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Onion chutney recipe | How to make onion chutney

By swasthi , on December 5, 2019, 28 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Onion chutney recipe – Quick, delicious and hot chutney made using onions, peanuts, chilies & spices. Most South Indian Breakfasts & snacks are served with a chutney which usually taste hot and sour with hints of sweetness. At home we mostly eat Idli, Pesarattu and Dosa varieties for breakfast. So I make chutney almost everyday and often try out varieties.

onion chutney

The recipe shared here gives a thick, hot and delicious chutney which can be served not only with Indian breakfasts but also with Snacks and Parathas.

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Onion chutney is best when made with shallots but in this post I have used regular onions. Peeling the shallots does take some time so I have used regular onions.

Usually onion is added to some chutney varieties to bring in a sweet aroma. It is one wonderful ingredient which can also balance the tang and heat in any dish.

If you have never made an onion chutney before and wondering how it would taste then do try this. I am sure you will love it. Frying the onions well bring in a sweet aroma to the chutney.

So the key is to fry them well until they loose the raw flavor and just begin to caramelize or turn golden.

This onion chutney recipe is one of those I resort to when I run out of coconut or tomatoes to make our regular coconut chutney or tomato chutney. Here are some of the variations I make to this chutney

Variations

  1. This chutney recipe is like a base, you can make many varieties out of this. Just choose any single veggie like carrot, beetroot, brinjal, ridge gourd, broccoli or even tomato. You can set aside the fried onion mixture. Then add the veggie of your choice and saute well until soft. Blend together. You can check a similar recipe here – Broccoli chutney.
  2. You can also add some coriander leaves or mint leaves to the pan after the onions are fried. Saute well for few mins.
  3. In this recipe I have used some peanuts, chana dal & urad dal. You can skip the peanuts and make just with dal. Alternately skip the dals and just use more of peanuts.

Preparation

1. Wash and peel 2 medium onions. Chop or cube them to 1 inch pieces. Or You can also use 1 cup shallots.

2. Soak 1 teaspoon tamarind and 1 teaspoon jaggery in half cup water. Often tamarind has impurities, so I just rinse it once and soak in water. You can also use it directly, if you do not prefer to soak.

3. Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a pan. Do not reduce oil otherwise onions will not fry well. Add the following ingredients to the hot oil:

  • ¾ tablespoon chana dal
  • ¾ tablespoon urad dal
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts
  • 3 to 4 dried red chilies
frying dal & peanuts to make onion chutney

4. Fry them on a medium heat until lightly golden & aromatic. Add 2 garlic cloves.

frying garlic in pan to make onion chutney

5. Next add onions. Fry for 3 to 4 mins on a medium flame.

frying onions

6. Then add curry leaves and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. You can also skip curry leaves. I prefer to add as they are healthy. Fry until the onions wilt completely and turn soft. They should have a nice roasted flavor and not raw.

adding curry leaves to make onion chutney

How to make onion chutney

7. Cool these completely and add them to the jar.

adding cooled ingredients to blender jar
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8. Squeeze the soaked tamarind with your fingers. Pour it to the jar. I prefer to pass it through the filter.

filtering tamarind to make onion chutney

9. I forgot to add the salt in the earlier step, so I added it here.

adding salt to chutney

10. Taste test and add more salt & tamarind. You can add more water to the soaked tamarind, and pour it to the chutney. Pour more water if needed and blend again to bring it to the consistency you desire.

11. Tempering is optional and can be skipped. Heat the same pan with ½ tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add

  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon urad dal
  • 1 broken dried red chili. When the dal turns light golden, add curry leaves and 1 pinch hing. Turn off the stove.
tempering chutney with spices curry leaves and hing
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12. Pour this to the chutney. I usually pour the chutney to the pan and mix.

Serve onion chutney with idli, dosa and snacks.

onion chutney recipe

For more Chutney recipes, you can check
Pudina chutney (mint chutney)
Peanut chutney
Coconut chutney
Tomato chutney

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onion chutney recipe

Onion chutney recipe | How to make onion chutney

Spicy onion chutney is a south Indian side made with onions or shallots, spices and curry leaves. It can be served with most Indian breakfasts and snacks like idli, dosa, vada, bonda , pakoras etc.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time8 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time16 minutes
Servings3
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

  • 1 cup onions cubed (2 medium) (or shallots)
  • 1½ tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts
  • ¾ tablespoon bengal gram chana dal (optional)
  • ¾ tablespoon skinned black gram (urad dal) (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 to 4 red chilies (less spicy variety or 1 tsp chilli powder)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind ( or lemon juice as needed)
  • 1 teaspoon jaggery or sugar (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt ( or as needed)
  • ½ cup water

Tempering onion chutney

  • ½ tablespoons oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon urad dal (optional)
  • ½ dried red chili (broken)
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
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Instructions

Preparation

  • This step is optional but I prefer to soak my jaggery and tamarind in water. Filter and use as most times both of these have some debris. However you may add them directly. Soak 1 teaspoon tamarind and 1 teaspoon jaggery in half cup water. Set this aside.

How to make onion chutney

  • Pour 1½ tbsp oil to a pan and heat it. Add ¾ tablespoon chana dal, ¾ tablespoon urad dal, 2 tablespoons peanuts and 3 to 4 dried red chilies. 
  • Fry until them stirring often until lightly golden & aromatic.
  • Add 2 garlic and 1 cup cubed onions. Fry them for 3 to 4 mins until the onions are half done. 
  • Next add jeera and curry leaves. Saute until the onions are light golden or turn soft. Cool completely.
  • Next add these to a blender jar along with ½ teaspoon salt. Squeeze soaked tamarind in the water. 
  • Filter it through a small sieve or tea strainer. Blend all of these until smooth adding more water as needed.
  • Taste test and add more salt. If needed pour more water to the soaked tamarind & filter it back to the jar. Transfer the onion chutney to a serving bowl.

