This two decade old recipe passed down by my mother yields a spicy citrusy Indian Cilantro-Mint Chutney, also know as dhaniya pudina chutney. Toss fresh ingredients in a blender and it's ready to go in less than 5 minutes, no oil and no cooking! This vegan chutney is incredibly versatile and works with sandwiches, meat, marinades, sides, and several Indian dishes.
There's nothing quite like mom's cooking! I love using Masala and Chai as an archive of all of my mother's authentic Indian cooking. I prefer her home Indian cooking versus restaurants.
Her green chutney has always been one of the constants in our household for decades. She makes it fresh just about every two weeks and it's usually demolished within days. I can't tell you the amount of times I went digging in the fridge and said "Ma, where the chutney at??" and she'd tell me it was finished.
Indian food is honestly incomplete without chutney or achaar. This cilantro-mint chutney goes with absolutely everything! I'm sure you've seen a cilantro mint sauce served with your food at an Indian restaurant like samosas or kati rolls. It also goes well with any protein, sandwiches, buddha bowls, etc. I mean, you can really put it on anything.
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Why this Recipe?
Every family has their own version of green chutney. This chutney in particular may have a few more ingredients than you see on others but it's so well-balanced. It's spicy, creamy, citrusy, herby.
- This chutney is fully vegan! This cilantro-mint chutney has no yogurt. My mother uses an ingredient unique from other coriander chutneys - she adds a bit of avocado.
- It requires absolutely no cooking. Toss everything into a blender and it's ready to go.
- Cilantro-mint chutney can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. The chutney can also be frozen for up to two months.
- It's oil-free and gluten-free.
What is Green Chutney?
Let's start with defining chutney.
Chutney encompasses various forms of sauces or condiments in Indian cuisine. They're used as dips, dressings, spread, marinades, or accompaniments to main dishes, sides, and appetizers. Chutneys are made from a wide variety of ingredients, such as tomatoes, herbs, tamarind, coconut, etc. Some of the most popular chutneys are mango chutney, cilantro-mint chutney, imli chutney, and coconut chutney.
Green Chutney is an Indian condiment that's green in color thanks to the star ingredients - cilantro, also known as coriander, and mint leaves. It's blended with spices, chilis, ginger, garlic, lemon, and usually something like avocado or yogurt for creaminess.
It's also known as hari chutney, cilantro-mint chutney, coriander chutney, and dhuniya podina chutney. Green Chutney is enjoyed across the Indian subcontinent and the diaspora in chaat and other appetizers, as a dip, as a spread, and as a side.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Every Indian household has their own recipe for some chutney with an herby base. The reason I say "green" chutney is because traditionally most recipes just use cilantro and mint.
My mom's secret is she adds a bit of avocado instead of yogurt for extra creaminess. Traditionally, my mom uses a salt called kala namak which translates to "black salt". Himalayan black salt isn't something that everyone readily has available in their pantries, so Himalayan pink salt is the best substitute.
- Herbs - The two main ingredients here are the fresh cilantro leaves with stems and fresh mint leaves at about a 1:2 ratio. It's really important to clean your cilantro in case there are any other random mix ins and to cut off excess stems so the chutney isn't overly fibrous. The herbs are why this chutney has a bright green color.
- Spices - I love making the chutney with just a tinge of spice, I think it's a necessary layer to the flavor! If you don't like it spicy, you can omit or reduce the amount of cayenne and scrape out the seeds of the serranos. You can also use powdered cumin instead of cumin seeds. If you don't have Himalayan salt, use regular salt to taste.
- Ginger garlic paste - This is a common bottled ingredient that you can get at grocery stores but you can make fresh ginger garlic paste at home with just ginger, garlic, and a splash of oil.
- Citrus - Lemon or lime juice helps brighten the herbs and keep it fresh.
- Avocado - The avocado makes the chutney incredibly creamy but you can substitute this with a bit of yogurt.
How to Make Fresh Cilantro Mint Chutney
This Indian green chutney is so simple, everything just goes into a blender and there's nothing more complicated than that.
- Prep the herbs. Rinse off the herbs. Remove all the mint leaves from the stems and toss the stems. The stems are incredibly bitter and fibrous and will ruin the chutney. Remove any dead leaves from the bunch of cilantro. The cilantro stems are okay to use, but if it's really stem heavy then cut some off.
- Toss all the ingredients into a blender. Blend, blend, blend! Use a high quality blender, like a Vitamix. The chutney may come out a bit textured depending on how well your blender can break down the fibers. If you want it less fibrous, add more avocado or yogurt.
- Taste and adjust. Be careful when opening up the blender, the spice will waft into your eyes. Give the chutney a taste and adjust for salt, spice, and lemon as needed.
- Serve with food!
What to Serve with Cilantro-Mint Chutney
You can find several recipes right here on Masala and Chai to pair this chutney with! I'm not joking when I say this chutney is ridiculously versatile. It's kind of like a zingy mint sauce that can be paired really well with carby snacks or meat dishes.
Use it as a dipping sauce with samosas where it goes particularly well when paired with the sweet and sour Tamarind-Date Chutney. Top a plate of chaat with a spoonful of chutney. Or slather it on bread to make a sandwich!
- Paneer Aloo Samosas
- Chutney Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Mango-Tamarind Cauliflower Wings
- Indian-Style Tea Sandwiches
- Chutney Cheese Brioche Rolls
- Samosa Chaat
- Chicken Seekh Kebabs
- Chickpea Fries
- Dahi Vada
- Chicken Seekh Kebab Wraps
Tips for making the best Chutney
Making the chutney could not be any easier, but here's a few tips to make it the best it can be!
