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easy green chutney

Green chutney is a fresh flavoured herb chutney made using coriander and mint, blended with chillies and lemon juice. The perfect accompaniment to any curry.

Green chutney is simple to make and will transform any Indian dish. Spoon it over your curry, drizzle over your chaat snacks like puris, or for dipping samosas. But equally delicious added to your lunchtime chicken sandwich.

Using few ingredients and ready in less than 5 minutes, this easy green chutney will transform food with its herby freshness.

Green chutney is made using fresh coriander leaf and many traditional recipes add mint too. I’ve added mint here as it really adds to the flavour. Mint is also good for the digestion so great to balance out spicy foods.

Green chutney made of mint, coriander lemons and chillies.

Flavour balance:

Good flavour balance is a science and makes a difference to the taste of food. For example if something is too spicy, adding a little sourness cuts down the heat; too salty add some sugar and it will balance out the salt.

Most dishes will contain at least 3 of these main flavours and the trick is to balance them. Add too much of one component and you will lose the balance of the dish:

  • Sweet
  • Salty
  • Sour
  • Bitter
  • Spice
  • Umami

This Indian green chutney adds a cool, fresh yet spicy flavour to any dishes you serve it alongside. There is the perfect balance of freshness with sour lemon, spicy chillies, a pinch of salt and some sugar to round off the chutney.

Easy Green Chutney – recipe steps:

Ingredients labelled for making a spiced green chutney for curries.
  • Prepare the ingredients.
A small blender with fresh herbs, green chillies salts and sugar and lemon juice about to be blended.
  • Wash the coriander and mint leaves and add them to a food processor along with the green chillies and sugar.
Lemon juice being added to a small blender with mint and coriander.
  • Pour over the lemon juice and season to taste with salt. Blitz to a smooth consistency.

Serving suggestions:

I always make this Indian green chutney when I’m having a curry night in. I like to put a bowl in the middle of the table that way everyone can add to their dishes as they like.

Great with a whole host of Indian starters like pakora, samosas, puris, but just as tasty serves alongside a curry.

One of my favourite ways to serve green chutney is alongside our Easy Paneer Curry or Matar Paneer. Take a warm chapati, fill it with some crisp salad vegetables and spoon over some paneer curry. Now top with a drizzle of green chutney and some spicy tamarind chutney.

I love the combination of Indian Green Chutney with a Spicy Tamarind Chutney. One fresh, sharp and sour; the other rich, sweet and spicy. It is the perfect balance of flavours to add to any spicy dish.

Fresh green chutney in a jar with a flatbread and curry to the back to show the serving suggestion.

Recipe substitutions and variations:

  • Coriander forms the base of this chutney and is the main flavour.
  • Mint is optional, but adds a lovely balance of freshness to the chutney. Mint is also great for settling stomachs, so the ideal addition to serve alongside spicy food.
  • Green chillies add nice heat to this chutney but if you don’t like chillies leave them out. Equally, if you like really spicy food add some extra.
  • Lemon juice adds a fresh and sour note to this chutney if you want you can substitute with lime juice instead.
  • Sugar is added to balance out the sour lemon and spicy chillies.
  • Dried spices like cumin and garam masala can be added to this chutney if you like. I just prefer to keep my chutney fresh and herby.
  • Natural yogurt can be added to the chutney if you want to cool the whole dish down.

Can I made Green Chutney ahead of time?

This Indian green chutney is ideal for making ahead of time. Once blitzed together pop this chutney into a jar with a lid. It can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Just give the chutney a good stir before serving and note that it will have lost some of green vibrancy of a freshly made chutney.

A fresh green chutney of mint and coriander .

Useful hints and tips:

  1. Don’t over blend this chutney, blend it to smooth but take care as you don’t want to have over process the chutney as the coriander can become bitter.
  2. Don’t have a food processor then a stick blender will do the same job. Just make sure you cut everything up a little smaller before you start.
  3. Leftover chutney can be used in a wide range of foods. Drizzle over salad, serve with roast lamb cutlets, add to leftover roast chicken, mix some into your lunchtime sandwich. The list is endless.
  4. Make extra green chutney to freeze into small containers, ready for when you need it. Just be aware that the chutney will lose some vibrancy of colour during the freezing process.
  5. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diners.
  6. Allergy advice, this chutney is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free.

Pin the recipe:

Pinterest graphics on an image of fresh green her chutney.

Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try it with some of our great tasting curry dishes:

A vibrant green herb chutney to serve with any indian curry.

Green Chutney

Green chutney is a fresh flavoured herb chutney made using coriander and mint, blended with chillies and lemon juice. The perfect accompaniment to any curry.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 25kcal

Ingredients

  • large bunch fresh coriander (leaves and stalks)
  • small bunch fresh mint (leaves only, use approx half quantity mint to coriander)
  • 2 green chillis
  • 1 lemon (juice only)
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz together. Place the mixture in a bowl and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
  • This fresh herb chutney will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Simply give it a good stir to combine when ready to use.

Notes

This chutney can be made a day ahead if required. It will lose some of the vibrant green colour, but will taste fine.
If you find this chutney too sharp, it is equally delicious with the addition of 2 tbsp natural yogurt. Used this way any leftover green chutney makes a great salad dressing the following day with mixed salad, chickpeas and leftover chicken.
Nutrition Facts
Green Chutney
Amount Per Serving
Calories 25 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 91mg4%
Potassium 119mg3%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 831IU17%
Vitamin C 21mg25%
Calcium 31mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Dressing
Cuisine : Indian
Keyword : Chutney, Curry, Easy, Fresh Chutney, Herb Chutney, Herb Dressing, vegetarian
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Recipe Rating




5 from 5 votes

Amy

Monday 13th of September 2021

This sounds delightful! I have not had a green chutney, I'll be sure to give this a try!

Lesley

Tuesday 14th of September 2021

Thank you Amy, this is such a versatile chutney full of fresh flavours. You can drizzle it over spiced food as it is or add some yogurt to make a great tasting dressing.

Cat

Sunday 22nd of August 2021

This would be the perfect fresh and spicy chutney to enjoy with so many dishes.

Lesley

Monday 23rd of August 2021

Thank you Cat, this fresh chutney is really versatile.

Chloe

Sunday 22nd of August 2021

oh yes! This is one of my fave sauces of all time - so good!

Lesley

Monday 23rd of August 2021

Thank you Chloe, ours too as its so quick and easy to prepare.

Janice

Wednesday 18th of August 2021

A wonderful fresh chutney, so easy to make and a real punch of flavour.

Lesley

Wednesday 18th of August 2021

Thank you Janice, I love anything that packs this much flavour and can be made in a matter of minutes.

Carrie Carvalho

Wednesday 18th of August 2021

I've never tried green chutney before but it sounds delicious! Will have to give it a try next time I make curry at home. I think it would be lovely on a wrap too with some salad and tikka chicken.

Lesley

Wednesday 18th of August 2021

Thank you Carrie, it works a treat with salad and tikka chicken. I like to stir through some Greek yogurt as it makes a great tasting dressing.

5 from 5 votes