Onion Tomato Chutney – Dassana’s Veg Recipes

Onion Tomato Chutney is a simple South Indian chutney made with onions, tomatoes, urad dal, dried red chilies and tamarind. It has a balanced sweet, tangy and mildly spicy taste that pairs well with dosa, idli, medu vada and uttapam. Every household has its own way of making this chutney by adjusting the proportion of onions, tomatoes and spices. This easy version comes together in about 20 minutes and is made without a tempering, though you can add one if you like.

Why This Onion Tomato Chutney Is My Go-To

I have been making this onion tomato chutney for years, and it is one that I come back to often. I like the flavor balance that comes from using equal quantities of onions and tomatoes.

The onions add a gentle sweetness, while the tomatoes bring a pleasant tang. I also like adding a small piece of tamarind, as it brightens the flavors and gives the chutney a more rounded taste without making it overly sour.

I usually skip the tempering because the chutney already has plenty of flavor from the sautéed onions, tomatoes, urad dal, dried red chilies and tamarind.

If I am making it for a weekend breakfast or serving guests, I sometimes add a simple tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chilies for extra flavor and aroma.

This is one of the chutneys I sometimes serve alongside Coconut Chutney with  Crispy Dosa or Soft Idli. It also pairs really well with Medu Vada and Uttapam. Simple to make and full of flavor, it has remained one of my favorite chutneys over the years.

If you enjoy chutneys made with onions or tomatoes, do try my Tomato Chutney and Onion Chutney recipes too. Each one has its own distinct flavor and is made differently from this onion tomato chutney.

I hope you enjoy this family favorite as much as we do.

More South Indian Chutney Recipes To Try

Step-By-Step Onion Tomato Chutney

Sauté Lentils & Chilies

1. Heat 1 tablespoon sunflower oil (or any neutral oil) in a pan over low to medium-low heat. Add ½ teaspoon urad dal and sauté until it begins to turn light golden.

2. Once the lentils start to become light golden, add 1 to 2 dried red chilies, either whole or broken into pieces.

Stir continuously on low to medium-low heat until the urad dal becomes nicely browned and the chilies deepen in color.

Note: Be careful not to burn either of them, as burnt lentils or chilies will make the chutney bitter.

Cook Onions & Tomatoes

3. Add 1 cup chopped onions (100 grams). Sauté, stirring often, until the onions soften and turn light golden.

Note: There is no need to brown them deeply. Lightly cooked onions give the chutney a mildly sweet and balanced flavor.

4. When the onions become light golden, add the following ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (100 grams)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• salt, according to taste

5. Mix well and continue to sauté over medium-low heat.

Cook until the tomatoes soften completely and lose their raw smell. This step is important because fully cooked tomatoes blend into a smoother and better-flavored chutney.

If the mixture starts sticking to the pan, sprinkle a few tablespoons of water and continue cooking until the tomatoes become soft and pulpy.

6. As, as you see in the photo below, the tomatoes have cooked and softened.

7. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool until warm or at room temperature.

Transfer the sautéed ingredients to a small grinder jar or blender. Add ½ teaspoon tightly packed seedless tamarind.

Tip: Tamarind is optional and can be skipped, if you do not have it.

8. Blend to a smooth chutney without adding water. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a few tablespoons of water or as needed.

Taste the chutney and adjust the salt or tamarind if required. Blend again briefly after making any changes.

Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl.

Note: If you like, prepare a simple tempering with mustard seeds, dried red chilies and curry leaves, and pour it over the chutney just before serving. Even without the tempering, this onion tomato chutney is flavorful and tastes delicious.

9. Serve onion tomato chutney with South Indian tiffin meals or snacks.

Serving Suggestions

This onion tomato chutney is a classic accompaniment to South Indian breakfasts like uttapam, dosa, idli, medu vada.

It can be also paired with Appe, Ragi Dosa, Adai, Set Dosa and Paniyaram. You can also serve it with a South Indian meal of rice, Sambar and Rasam.

Onion tomato chutney also tastes good as a spread for sandwiches or wraps, or as a dip with savory snacks like Potato Bajji, Mysore Bonda or Goli Baje.

Storage

Store any leftover onion tomato chutney in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

If the chutney thickens after chilling, stir in a little water before serving. For the freshest flavor, enjoy onion tomato chutney on the day it is made.

1. Cook the tomatoes well: Cook the tomatoes until they soften completely and their raw aroma disappears. This gives the chutney a smoother texture and better flavor.
2. Sauté the onions gently: Cook the onions only until light golden. Deeply browned onions will give the onion tomato chutney a stronger, sweeter taste.
3. Adjust the spice level: Use one dried red chili for a mildly spicy chutney or two if you prefer more heat. Deseed the chilies for a milder version.
4. Use ripe tomatoes: Ripe red tomatoes give the best balance of sweetness and tanginess.
5. Blend to your preferred texture: Blend until smooth for a creamy chutney or leave it slightly coarse if you enjoy more texture.
6. Adjust the tamarind: The sourness of tomatoes varies. Taste after blending and add a little more tamarind only if needed. You can also skip the tamarind.
7. Optional tempering: The chutney tastes delicious without a tempering. If you like extra flavor, finish it with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chilies.