You are here: Home / Special Diets / Gluten Free / Plum Chutney
- By Michelle Minnaar
This post may contain affiliate links.
Jump to Recipe
Looking for something to pair with a Christmas ham, cold cuts or your favourite cheese? It just doesn’t get any better than a fruity, spicy, homemade plum chutney!
A simple recipe that can be made way in advance, spiced plum chutney has a sensational taste and texture that can elevate just about any savoury snack food.
CHUTNEY EQUIPMENT YOU NEED
Check out the ultimate list to chutney making equipment. You actually don't need that much and most of the items are quite affordable!
Making your own preserves is a great and satisfying hobby. Giving the gift the lovely food to your friends and family are especially rewarding!
SHOW ME
Plum chutney recipe
If you’re a fan of chutneys, you have to try this recipe! It’s fruity, tangy, spicy and packed full of flavour.
Plum chutney is perfect for the festive season, as you can make it in advance and unveil it at the perfect time. It’ll bring a bit of magic to your festive spread!
From cold meats and rich cheese to Christmas time turkey and ham, so many dishes go well with a side of plum chutney. Just imagine tucking into a succulent Christmas turkey with a little helping of subtly spiced plum chutney for good measure. Delicious!
It’s the perfect recipe for those looking to make something a little different this Christmas.
So, ditch those boring shop bought additions to your Christmas Day table. Nothing brings that festive feeling quite like a homemade plum chutney!
A chutney is not just for Christmas time though. Make this recipe and it will blow your socks off all year round!
Imagine pairing it with a cheeseboard and a crisp white wine on a fresh summer evening. Pure bliss!
Each ingredient in this chutney works together in perfect harmony, to create something very special. The plums, apples, onions and ginger all bring their own flavour to the table.
When simmered together over an hour, their flavours fuse for a fantastic blend – sweet, tangy and irresistible.
Let’s not forget the spices. The chilli flakes and Chinese 5 spice add a hot and earthy character to this chutney.
Vinegar is essential to add to any chutney – for this recipe I’ve gone with red wine vinegar. It goes with the colouring of the dish and the flavours work well.
Brown sugar is also important, to add a little sweetness and to balance out the flavour.
Add all these ingredients to the pan and bring to the boil. Then simmer for an hour to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
A good time to check is once every 30 mins. Cook until everything is soft and delicious!
When you let it cool, the mixture will thicken. You can eat it immediately, but it will only get more and more delicious with age.
What is chutney?
A spicy, savory dip, it is made from fruits, vegetables and herbs with added sugar and select spices. It pairs well with anything from curries and cooked meats to cheese and bread.
The term chutney used to be specific to a certain mixture of fruits,vegetables and spices with a specific texture. Now, there are so many different types made from a large range of ingredients and the definition is a lot looser.
What are the origins of chutney?
Originally a way of preserving food, chutneys date back over 2,000 years to the Indian subcontinent. Back then, it was made in a form of paste or thick sauce with all kinds of different spices, much different to the chunky texture of modern chutneys.
It was eventually picked up by the Romans and, later during the colonial era, the British. The Brits produced it commercially in the 20th century and it eventually became a popular dish all over the world, with many more different types springing up.
When should I pick plums?
Generally, plums are ready to be picked and harvested in the late summer/early autumn – so, around September into October.
You can tell when plums are ready to be picked by gently feeling the skin of the plum. If it feels soft, then it should be ready.
What is plum chutney used for?
Plum chutney will add some serious flavour to a sandwich and bring a whole new level of deliciousness to your favourite cheeses and cold cuts.
If you want to make this plum chutney recipe during the winter, it’ll make the perfect addition to your festive feast. Pair it with your Christmas turkey or ham – the sweetness of the plums and the heat of the spices will work wonders!
How long does plum chutney keep?
Unopened homemade chutney will last up to a year when stored in a cool dry place. Once opened, it’ll last 2 months when stored in the fridge.
Which vinegar is best for chutney?
Vinegar is a key ingredient in any chutney. The type you use depends on what kind of chutney you’re making.
For this recipe, I’ve gone with red wine vinegar. It suits the flavour of the plums and the other ingredients. For other chutneys, white wine, balsamic or cider vinegar also works well.
What can I do with a glut of plums?
Plums are absolutely delicious fruits. Few things beat the taste and texture of a fresh, ripe plum in the summertime.
Still, if you’ve got a lot of plums and you want to know what to do with them, this recipe is a great way to use them up. You could also make plum jam, which will keep for a long time and tastes out of this world!
If you’ve got extra plums and you're feeling in need of some delicious comfort food, try and make my apple and plum crumble!
Can you eat homemade chutney straight away?
If you can’t wait (who can blame you?) you can eat homemade chutney straight away. Well, after it has cooled down, of course.
As with a lot of things in life, like fine wine, good cheese and Brad Pitt, good plum chutney gets better with age. So, if you can hold off for a few months without opening it, this plum chutney will taste simply sensational!
How do you know if chutney is ready?
There’s a very easy way to know if your plum chutney is ready or not. All you need to do is to draw a channel through the chutney with a wooden spoon. If the channel stays for a few seconds until the vinegar runs through, it’s ready.
