There are chutneys and there are chutneys. This pineapple mango chutney earns the word 'fabulous' — and I don't use it lightly.

Pineapple and Mango Chutney Recipe – The Flexible Chef

A pineapple and mango chutney has no business being as versatile as this one is. It livens up a ploughman's, transforms cold cuts, and sits alongside a curry with complete confidence. I also use it the same way I use the spiced plum chutney — a spoonful stirred into a curry sauce adds a tropical depth that's difficult to identify but impossible to ignore.

The heat comes from dried red chillies, the warmth from fresh ginger and homemade aromatic garam masala, and the acidity from apple cider vinegar and a generous squeeze of lemon at the end. The garlic is lightly fried and then removed — it has done its job before the main event begins.

Make it when mangoes and pineapples are ripe and on offer. In rural Andalucía, it happens more often than you might expect.

My Fabulous Pineapple Mango Chutney Recipe

Ingredients (makes approximately 3–4 jars)

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 dried red chillies, flaked — keep the seeds in for a hotter result
• 1 large red onion, roughly blitzed
• 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
• 1 small pineapple, peeled and diced
• 100g brown sugar
• 1½ tbsp homemade aromatic garam masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 100ml apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Juice of one lemon

Method

1. Heat a small splash of oil in a pan and lightly fry the crushed garlic until just beginning to colour — not burnt. Remove and discard. The garlic has done its job.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft but not browned. Add the chilli, red pepper and ginger and cook for a further minute.
3. Add the garam masala and turmeric and stir to coat the onion mixture.
4. Increase the heat to medium and stir in the mango, pineapple, brown sugar and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for around 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has reduced to a loose syrup.
5. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice and stir through gently.
6. Leave to cool slightly, then pour into sterilised jars and seal. Store in a cool, dark place.

A note on patience

This pineapple mango chutney will keep for up to three months — but give it at least 4–6 weeks before opening. The flavours mellow and deepen considerably with time. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator and use within a few weeks.

If you're in the mood for baked tropical fruit rather than a chutney, my Baked Banana with Lychees is an easy one to try.

Footnote

This pineapple and mango chutney recipe is part of my Curry Recipes collection — the complete guide to curries, spice blends, bases, chutneys and sides from The Flexible Chef. Explore the full Curry Recipes hub.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef