In Andalucía, the end of August into September brings a glut of tomatoes — ripe, cheap, and arriving at the market in quantities that demand you do something useful with them. This spicy roasted tomato chutney is one of the best answers to that question.

Spicy Roasted Tomato Chutney – The Flexible Chef

Roasting the tomatoes first is the step that makes this recipe worth making. It concentrates the flavour, caramelises the edges, and gives the finished chutney a depth that raw tomatoes simply can't provide. Combined with slow-caramelised onions, aromatic whole spices and a gentle heat from cayenne pepper, it becomes – as I once described it – a heavenly chutney. I stand by that.

The whole spices here are worth sourcing properly. Cassia bark, which I buy online, has a subtlety that cinnamon doesn't quite match. If you can't find it, cinnamon works as a substitute, but go slightly less than the recipe suggests. The allspice berries and coriander seeds are dry-fried and ground fresh, which makes a noticeable difference.

How to Make a Spicy Roasted Tomato Chutney

Ingredients (makes approximately 2–3 jars)

• 750g medium-ripe plum tomatoes, halved
• 1 large onion, sliced lengthways
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• ½ inch piece cassia bark — or cinnamon as a substitute
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice berries
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled, crushed and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• Pinch sea salt
• Olive oil for roasting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile dry-fry the cassia bark, coriander seeds and allspice berries in a large pan over a medium heat until fragrant and toasted. Leave to cool then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar.
3. In the same pan, melt the ghee over a low heat. Add the onion with the oregano and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly until caramelised — this takes patience but is worth every minute.
4. Add all the ground spices, cayenne and turmeric and fry for one minute. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute, stirring constantly.
5. Add the vinegar, honey and sea salt and stir for another minute.
6. Add the roasted tomatoes and all their juices, breaking them up with the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer for around 30 minutes until the chutney has thickened to a rich, jammy consistency.
7. Leave to cool slightly, then spoon into sterilised jars and seal. Store in a cool, dark place.

A note on storage

This chutney keeps extremely well in sterilised jars — a jar made in September 2014 was still tasting great when opened well over a year later. Give it at least 4–6 weeks before opening to allow the flavours to mellow and develop. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator.

Footnote

This spicy roasted tomato 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