Can I freeze plums without cooking?
If you want to keep your plums fresh for longer, you can easily freeze them. Just put them whole in a sealable freezer bag.
In fact, a frozen plum makes a delicious summertime snack, especially for the kids!
Are plums good for you?
Not only are they absolutely delicious but plums are also a very healthy fruit, with a long list of nutritional benefits. Plums are packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases.
A plum a day can definitely keep the doctor away. They contain over 15 different vitamins and minerals. Just one plum contains 15% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
Plums also have properties that can help keep your blood sugar under control and can help promote a healthy heart. They are also a high fibre fruit, so they help with your digestive health too.
More amazing chutney recipes
- Damson chutney – if you liked this plum recipe, you’ve got to give the damson version a go!
- Green chutney – this spicy green chutney is one of the easiest Indian side dishes. It tastes amazing when paired with Indian snacks such as pakoras and bhajis
- Bombay chutney – full of flavour and very fiery, this classic Indian chutney goes well with just about any Indian snack. Once you’ve made your own, you’ll be hooked
- Persimmon chutney – a beautiful, bright, vibrant chutney with a unique taste, persimmon chutney is a great recipe if you want to impress your friends and family
- Carrot chutney – a very healthy, fresh chutney that’s spicy and tangy, carrot chutney also has a nice kick thanks to the cayenne pepper and ginger
- Runner bean chutney – green, healthy and full of flavour, this recipe is comprised of simple ingredients and is the perfect accompaniment to big hearty roast dinners
- Asian pear chutney – a popular Indian spread adding tang and sweetness to whatever recipes you pair it with
- Cherry chutney – a tasty chutney combining juicy cherries, aromatic spices, and a hint of tartness.
Other fruity favourites
If you love the idea of creating fruit recipes that are full of flavour and comforting to make the winter that little bit warmer, have a go at these easy recipes:
- Amaretto cherries – homemade booze-infused bites of sweet joy that go great in desserts and co*cktails!
- Dried fruit compote – this fruit recipe is so easy and it’ll transform just about any dessert you like
- Seedless blackberry jam – a sweet jam delight that’ll have you swooning with pleasure
- Cranachan – a wee Scottish classic, if you’ve never tried cranachan you’ll fall head over heels in love with this auld favourite
Christmas side and snack recipes
If you’re making this at Christmas time and want some more great recipes for your festive spread, why not make some of these delicious Christmas starter and snack recipes?
- Chicken liver pate – a beautiful blend of the rich flavour of chicken liver with the sweet nuttiness of butternut squash, this irresistible pate goes great with crusty bread or melba toast
- Salmon terrine – serve up a smoked salmon centrepiece to wow your guests and take your festive bash to another level
- Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with cream cheese – multi-layered morsels of pure indulgent joy, this recipe will really impress your family and friends this Christmas
- Per-peri prawns – simple yet sensational, peri-peri prawns are the perfect pick-me-up for the festive season
- Stuffed cherry tomatoes – so simple, yet so very effective. Who’d have thought that the humble cherry tomato could taste this good?
- Prawn co*cktail – when it comes to retro festive favourites, this dish is up there with the best of them. So satisfying and really easy to make, this is good old fashioned Christmas starter food served up in elegant style. Don’t forget the obligatory Marie Rose sauce!
📖 Recipe
Plum Chutney
- Author: Michelle Minnaar
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 5 x 370ml (1lb) jars 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you've got a glut of plums, this plum chutney recipe is a perfect way to use them up. This chutney goes great with cheese and makes a great gift.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 900g (2lbs) plums, pitted and quartered
- 2 large Bramley apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
- 450g (1lb) onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2.5cm (1in) fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
- 400ml (⅔pt) red wine vinegar
- 450g (1lb) brown sugar
- 3g (1 tsp) dried chilli flakes
- 3g (1 tsp) Chinese five spice
- 3g (½ tsp) salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Heat the contents slowly until boiling point is reached.
- Turn the heat down until a consistent slow simmering point is reached.
- Cook for at least 1 hour but no more than 3 hours. Check on it every 30 minutes and stir occasionally.
- Towards the end of cooking time stir the chutney more to ensure that nothing sticks and burns at the bottom. It will thicken when it cools.
- Pour into sterilised containers and seal with airtight lids. Enjoy as part of a cheeseboard!
Notes
- The apples should weigh roughly 450g (1lb) in total.
- This recipe yields 5 x 370ml (1lb) jars.
- Plum chutney makes a great homemade Christmas gift!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Chutney
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: plum chutney, plum and apple chutney, chutney recipe, plum recipe, easy spicy plum chutney recipe, spiced plum chutney, how to make plum chutney, what to eat with plum chutney
More Gluten Free Recipes
- Bangers and Mash
- Persian Eggplant Stew
- Chocolate Mochi
- Saag Paneer
Reader Interactions
Comments
Lenny
I had this with some blue cheese and crackers, fantastic
★★★★★
Reply
Michelle Minnaar
Making my mouth water just thinking about it! Thanks Lenny.
Reply