Tempering

  • Pour ½ tbsp oil to the pan & heat it on a medium flame. When the oil turns hot, add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon urad dal and ½ dried red chili. 
  • Fry till the dal turns light golden, then add curry leaves and hing. 
  • Pour this to the chutney. Serve onion chutney with breakfast or snacks.
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Notes

2 tablespoons may seem a lot for this chutney but you really need a good amount of oil to fry the onions well otherwise it is hard to get rid of the raw smell from them. However you may cut down if you prefer.
 

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Onion chutney recipe | How to make onion chutney
Amount Per Serving
Calories 196 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 399mg17%
Potassium 301mg9%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 580IU12%
Vitamin C 149mg181%
Calcium 43mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

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About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
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Comments

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  2. Sami says

    January 26, 2021

    5 stars
    Can I add red chilli powder ? As I don’t have red chillies .

    Thanks for beautiful recipes, I always follow your recipes for even the smallest dish , as I get lot of tips from your recipes . I always search for swathis recipe

    This is my first comment on your recipes , I never had any doubts .so never got a chance to comment.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      January 26, 2021

      Hi Sami,
      You are welcome! Glad to know!
      Yes you can use about ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder. Once the onions are roasted well, add the chilli powder & saute just for 30 to 60 seconds.

      Reply
  3. LAVANIA says

    January 9, 2021

    5 stars
    VERY TASTY YUMMY AND LIP SMACKING CHUTNEY!!!!!!!
    I REALLY LOVED IT…
    AND NOW MY NEIGHBOURS ARE ASKING ITS RECIPE
    🙂

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      January 10, 2021

      Glad to know Lavania
      Thank you!
      🙂

      Reply
  4. Anna says

    March 8, 2020

    I followed your recipe without the jaggery and it turned out brown rather than orange. Taste was fine.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      March 8, 2020

      Hi Anna,
      Color depends on the kind of red chilies. I use byadgi red chilies here

      Reply
  5. Mohan RV says

    February 2, 2020

    5 stars
    Very good recipe

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      February 3, 2020

      Thank you!

      Reply
  6. Carviar says

    December 11, 2019

    What is 3 to 4 red Chili
    1/2 red Chili

    Pls specify what chilli dry / normal chilli

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 11, 2019

      Yes they are dried red chilies. You can use 3 to 4 whole dried red chilies for the chutney. Half of it for tempering.

      Reply
  7. Gail says

    April 27, 2019

    5 stars
    Hi swasthi
    Love your blog for the Indian recipes. Most authentic and close to the taste of Indian food I tasted in Hyderabad and Kerala during my visits to India. I made your sponge dosa and this onion chutney. Both came out fab. I also tried your Kerala biryani, mutton korma, chettinad chicken and kofta. All turned out fantastic. Thanks much for this blog & great work.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 27, 2019

      Hi Gail,
      You are welcome. Wow! that sounds great. You have tried a lot from here. Very happy to know the recipes turned out good.Thank you for the comment.

      Reply
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  9. Pinky says

    January 21, 2019

    Can i take green chilli insted of red chilli

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      January 22, 2019

      Yes pinky you can use green chilli

      Reply
  10. Aswy says

    December 27, 2018

    4 stars
    Tried this onion chutney…. It was a hit. Thank u 😀

    Reply
  11. Shifa says

    October 26, 2018

    4 stars
    Super tasty and yummy… My kids loved it

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      October 26, 2018

      Thanks Shifa

      Reply
  12. Sarada says

    October 20, 2018

    5 stars
    Really very tasty. Thank you so much for nice posts….. I am fan of your recipes. All recipes are coming very very good..

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      October 20, 2018

      Welcome Sarada
      Thank you so much for trying and the comment too.
      🙂

      Reply
      • Shubhendra says

        June 7, 2020

        5 stars
        Very easy & tasty recipe..
        Cooking South Indian chutney in North Indian Family … Thanks to you…😋😋

        Reply
  13. Babita Garg says

    July 27, 2018

    Hi, Swasthi . . . . . . I liked your massore bond recipe

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      July 27, 2018

      Hi Babita
      Thank you very much.

      Reply
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  15. Sanu says

    March 12, 2018

    5 stars
    Yummy chutney. Was so good with idli.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      March 13, 2018

      Thanks for trying

      Reply
  16. Sarah Kay says

    February 7, 2018

    Ado I use the red chilis dried or reconstituted before frying.?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      February 8, 2018

      Welcome Sarah
      You can use the dried red chilies. But if you have reconstituted ones, you can add them directly to blender

      Reply
      • Sangeetha Gudapati says

        April 9, 2020

        5 stars
        Hi Swathi
        How are you ? I enjoy your recipes , from past few months when I need any recipie , I go directly to your page .

        Was just searching up onion pachadi .

        Thanks .
        Makes life easy and the good part is , you also put step by step directions .

        If you can email me your number , that would be great and I would really appreciate it .

        As I wanted to also say few things to you , so if you can share me your contact number , would really appreciate .

        Thanks a lot .

        Sangeetha Gudapati .

        Reply
        • swasthi says

          April 11, 2020

          Hello Sangeetha,
          Glad to know. Thank you! You can contact me thru Email. My email-id is mentioned in the about page.

          Reply

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