 medium Granny smith apples ~ 1lb, diced finely
2 medium Gala apples ~ 1 lb, diced finely
1 teaspoon Dry ginger powder (sonth or saunth)
½ teaspoon Red chili powder
¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
¼ cup Raisins
¾ cup White sugar
½ cup Water
¼ cup Apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Bloom the coriander seeds: Heat oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the coarsely crushed coriander seeds and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until they become fragrant and slightly golden. You will smell them right away — that is your cue they are ready. Do not walk away; coriander seeds can burn quickly.
Add the green chili: Add the finely chopped green chili to the pan. Sauté for 30–40 seconds, stirring.
Add everything else: Add both varieties of diced apples, ginger powder, red chili powder, ground cloves, raisins, sugar, water, and apple cider vinegar to the pan. Stir everything well to combine.
Cook covered: Cover the pan and cook on medium heat, stirring every 5-7 minutes to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
If the mixture looks dry at any point before the apples have softened, add a small splash of water. The apples will release their own moisture as they cook, so you typically won't need much extra.
Cook until thick and mushy: Continue cooking (covered, stirring in between) until the apples have completely softened and turned mushy, and almost all the moisture has evaporated. The chutney will look thick and glossy. This typically takes about 20–25 minutes total.
Mash and finish: Turn off the heat. Using a potato masher, gently mash the chutney to your desired consistency.
I like it slightly chunky — not completely smooth — so I mash about halfway.
If you prefer it completely smooth, you can blend it with an immersion blender.
Cool completely before storing: This is important — let the chutney cool fully to room temperature before transferring to jars or containers. Storing it warm can cause condensation inside the jar, which shortens shelf life.

Notes

Stir regularly, especially toward the end. As the moisture reduces and the chutney thickens, it is more prone to sticking. Stir every 3–5 minutes once the mixture starts to look thick.

Don't cover if the chutney seems too watery after 20 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to help evaporate excess moisture faster and thicken the chutney.

Nutrition