SaurabhChutney is an Indian condiment that is either spicy or savory. It is a condiment made from fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs, as well as vinegar, sugar, and spices.
Mango chutney is a condiment made of sweet mangoes. It is easy to make, however, not every season is mango season! Hence, when you crave a condiment that is sweet to pair with something spicy, what else can you except look for alternatives?
The best substitutes for mango chutney include apricot preserves, apricot Jam, peach marmalade, peach jam, peach chutney, cranberries and lemon, fig jam, melon condiments, green mango chutney, and apple chutney.
Let’s talk more about the different alternatives for mango chutney and how to use them!
What Is Mango Chutney?
Mango chutney is a condiment or a preserve made of cooking mangoes along with other ingredients like apple, red pepper, sugar, onion, raisin, ginger, and occasionally garlic.
All the ingredients are cooked together for some time until they become tender. It is actually an Indian condiment usually paired with savory or spicy dishes. It is an easy recipe to make and can be paired with chicken, lamb, and steak. You can also use it as a spread or marmalade.
Best Mango Chutney Substitutes
The recipe for mango chutney is fairly easy. However, mangoes are not available every season. You find ripe mangoes usually during the summer. And that too is not everywhere.
So when you crave mango chutney and you’ve run out of mangoes, here is a list of alternatives you can use instead.
1. Apricot preserve
Apricot preserves are easy to make at home. They’re the best suitable for mango chutney because their texture and taste are interchangeable. Just like mangoes, an apricot’s taste can vary from tart to sweet and their taste is very similar to mangoes.
If you make them at home, you tweak the taste of the preserve according to your needs. To make apricot preserve you will need apricots, sugar, fresh lemon juice, and salt. Then, follow these steps:
- Boil all the ingredients, then lower the heat.
- Let the mixture simmer till it becomes jam-like.
Moreover, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can also add some salt and spices to your apricot preserves. This will give it a taste similar to a chutney.
2. Apricot jam
Like apricot preserves, apricot jam is also one of the best substitutes for mango chutney. It is mainly because of the similarities apricots have with mangoes.
The only difference between apricot preserves and apricot jams is that preserves contain fruit chunks whereas jams consist of fruit puree.
Making apricot jam is also simple. It has pretty much the same ingredients and steps as apricot preserves. If you are in a bit of a hurry, you can always buy the jam from the stores.
Apricot jams or preserves make good substitutes for mango chutney when cooking dishes with chicken or fish. They can also substitute in sweet desserts.
If you find the apricot jam too sweet, you can add some vinegar or lemon juice to bring in some tartness. You can also add sugar to balance the flavor.
3. Fig jam
Fig jam is another good substitute for mango chutney. You can also make it at home and tweak its taste according to your preference.
It’s extremely easy to make fig jam. Here’s what to do:
- Simmer figs in a saucepan till they become soft.
- Then, add sugar and some lemon juice to your taste. Cook till it resembles a jam.
- Store it in a clean mason jar or any other container that stores jam.
You should add the sugar depending on the ripeness and sweetness of the fig. If the fig is sweet add less sugar and more lemon juice and vice versa.
Fig jam can substitute for mango chutney in dishes requiring some sweetness because it’s super sweet. You can use it in curries, gravies, and so on.
4. Peach jam
Peaches are similar to apricots, so they’re also similar to mangoes. And just like mangoes, peaches are sweet and have a similar structure.
So, a peach jam would taste sweet like mango chutney. You only need three ingredients to make a peach jam. Peaches, lemon juice, and white sugar. Then, follow these steps:
- Boil the peaches and skin them.
- Remove the pits and place the peach and lemon juice in a pot. Cook for about 15 minutes till the juices release.
- Stir frequently and add sugar. Stir until dissolved.
If it is too sweet, add vinegar or lemon juice and salt to improve the taste. Peach jam can substitute for mango chutney as a spread or can be used with cheese.
5. Cranberries (with lemons)
Cranberries can be sweet or tart. They are also a good alternative for mango chutney but are relatively less sweet. Also, they have a somewhat tart flavor.
