Easy Plum Chutney

Made with fresh, ripe plums, this is a tasty and easy homemade plum chutney recipe that is ready in 25 minutes! Naturally gluten-free and vegan, this plum chutney pairs well with everything from burgers to curries to crusty bread.

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This plum chutney is a delicious blend of tangy, spicy, and sweet flavors. It is an easy recipe, and the total time to make it (including prep time) is about 25 minutes. 

Speaking of plums, have you heard the story involving plums and monkeys? Apparently, during the labor shortage in California in 1905, a farmer turned to 500 monkeys (instead of people) to harvest his plums. The monkeys were organized into groups of 50, and a human foreman was in charge of each of these groups. Well, the monkeys did a fantastic job harvesting the plums. Only, they turned around and ate them all.

Benefits of plums

Plums come with a slew of health benefits. They are said to help with inflammation, stabilizing blood sugar, cardiovascular health, and more. If you want to read more about the benefits of plums, check out this article. 

Prunes, which are dried plums, are said to aid in relieving constipation. Currently, a recipe for relieving constipation is circulating on social media that involves warming and drinking 1 cup of prune juice, one cup of apple juice, and 1 tablespoon of butter.  

Anyhoot… let’s get back to this plum chutney…

This chutney is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. It is easily customizable to suit your dietary needs and preferences.

What are the ingredients needed to make this Easy Plum Chutney?

The following 12 ingredients are needed, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen:

1. Plums
   I got a bag of plums from Costco and used up the last few to make this chutney. The plums I used were a bit overripe, which added more sweetness to this recipe.
2. Oil
   I used extra virgin olive oil to saute the onions and ginger. However, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or any other oil could be used as well.
3. Red onion
   I had some red onion, so I used that. However, any onion would do. If you have a yellow or white onion, use that instead. Shallots can also be substituted in.
4. Ginger
   Fresh ginger works so well in this recipe. If you do not want to peel and chop it, then you can find peeled and chopped ginger in the produce section of most grocery stores. However, if you cannot find fresh ginger, ground ginger can be used instead.
5. Red wine vinegar
   Red wine vinegar is a staple in our kitchen, so I used that. If you have apple cider vinegar, that would work as well. 
6. Sweetener
   I wanted to keep this recipe free of refined sugar as I was making this chutney for my mom, who is diabetic. I used a monkfruit and erythritol blend. However, if you are not on a sugar-free diet, then feel free to use brown sugar, maple syrup (vegan), or honey instead.
7. Spices
   I used a blend of ground cayenne, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, and cloves in this chutney recipe. I find that this spice blend works well to balance all the flavours in this chutney. This spice blend differs ever so slightly from the spice combo in some of the other chutney recipes I have shared.

I also used some salt and black pepper to taste.

Instructions to make this easy plum chutney

• First off, peel and chop the onion and the ginger.

• Then, rinse and chop the plums, discarding the pit. The smaller the plums are chopped, the less chunky this chutney will be.

• Add the oil to a small pan or small pot and set it on a stovetop set to medium heat. 

• Add the chopped onion and ginger to it and let these saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often so they do not burn.

• Then, add in the plums, red wine vinegar, sweetener, ground cayenne, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, and cloves to the pan.

• Cover the pan with a lid and let this mixture simmer for about 15 minutes.

• Remove the lid, turn the heat to medium-high heat and let this simmer for a minute longer, stirring well so the liquid thickens. Then, remove the pan from the stovetop.

• If you prefer a less chunky chutney, use an immersion blender to blend up this chutney. Or, add it to a blender and pulse a few times.

• Then, season this chutney with salt and black pepper to taste and stir well.

• Place spoonfuls of this chutney in jars and seal them well.

This chutney can be eaten when it is made or stored and enjoyed later.

Serving suggestions

Like this mango chutney, this plum chutney can be slathered on some buttered slices of crusty bread. It can be served as part of a charcuterie with crackers and cheese. 

And, like this cherry chicken recipe, it can also be added to chicken to make a quick and easy chicken sauté. Or, it can be slathered on vegetables before they are grilled or roasted.

This plum chutney can also be added to your favorite sandwich. It is also delicious with eggs and even avocado toast!

This chutney can be placed in pretty jars and given as gifts for any occasion, including Christmas! 

Storage

This plum chutney should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for up to a month stored this way.

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think of it, or tag your creation on social media with @savoryspin or #savoryspin.
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