Here's a simple but flavourful pudina chutney recipe that comes together quickly in the blender. With vibrant mint, coriander, coconut yoghurt, lime, garlic and ginger, this Indian staple adds freshness and spice to rich dishes like chickpea curry, vegan red lentil curry or a masoor dal.
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One of the best pieces of advice to plant-based cooks I can offer is this - learn to make a staple of great sauces. A balanced, flavourful sauce brings individual ingredients together to make them a meal worth staying home for. This pudina chutney is a fragrant, zesty condiment that beautifully complements rich flavours.
Some of my favourite sauces include →
What is Pudina Chutney?
So, the elephant in the room is that this mint chutney looks nothing like what many of us think of when we hear the word "chutney". My Nan ate chutney and cheese on toast and it looked nothing like this saucy number.
However, "chutney" in Indian cuisine refers to not only chunky fruit relishes but a variety of sauces. Chutneys can be wet, semi-dry or dry; they can be hot, sour or spicy, smooth or chunky.
Pudina chutney is mint chutney. With an abundance of fresh mint, ginger, lime and garlic it packs oodles of flavour with very little effort.
Why We Love This Mint Chutney
Pudina chutney is such an easy and fragrant side. There are so many reasons to love it.
Mint Chutney Ingredients
Chef's tip: A really great sauce or condiment has balance - salt, sweet, sour and umami flavours working together in harmony. While making a sauce, taste as you go. Does it need something? When you close your eyes can you taste all the elements? Does it need a splash of vinegar or citrus to wake it up? Is it salty enough. Are any of the flavours dominating the other ingredients? Make small changes as needed and trust your tastebuds.
Fresh herbs. Coriander and mint are traditional in a pudina chutney and cannot really be substituted for anything else.
Yoghurt adds creaminess and a cooling element to this Indian chutney. I use coconut yoghurt but a natural soy yoghurt would work too.
Lime. A splash of citrus adds vibrance to an otherwise a creamy dressing. In a pinch you could use lemon juice too.
Garlic and ginger. Fresh garlic and ginger add both depth and a good punch of flavour.
Maple syrup. Adding a touch of sweetness to balance out the flavours, you could also use agave syrup or brown rice syrup.
How to Make Pudina Chutney with Yoghurt
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
So...there is not much to say here. You are going to throw all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Taste and adjust remembering the Chef's tip above.
Recipe Variations
Trawling the internet and my cookbook shelves I found there is no hard and fast way to make mint chutney. Some recipes include cumin, others use lemon, some add yoghurt while others don't. I love Vegan Richa's vibrant yoghurt-free version. It is robust and flavour-packed.
For this recipe, however, I tempered things a little. I wanted a chutney that would
Make it your own. Enjoy, x
What to Serve with Vegan Pudina Chutney
FAQs
Mint chutney can be spicy. This recipe uses a jalapeño pepper (chilli) but if you don't enjoy spicy food, half the amount or omit it completely.
You can make pudina chutney without a blender by adding all the ingredients to a mortar and pestle and grinding them into to a paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in the yoghurt to finish.
I wouldn't recommend making pudina chutney with dried spices. The fresh mint and coriander are key ingredients adding lending their fragrance, vibrance and bulk to the sauce.
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Make This Recipe
Pudina Chutney | Indian Mint Chutney
Ingredients
- ¾ cup coconut yoghurt
- 1 and ½ cup mint fresh leaves
- 1 cup coriander packed cup, leaves only
- 1 inch ginger peeled and finely sliced
- 1-2 small garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon lime juice or lemon + more to taste
- ½ jalapeno chilli de-seeded and chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness or heat to taste.
- Serve straight away or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer
The nutritional information is an estimate only and is automatically calculated using online tools. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
April says
Delicious but how could I make this less thin? The flavor is incredible! Also is this the base for Salt Lassi?
Amanda says
Hi April, I am so glad you like the pudina chutney! The only way to make the chutney thicker is to reduce the amount of liquid - so in this case yoghurt - but that would reduce the creaminess. You could try including ground chia seeds in the blender - they will thicken anything. Having said that, Vegan Richa's recipe for mint chutney doesn't have yoghurt at all. You might like to check her recipe out. Namkeen lassi or salted lassi is usually yoghurt, water, cumin and salt so there are similarities. 🙂
Thanks so much for your note, April.
BeK says
Oh, my goodness! I loved this sauce - so easy to make and perfectly balanced. We had it with vegetables and flatbreads and it was amazing. Thank you.
Samantha says
Hi Amanda. Do you think an herb other than cilantro could work here or could I leave it out? Your recipe looks amazing and I have everything on hand to make this tonight except cilantro. What do you think? Thank you very much!
Amanda says
Hey Samantha, I haven't done it before but I did see a recipe without the cilantro (I've included the link below). You could also try it with parsley, if you have it. Let me know how you go! 🙂
https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/pudina-chutney-recipe-idli-dosa-vada/