Flavorful Mint Chutney Recipe (Pudina Chutney) is made with a simple combination of fresh mint, cilantro, onion, lemon juice, and chile peppers. Vegan and gluten-free, enjoy this Mint Chutney with your favorite roasted vegetables, meats, or warm flatbread.

Pudina Chutney

First introduced to this emerald green sauce more than a decade ago by my dear mother-in-law, I was skeptical. I had never seen such a sauce- let alone tried one. But, my mother-in-law, always so passionate about her homemade garden-fresh food, was simply beaming with excitement over her newest batch of mint chutney. How could I refuse?

I couldn’t, of course.

So, I took a small spoonful and told her it looked delicious.

I sat down, mixed the chutney together with the rice and ten other Indian dishes she had prepared and placed on my plate and I took a bite. To my great relief, mint chutney was a welcome and wonderful complement to the entire meal.

What is mint chutney?

Mint chutney, also known as Pudina Chutney from the Hindi word for mint, is a type of chutney, or sauce, made from fresh mint and cilantro leaves that have been blended together with onion, lemon juice, green chiles, and sometimes water or optional spices. In general, chutneys that are made from fresh ingredients, such as mint, are prepared in such a way that allows them to stay fresh for at least a couple of days, or even up to a week when stored in the refrigerator.

Mint chutney, unlike many other chutney varieties, is not pickled or intended to be super sweet.

Ingredients in mint chutney

To make this easy pudina chutney, you will need the following ingredients:

Fresh mint – as the name may suggest, you need fresh mint leave and you need lots of it. Unfortunately, every supermarket sells mint in bunches that vary in amount, so I always recommend buying extra. You will want to start with at least 2-3 cups packed mint leaves (free of any tough stems). For me, this equals roughly three bunches of mint. I know it seems like a lot, but it blends down to virtually nothing.
Fresh cilantro – You will need approximately one-third the amount of cilantro as you do mint. So, no more than one cup packed. Fortunately, cilantro has stems that are much thinner, so you don’t have to be as thorough about plucking each individual leaf from every single tiny stem.
Green chile peppers – Technically, the addition of chile peppers is optional. I added two serrano peppers because I like a spicy chutney. Feel free to add a chile or two, or leave them out altogether.
Salt – You’ll need to add some amount of salt. I added 1 teaspoon, but feel free to add more or less to suit your personal needs.
Onion – Originally, I was going to add just half an onion. But after tasting my chutney, I decided it needed more of something. So, I added the other half. Much better with an entire medium to large white or yellow onion.
Lemon Juice – as always, fresh juice is a must.
Water – Start with less and add more as needed. I added approximately 3 tablespoons.
Ground cumin (optional) – I did not add ground cumin to my chutney, however, it comes highly recommended by my mother-in-law, so I thought I would mention it here. Cumin is one of the most popular spices in Indian cooking, so it should come as little surprise. Take care, however, as you will only need to add approximately one-fourth of a teaspoon.

Optional additions:

Ginger or garlic – aromatics very common in Indian cooking and both full of flavor.
Yogurt – for a thicker, creamier chutney.
Grated coconut – I admit, this is entirely new to me. I expect this version may be more popular in the coastal regions of India.

How to make this Mint Chutney Recipe

To make this mint chutney, I recommend using a high-speed blender instead of a large food processor. The reason being that a blender does a much better job at processing your chutney into a smooth sauce when compared to the food processor.

Of course, this is not a rule. You may make your own pudina chutney with as little or as much texture as you prefer. However, according to my mother-in-law (born and raised in India), it should be completely smooth.

To make this homemade mint chutney:

Chop off the thick, tough ends from the cilantro and rinse the leaves under cold water and dry thoroughly. Even better if you have a salad spinner. For the mint, remove the leaves from each stem and set aside (yes, this is the most time-consuming part). Rinse leaves under cold water and pat with paper towels to dry.
Add all ingredients to the bowl of a high-speed blender and blend until fully pureed. Season with additional salt, lemon juice, or onion, to taste.

So easy, right!?

What to serve with mint chutney

It is true that this mint chutney is bold and flavorful. But, it is also very fresh. Keeping this in mind, I love to serve this chutney with anything that either lacks any flavor at all (boring rice, for example) or dishes that need a splash of freshness.

A few of my favorite things to serve with mint chutney recipe include roasted potatoes, pillowy naan bread, tandoori chicken, lamb chops, steak bites, and eggs.

But mint chutney is also delicious with Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, or any other popular Indian curry dish.

Of course, it’s also fantastic topped on your favorite soups or stews including Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili or even classic Chicken Noodle Soup.

How to store mint chutney

So you’ve gone through the work of plucking all those mint leaves from their stems, the last thing you want to do is toss all your hard work down the drain.

To store mint chutney, simply:

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Note, however, that the bright green color will start to darken, that’s normal.
Freeze in ice cube trays. Once fully frozen, transfer to a ziplock bag and keep stored in the freezer for up to 4-5 months. Thaw and use as needed.

For more sauce recipes, check out:

If you try making this Mint Chutney Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.