Apple Cranberry Chutney (One Pot)
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Quick and easy apple easy cranberry chutney recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot on stovetop in 30 minutes. Sweet, spicy, savory! Loaded with ginger, dill, cinnamon.
This recipe has all the flavors your palette needs- sweet fruit, spicy ginger and cinnamon, and savory dill! It is also so versatile that you can change it up every single time you make it. It’s perfect for the Christmas holidays or even Thanksgiving. Since cranberry is the flavor of the season, make sure to also try these Cranberry Brie Bites (One Pot) and this Cranberry Salsa With Cream Cheese (One Pot).
How To Make Cranberry Chutney Recipe From Scratch?
- Saute onions and ginger- Until onions are partially softened.
- Add remaining ingredients- This includes cranberries, apples, water, vinegar, brown sugar, dill, cinnamon stick, allspice, salt, pepper, red chili flakes.
- Mix- Until combined.
- Cover- And cook.
- Uncover– And continue cooking until mixture becomes thick.
- Mash– With the back of your spoon until partially smooth.
- Enjoy– Discard cinnamon stick.
What To Serve With Spicy Savory Cranberry Apple Chutney? What To Do With Cranberry Chutney?
Serve over a block of cream cheese, brie, or Camembert as an appetizer.
It would be delicious as a topping spooned over a pork loin or pork chops, Roast Turkey Breast (One Pan), Grilled Chicken Breast (One Pan), or even venison or steak and even ham.
Some people enjoy it all by itself as a side.
It can even be used in breakfast dishes like savory oatmeal or use it as a spread in sandwiches and wraps. Consider thinning it out a little and using it in salad dressing. It would be delicious in this Christmas Salad (One Bowl)
What’s The Difference Between Cranberry Sauce and Relish?
There are a few key differences between Homemade Cranberry Sauce (One Pot) and Easy Cranberry Relish (One Bowl). Cranberry sauce is cooked over the stovetop and generally sweeter whereas relish is raw, chunky, more tart, and just made in a blender.
What is chutney?
It is a condiment originating from India, and now popular in Europe and the US. It is usually made with fruit, vegetables, some type of vinegar, sugar, and herbs. It is used to balance or compliment a main dish.
Variations
Cranberry orange chutney– Orange is a beautiful compliment to cranberries. Add either orange zest, or extract for a delicious flavor.
Add other fruits– Like mangoes, pears, or oranges.
Add nuts– Such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews.
Add dried fruits– Raisins are a popular choice. You can also add dried apricots or mangoes which will give it a more chunky texture.
Add celery– It adds a distinct flavor which works very well.
Try other herbs– I only used dill, but you can use parsley, basil or chives too.
Add shallots– For a more delicate onion option.
Make it spicy– Add 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes for a little heat. Add more if you like lots of heat, and none if you don’t want any spice.
Add extracts– Like almond or amaretto.
Try another sweetener- Some people use honey or maple syrup in place of brown sugar.
Tips And Techniques
How to thicken chutney? The best thing to do is to continue simmering it over medium heat until it reduces to the correct consistency. If this does not work then you can try adding a cornstarch slurry at the end, if necessary.
How to make chutney thinner? Add a little more juice or water, but not too much because you don’t want to disrupt the flavor balance.
What consistency should chutney be? This is a matter of preference. You can use the back of a spoon to mash everything partially. You can also use a hand-held immersion blender to blend half of it so that it’s still chunky but not too chunky. My family prefers it much smoother. So, I blend more than normal.
Adjust sweetness– Add more or less sugar depending on your preference.
Use unsalted butter– Because it prevents this dish from becoming too salty.
How do you know when it is done cooking and ready? Cook it for 7-10 minutes or until all the cranberries have popped. Then, uncover and continue cooking until excess liquid is evaporated and mixture becomes thick.
What size to cut the apples? Shred them or finely dice them so they are incorporated into every bite.
What apples to use? This is a personal preference. Red apples balance the tartness of cranberries the best. However, green apples or yellow apples can be used too, if you like their flavor more.
Storage
Refrigerate– In a sealed container for up to 1 week.
Freeze– In a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Reheat– Thaw from frozen, and serve cold or reheat in the microwave.
More One Pot Christmas Side Dishes
- Creamy Cranberry Salad (Cranberry Fluff)
- Oven Roasted Potatoes (One Pan)
- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole (One Pan)
- Hasselback Sweet Potatoes (One Pan)
- Candied Sweet Potatoes (One Pot)
- Green Beans and Potatoes (One Pan)
One Pot Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
- 1/2 cup Onions, Finely chopped
- 1 tsp Fresh ginger, Or use 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1 bag Cranberries, Fresh, 12 oz. bag
- 1 Red apple, Peeled, Cored, Shredded or Finely diced
- 3/4 cup Water, Can be replaced with orange juice or apple cider
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1/2-3/4 cup Brown sugar, Adjust according to your preference
- 1-2 tsp Dill, Dried, Adjust according to your preference
- 1 Cinnamon stick, 2 inch piece
- 1/4 tsp Allspice
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1/2 tsp Red chili flakes, Can be omitted if you don't like a subtle spicy kick
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onions, ginger and saute until onions are partially softened and ginger is fragrant.
- Add cranberries, apples, water, vinegar, brown sugar, dill, cinnamon stick, allspice, salt, pepper, red chili flakes.
- Mix until combined.
- Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes or until all the cranberries have popped.
- Uncover and continue cooking until excess liquid is evaporated and mixture becomes thick.
- Use the back of your spoon to mash everything until partially smooth. You can also use a hand-held immersion blender to blend half the chutney so that it's still chunky but not too chunky. My family prefers it much smooth. So, I blend more than normal.
- Discard cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.Â