But there’s a simple solution to this problem. You can make them taste just like mango chutney by cooking them. When you use cranberries as a substitute, you should cook them and add sugar properly. Then add the lemon Juice.
This will balance the sweetness and the tart flavor. You can also add some red chili, garlic, ginger, spices, and herbs for a more intense flavor.
If it’s still tart, add honey or sugar. You can mainly use this cranberry sauce with red meat dishes instead of mango chutney.
6. Nectarine (with lemon)
Nectarine is a type of fruit that is very similar to peaches.
They are a kind of peach that can be cooked similar to peach jam. The only thing you should do is add a bit of lemon juice when cooking them because they’re very sweet.
7. Peach chutney
When you use peach as a substitute for mango chutney, you can either use it as chutney or marmalade apart from the jam. Like any other jam, you can make peach chutney at home. This way you can add more or fewer ingredients according to your preferences.
You’ll need peaches, sugar, white vinegar, ginger, onions, and mustard to create peach chutney at home. If you want to add some extra flavor, try garlic, raisins, or red chili pepper flakes.
Next, follow these steps to prepare peach chutney:
- Cook all ingredients together on medium heat.
- Once all of the ingredients have simmered and thickened together, store them in clean mason jars.
You could also use peach marmalade. However, it won’t be as sweet as mango. So, you can add more sugar while cooking. Peach chutney can replace mango chutney when preparing duck. Or you can serve it with cheese.
8. Melon chutney
Melon chutney isn’t well-known because it’s never been heard of. However, it will make a lovely mango chutney alternative.
Also, you can make it at your home. Melon also cooks easily which will make it smoother than mango chutney.
Melon chutney is made from melons, cinnamon, vinegar, apples, sugar, garlic, onions, and red chile. Simply cook till you get a smooth and lovely consistency, then store the chutney in a jar.
Use melon chutney instead of mango chutney with foods that are salty like red meat.
9. Green mango chutney
If you’re not a fan of sweet mangoes, you go for the unripe ones. Green mango chutney is similar to mango chutney except this one is made from unripe mango.
They’re firmer than a ripe mango and also sourer. You can use green mango chutney to top your steak and get a firmer chew. You can also add some mustard or other spices to increase the heat of the chutney.
10. Apple chutney
Just like peaches, apples can also be turned into chutney.
Apple chutney is sweeter than mango chutney. It doesn’t have that tangy taste like mango chutney. And if it were green apples, they would give a sour taste.
The one thing that would come in handy is the heat or spice because apple chutney is full of spices like ginger and cumin.
You can buy a pre-made chutney. You can also make one at home by neatly cutting your apples and cooking them down with sugar, lemon, and spices.
What Is A Good Mango Chutney Substitute in Curry?
If a curry requires mango chutney but you don’t have any in your stock, the best substitute to go with would be:
- Apricot jam or preserve. They have a similar taste to mangoes.
- Peach chutney or marmalade. They too have a similar taste and texture.
- Green mango chutney. They’re the same except for the sourness and tanginess.
- Major Grey’s Chutney. it includes the ingredient mango and can substitute with any other chutney.
Is Major Grey Chutney the Same As Mango Chutney?
Major Grey’s chutney was made in the 19th century by a British army officer with the same name. It includes ingredients like mango, raisins, vinegar, onion, lime juice, sweetening, spices, and tamarind extract.
You cannot consider it the same as mango chutney because of its milder flavor compared to mango chutney’s spicy flavor. However, it can be substituted with mango chutney.
There’s also a major Grey version of mango chutney called Sharwood Mango Chutney.
Related Questions
Can I use honey Instead of mango chutney?
Mango chutney is relatively sweet so using honey won’t be a problem if the sweetness wouldn’t bother you. We recommend using any of the other alternatives listed in this article.
What can be used as a substitute for chutney?
The best substitutes for chutney include mango salsa, marmalade, fig jam, or Mostarda di-Cremona, an Italian-style chutney.
What can I replace mango within a recipe?
You can substitute mango with a variety of fruits. The best substitutes are apricots and peaches since they’re similar in taste and texture.
