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.
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.
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
- 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.
- You can also add some coriander leaves or mint leaves to the pan after the onions are fried. Saute well for few mins.
- 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.
Step-by-step photos
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
4. Fry them on a medium heat until lightly golden & aromatic. Add 2 garlic cloves.
5. Next add onions. Fry for 3 to 4 mins on a medium flame.
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.
How to make onion chutney
7. Cool these completely and add them to the jar.
8. Squeeze the soaked tamarind with your fingers. Pour it to the jar. I prefer to pass it through the filter.
9. I forgot to add the salt in the earlier step, so I added it here.
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.
12. Pour this to the chutney. I usually pour the chutney to the pan and mix.
Serve onion chutney with idli, dosa and snacks.
For more Chutney recipes, you can check
Pudina chutney (mint chutney)
Peanut chutney
Coconut chutney
Tomato chutney
Recipe
Onion chutney recipe | How to make onion chutney
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
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)
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.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Notes
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.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Anna says
I followed your recipe without the jaggery and it turned out brown rather than orange. Taste was fine.
swasthi says
Hi Anna,
Color depends on the kind of red chilies. I use byadgi red chilies here
Mohan RV says
Very good recipe
swasthi says
Thank you!
Carviar says
What is 3 to 4 red Chili
1/2 red Chili
Pls specify what chilli dry / normal chilli
swasthi says
Yes they are dried red chilies. You can use 3 to 4 whole dried red chilies for the chutney. Half of it for tempering.
Gail says
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.
swasthi says
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.
Pinky says
Can i take green chilli insted of red chilli
swasthi says
Yes pinky you can use green chilli
Aswy says
Tried this onion chutney…. It was a hit. Thank u 😀
Shifa says
Super tasty and yummy… My kids loved it
swasthi says
Thanks Shifa
Sarada says
Really very tasty. Thank you so much for nice posts….. I am fan of your recipes. All recipes are coming very very good..
swasthi says
Welcome Sarada
Thank you so much for trying and the comment too.
🙂
Shubhendra says
Very easy & tasty recipe..
Cooking South Indian chutney in North Indian Family … Thanks to you…😋😋
Babita Garg says
Hi, Swasthi . . . . . . I liked your massore bond recipe
swasthi says
Hi Babita
Thank you very much.
Sanu says
Yummy chutney. Was so good with idli.
swasthi says
Thanks for trying
Sarah Kay says
Ado I use the red chilis dried or reconstituted before frying.?
Thank you
swasthi says
Welcome Sarah
You can use the dried red chilies. But if you have reconstituted ones, you can add them directly to blender
Sangeetha Gudapati says
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 .
swasthi says
Hello Sangeetha,
Glad to know. Thank you! You can contact me thru Email. My email-id is mentioned in the about page.