This Sweet And Spicy Peach Chutney Recipe is easy to make and goes great with pork chops, grilled chicken, cheese boards, or on grilled cheese sandwiches!
Summer is drawing to a close folks. And no one is sadder about it than me. We’ve had such a great one. Trailblazing, pool swimming, creek wading, burger grilling, rose' sipping. I can barely stand to see it fade.
But, school started this week (gasp!). And along with it, the end of the summer festivals, markets, and that general lassie-faire attitude that we roll with throughout these warmer months.
The one saving grace is that this week not only held the start of school but also the Lafayette Peach Festival, held each year in Old Town Lafayette CO during the height of the peach season. And what a way to wrap things up! Not only can you get peaches by the cartons, but pies, cobblers, salsas, and just about anything else you can make with a peach can be found at this local festival.
And, although it was a hot one, we gathered up our empty baskets and headed over to Public Road in Lafayette on Saturday afternoon to fill them up and get our fair share of fresh peaches.
Once home, we had to figure out what to do with them. We decided on something simple that could be used in a multitude of ways: fresh peach chutney. Fruit chutney is a great way to use up fruit when you have a bit of a surplus (or if you have overripe peaches). The warm spices from the chutney and the freshness from the fruit make this sauce a great option to serve alongside all sorts of meals, from pork to chicken.
Why I Love This Spicy Peach Chutney Recipe!
- Versatile! This chutney is wonderful on pork, works well on a grilled cheese sandwich, is incredible with roasted pork, pairs perfectly with cheese boards, and would go great with any Indian or curry dish.
- Customizable. You can spice it up by adding more hot peppers, but as it is written, it gives a nice subtle punch without overpowering the sauce. (Don't worry - this isn't too spicy!) Personally, I think this chutney has the perfect combination of sweet and spicy flavors.
- Simple to make. Apart from peeling the peaches (which is actually pretty simple - here's a quick guide) making this easy peach chutney is pretty simple. Just add your ingredients and watch it on the stove for about an hour. Done.
- Easy way to use up peaches. Not that you ever need a reason to get rid of peaches, but chutney is very forgiving since it cooks down for about an hour. If your peaches are slightly past their prime, this is a great recipe to use them in.
- Works great as a gift. This is a lovely thick homemade chutney that you can give as gifts or serve as part of your own dinner party.
Key Ingredients
Just a few ingredients create this delicious chutney.
- Peaches. You'll need a pretty big amount of peaches since they reduce a lot in the cooking process. I used 4 pounds for this recipe.
- Light brown sugar. Brown sugar adds some depth to the flavor and helps bring out the sweetness of the peaches.
- Apple cider vinegar. Adds a bit of acidity to the chutney.
- Garlic, ginger, and cardamom. These spicy flavors add tons of great warmth to this delicious condiment!
- Red onion. I used a red onion here but feel free to sub for a yellow onion if that's what you have on hand.
- Hot chile peppers. I love a spicy chutney and there's no better way to get it than with some hot peppers. Feel free to use your favorite - serrano or habanero peppers are my favorite choices.
How To Make This Chutney
Just a few easy steps and you'll be serving this perfect condiment on your next cheese platter!
- Prepare your peaches. First, peel and chop your peaches. Set aside. (Learn how to easily peel peaches here!)
- Simmer your spices and vinegar. Next, combine your onion, garlic, and ginger along with your spices and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Simmer it all over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add your peaches, chopped chilies, and salt. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally to ensure the chutney doesn't stick to the pan.
- Reduce and cool. Once the peaches have cooked down and the chutney has thickened, remove it from heat and allow it to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to jars or another airtight container.
Variations And Substitutions
- Change up the spices. The spices listed here are classically used in chutneys but there is a variety of spices that you could try adding to this recipe. Mustard seeds, star anise, red chili powder, cumin seeds or a cinnamon stick would all be fun to experiment with. Give this chutney a try with some of your favorite spices.
- Reduce the heat. This is a hot chutney, so if you'd like to reduce the spice, simply cut back or omit the hot peppers.
- Try a different fruit. Stone fruits make great chutneys. Try swapping out the peaches with mango to make a mango chutney, or try cherries, plums, or apricots for some different flavors.
- Add some raisins. A cup of golden raisins would a a bit of flavor and texture to the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chutney has a pretty good shelf life and will last for about a month in the fridge. If you go the route of canning the chutney, it can last at least a year, stored in a dark, cool place.
Nope! The beauty of a chutney is that while you want to use fresh peaches, since you reduce the mixture by so much, they don't have to be perfect. Leftover peaches, or even overripe peaches, both work well in this recipe.
This recipe makes about 6 cups of chutney. Feel free to double the recipe to make a large batch if you're making this for canning or to give as gifts.
How To Serve Peach Chutney
There are so many ways you can use this delicious spread!
- Grilled chicken
- Grilled pork
- Fish
- Alongside cheese and crackers on a charcuterie board
- On sandwiches (it's divine on grilled cheese and hamburgers!)
If you give this Sweet And Spicy Peach Chutney Recipe a try, let me know what you think in the comments below. And don't forget to tag me with a pic on Instagram @frontrangefed!
More Delicious Spreads And Sauces To Try!
- Berry Compote
- Instant Pot Orange And Lemon Marmalade
- Roasted Garlic Spread
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
- 5-Minute Pineapple Salsa With Jalapeno (Goes great on pork!)
Recipe
Sweet And Spicy Peach Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs ripe peaches
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 12 cardamom pods, lightly cracked
- 3 fresh hot chile peppers (I used 2 serrano peppers and 1 habanero pepper)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel, pit, and chop the peaches.
- Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, onion, and cardamom in a medium cast-iron pot. Simmer over low heat until the onion has softened. Add peaches, chilies, and salt and continue to simmer until the peaches are soft and translucent, about an hour.
- Allow the chutney to cool, and transfer it to your storage jars. You may choose to can the chutney, or, put it into pretty glass jars to give as a gift.
Notes
Rich says
I love this recipe. Goes great with pork!
Sarah Jenkins says
I happen to agree! 🙂
Ealga says
Chutney is a classic South African handout, in lieu of wine, say at a barbie
Sarah Jenkins says
Yes! So funny - we actually had some friends from South Africa visiting us and I gave them some as a gift to take home!