- The right consistency. The key is making sure the chutney is not too watery so that it's thick enough to spread. I recommend adding all the lemon juice first and only add as much water as you need to break it down.
- Blending a thick mixture. It's best to pulse the herbs a few times so that they start to blend. Open up the blender every now and then to scrape down the sides. Then leave the blender going for a few minutes until it's smooth.
- Taste as you go. Keep tasting the chutney and adjust per your liking.
- Do not strain. Do not for any reason strain your chutney. If the chutney doesn't come out right, use it as a marinade for protein.
- The color gets darker. The chutney will initially be a bright green and will continue to darken in color as the days go by. This is totally fine, and it'll still be just as delicious. Add a bit of yogurt if you'd like to lighten the color.
- Swap the avocado. For more protein and creaminess, add ¼ cup of Greek yogurt or adjust it to your preference.
Once you get the recipe down, you'll know the exact measurements you need to keep making this over and over!
Storage Instructions
After blending, store the cilantro-mint chutney in a sanitized airtight mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. It will start to brown, have water separation, and have a noticeable fermented odor when it starts to go bad.
Freezer Instructions
Cilantro mint chutney is one of the few chutneys that freezes really well for up to 2-3 months. Here's how to do it:
- After blending the chutney, scoop the chutney into ice cube trays.
- Transfer the trays in the freezer for 3-4 hours, or until frozen solid.
- Transfer the ice cubes into a freezer bag and label the date it was frozen.
- When ready to use, simply defrost the desired amount of ice cubes at room temperature.
More Indian Chutney, Achaars, and Sauce Recipes to try
Recipe
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Cilantro-Mint Chutney
Equipment
Ingredients
- 100 grams cilantro, ~1.5 bunches
- 50 grams mint leaves, ~½ - ¾ bunch
- 2-3 serrano chili peppers
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black Himalayan salt, (kala namak)
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ avocado
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Prep the cilantro and mint. If working with bunches of cilantro from a grocery store, cut ½ inch off of the end of the stems but leave the rest intact. Remove any dead leaves/stems, thicker stems, or other plants that may have grown in with the cilantro. For the mint, remove all leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Wash the herbs and strain out any water.
- Add all the ingredients to a high powered blender except for the water. Pulse several times while slowly adding water until the herbs starts to break down. Be sure to pause a few times to scrape down the sides and push the herbs down towards the blades. Blend for 5-7 minutes with the lid on until the mixture is smooth and thick. At this point, taste and adjust it for salt, lemon, and spice levels.
- Set a 16oz sanitized mason jar onto a plate to catch any chutney that falls out of the blender. Pour the mixture into the mason jar. Add about a tablespoon of water to the blender to rinse out any chutney and pour into the mason jar. Close the mason jar tightly and give it a few shakes.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy with samosas, sandwiches, and more!
Notes
- Spice Level: This chutney is meant to have a bit of a kick to it, but it should be very tolerable. Be careful with how much spice you're adding, add it slowly and taste it at each interval.
- Serrano Peppers: You can substitute serrano peppers for Thai chili peppers. If you don't have whole peppers, double the amount of cayenne and don't omit the avocado.
- Avocado: If you find yourself without a ripe avocado, substitute for 1tbsp of plain Greek yogurt.
- Salt: The amount of salt may seem like a lot, but this is what I tracked until I got the taste right for myself. If you're not sure, add it in slowly and keep tasting it until you like it.
- Mint: Remove all mint stems. They will make your chutney bitter and won't blend well.
Richie says
I made this with a whole spread from this site and I was spooning this on anything that could use a fresh bite! Making the chutney also couldn't be much simpler, but the payoff was incredible. I put this on everything and ended up just dipping chips into it lol.
Shweta Garg says
Hi Richie,
My mom and I would actually put a few spoon fulls of chutney in a bag of regular Lays chips, give it a shake, and eat that as a snack! It's sooo good haha.
- Shweta
mehru says
Mint chutney is so versatile its crazy. Def making and freezing to have on hand!
Shweta Garg says
Hi Mehru,
Freezing is such a great hack to keep chutney on hand!
- Shweta
Lynne says
Exquisite, I will make this chutney regularly. So healthy and delicious! This recipe is fast and easy to make and has layers of fresh flavor. Incredible that this recipe doesn't have any oil. I made the recipe as specified but with less heat or spiciness. I served it with shrimp and rice. I would love to hear other ideas about how to serve this.
Shweta says
Hi, Lynne! Thank you so much for the lovely comment, I so appreciate it and I'm glad you loved it!
I updated the following section on this post to include a ton of recipes you can serve alongside this Chutney. I'll continue to add more as I develop more recipes. Hopefully it's helpful for your future cooks! I do think your idea of serving it with shrimp and rice was genius, it generally goes well as a condiment for literally any dish. I think of buddha bowls, on top of a steak, in a sandwich. A dip, a spread, a marinade... 🙂
https://masalaandchai.com/moms-green-chutney/#what-to-serve-with-cilantromint-chutney
clayton says
i love indian food what can i use to dampen my dry snacks ???? clayton
Shweta says
Hi!! Can you give me more information as to which dry snacks? If you’re talking about Chaat, maybe check out this post - https://masalaandchai.com/peanut-chaat/
Cassie says
The best chutney ever!!
Neha says
Wow, this turned out SO well! I didn’t have Serrano peppers, the kala namak, and just used less ginger and garlic instead of ginger-garlic, and hot dang this is good. Can’t wait to spread this all over bread and chaat 🙂
Shweta says
Great to know it works well without some of the ingredients!! Legit goes with everything, doesn't it?!
Mina says
Loved this recipe!! Made so much of it and it was gone in 3 days, will definitely be making this again =]
Shweta says
Daaang in 3 days?! Love to hear it!