Pineapple Chutney (Easy 15-Minute Recipe)

This easy Pineapple Chutney recipe is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, it pairs deliciously with curries, burgers, grilled meats, and crackers and cheese.

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This recipe features a distinctive blend of warm spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom) and aromatic ingredients (ginger, garlic) to create a gourmet chutney that complements any meal. And, this versatile condiment can be customized to your heat preference and taste.

What Makes Our Recipe So Good?

• Quick & Easy: With a total time of 15 minutes, this recipe involves about 5 minutes of prep time and 10 mins of cook time.
• Dietary Friendly: Naturally vegan and gluten-free. This can also be made refined sugar-free by using monkfruit sweetener, like I did when I made this pumpkin chutney.
• Versatile: From canned pineapple to fresh pineapple, from the spices used to the type of vinegar used, this chutney is a versatile dish. It is one of those recipes that is meant to inspire a love of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. Make sure to check out the section on suggested substitutions.

How to pick a ripe pineapple?

When picking a pineapple, make sure to pick one that has fresh green leaves, a yellowish/orange base and body, and one that is firm but yet supple. Fresh pineapple will also have a distinct fruity smell. Make sure that the pineapple you pick does not have brownish bits on the body or base.

Ingredients for Pineapple Chutney

To make this 12-ingredient chutney, you will need:

• Fresh Ripe Pineapple: The star ingredient. Look for a golden base and sweet aroma.
• Aromatics: Fresh yellow or red onion, garlic, and ginger.
• Liquids: Red wine vinegar (for tang) and Maple syrup (for depth).
• The Spice Blend: Ground coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
• Seasoning: Salt and black pepper. Totally optional is some red pepper flakes

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add peeled and chopped onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
2. Infuse the Spices: Stir in the smoked paprika, cayenne, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Let the spices “bloom” in the oil for 30 seconds.
3. Simmer: Add the red wine vinegar, maple syrup, and chopped pineapple. Lower the heat and simmer for 7–10 minutes, stirring often to keep the mixture from coming to a boil.
4. Texture Check: For a chunky chutney, leave as is. For a smoother spread, pulse slightly with an immersion blender.
5. Cool & Serve: The chutney will thicken as it cools. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

My Tips for a Delicious Pineapple Chutney

• Fresh vs. Canned: Fresh pineapple is best for an almost jam-like texture. If using canned, choose “tidbits in juice” (not syrup) and drain well.
• Heat Control: For a mild chutney, omit the cayenne. For a “fire” version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a finely diced habanero.
• Storage: Store in an airtight glass jar. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to 10 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Suggested substitutions

I prefer the taste and flavor of fresh onion, ginger, and garlic. But you could also use the peeled and cut onion, ginger, and garlic that are sold in the produce section of most grocery stores.

Other than the cayenne, the coriander powder, smoked paprika powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon, and cloves work best in the quantities specified. However, if you don’t have any of those, then 1.5 teaspoons of curry powder would be a good substitute. You can omit the cayenne for a mild and sweet chutney, or use a little less. But if you prefer it spicy, then you can use the amount specified or even add a 1/4 tsp more.

Instead of maple syrup, you could also use honey or brown sugar. You could also make this refined sugar-free and use monkfruit sweetener or any other zero-calorie sweetener.

In case you do not have red wine vinegar, white vinegar would work. But apple cider vinegar might alter the taste drastically.

And for the star ingredient, I used a ripe, fresh pineapple. You could use canned pineapple if you like. Make sure you use pineapple canned in pineapple juice and not sugar syrup. Though I would strongly suggest that fresh and ripe pineapple is the best option.

What to Serve with Pineapple Chutney

Here are our favorite pairings:

• Proteins: Grilled chicken, pork chops, ham, turkey balls, or seafood.
• Burgers: Use it as a topping for turkey burgers or black bean patties.
• Appetizers: Serve this with some cheese, crackers, and roasted vegetables.
• Grains: Mix a spoonful into jasmine rice or quinoa for a tasty grain option that can be used in a salad bowl.

How do you store this chutney?

Place this chutney in airtight containers and place them in the fridge. They will stay fresh for a week to 10 days, if using it everyday.

I made some of this chutney and placed it in a couple of airtight containers. My daughter and I worked our way through the first large container of this chutney in about a week. Then, I completely forgot about the chutney in the small container. Then, this weekend, I stumbled on it. I was about to throw it away when I decided to check the taste and smell, and it tasted and smelled great, so I had a huge helping with some bread and a salad on the side.

As of today, I am still ok, so I guess I can say that if you place this pineapple chutney in an airtight container and in the back of your fridge, it should stay fresh for about 3 weeks!

Love Chutney? Then Check These Recipes Out:

1

Easy Peach Chutney

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2

Easy Cherry Chutney

Sweet, tart, and spicy, this easy cherry chutney is a delicious condiment that pairs well with everything from crackers and cheese to chicken.

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3

Easy Mango Chutney

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4

Easy Fig Chutney

Sweet and savory, this easy fig chutney recipe is packed with flavor and can be paired with meats, cheeses, and more. It is a versatile condiment made with fresh figs and spices, that can also be used to cook with.

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5

Easy Purple Sweet Potato Chutney

This Purple Sweet Potato Chutney is a tasty blend of sweet and tangy. Made with vibrant purple sweet potatoes and a handful of other ingredients, this chutney is delicious paired with crackers, cheese, croquettes, burgers, and many other foods.

Check out this recipe

6

Easy Strawberry Chutney

This sweet, spicy, tangy, and easy Strawberry Chutney is made with only 10 ingredients. It is a delicious condiment that pairs well with everything from toast to meats to charcuterie boards.

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Easy Pineapple Chutney

4.64 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Shashi

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Naturally gluten-free and vegan, this pineapple chutney is sweet, tangy, and spicy, and it pairs deliciously with everything from burgers to curries.

Ingredients

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch chunk of ginger about 2 tsps chopped ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup chopped fresh ripe pineapple
• 1/2 tsp salt & pepper

Instructions

• First, peel and roughly chop up the onion, garlic, ginger as well as the pineapple, and set these aside.
• Add olive oil to a pan placed over a stovetop set to medium heat.
• Add in the chopped onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes.
• Then add in the smoked paprika, cayenne, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, and pineapple.
• Let simmer for about 7-10 minutes, stirring often. Then remove from heat and let cool slightly. As it cools, it should thicken up some.
• This chutney should be quite chunky, so you can pour it into a blender or food processor and pulse it a bit until it is a smoother consistency, or use an immersion blender and blend up the chunks a bit, so this is smoother.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy with your favorite curries or burgers!

Notes

*You can substitute maple syrup for brown sugar or honey, and you can leave out the cayenne for a mild chutney. For more substitutions, check the blog post.

**Stove tops can differ in heat so please keep this in mind when preparing this chutney.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g

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