Our best substitutes for mango chutney are rich, sweet, and savory. These swaps are perfect alongside Indian dishes or as condiments.

Mango chutney is a staple in curries and Indian cuisine, but mangoes aren’t always in season! If you want a similar taste profile without the mango, we got you covered. Plus, you may discover chutney flavors you never tried before.

These substitutes for mango chutney can be used as a dip, spread, or condiment. The tang, spice, and sweetness are something you don’t wanna miss.

Once you pick your chutney, try it on a nut and cheese platter!

sugar-free chutney made with mangoes, dates and Indian spices in a glass jar on a white table

What is Chutney?

Chutney is a delicious, multi-flavored condiment with origins in India. It’s made by simmering fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and more. The mixture can have a huge range of flavors: sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory!

You can customize the flavor how you like, and use it in a variety of ways.

How to make chutney

Zou can use our mango chutney recipe as a guide and simply replace the fruit! Make sure to taste it and customize the spices.

Best Substitutes for Mango Chutney

Fruits you can use instead of mango

Peach
Pineapple
Papaya
Apple

These fruits are sweet with a hint of tang – just like mangoes. Of course, the chutney will take on the flavor of the main fruit used, but the overall profile will taste similar. Especially if you use spices such as allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, cloves, ginger, and garlic.

Red Pepper Jelly

Red pepper jelly has the spice, tanginess, and sweetness that mimics mango chutney. It can be used with charcuterie boards (red pepper jelly + cream cheese on crackers is delicious!) And it glazed over veggies and vegan meat dishes for an extra ounce of flavor.

Tamarind Chutney

Tamarind chutney is aromatic, tangy, sour, and sweet. Its flavor creates a wonderful dipping sauce for samosas. It’s also commonly used with chaat, which is a collection of savory snacks or street food in India. Chaat usually involves fried dough, potatoes, and chickpeas, which pairs well with tamarind chutney.

Apricot Preserves

If you don’t want to make chutney, apricot preserves are a great alternative! Preserves have chunks of fruit in it, so it has a similar texture to chutney. Plus, it’s easy to add spices or raisins if you’d like.

Apricot Jam

Instead of preserves, you can use jam if you prefer a pureed texture. Jam is very accessible in stores, so this is a good option. But if you want to make your own, go for it!

Peach Jam

You can make peach jam at home (with peaches, sugar, and lemon) or buy at the store. To reduce the sweetness, you can add salt and spices. If you wanna get creative, you can mix in any add-ins like raisins.

Tomato Chutney

Tomatoes naturally have a great umami flavor and acidity. Although not as sweet as mango, it pairs well with curries, dosas, stir fries, burgers, and savory breakfast dishes. You can even spice it up if you want more heat!

Fig Jam

Fig jam will be sweeter and less tangy than mango chutney, but this can be remedied easily! You can add a bit of acidity with lemon or vinegar. Fig jam is delicious on our nut and cheese platter that we mentioned before.

How to Serve Chutney

There are several ways to enjoy chutney, but these are some of our favorites! Let us know if you have a different serving suggestion in the comments.

Alongside curried dishes
On freshly baked cornbread
In a falafel wrap
As a topping for your vegan bowl
On roasted potatoes and vegetables
On sandwiches or toasts
With papadums or naan
As a dip for chips, veggies, or summer rolls
On a burger

colorful vegan appetizer platter with crackers, fall produce, 3 types of hummus and nut cheese

Related condiment recipes

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