This Green Chutney is bright, herby, spicy, and ready in minutes. Made with fresh coriander, mint, green chili, ginger, lemon, and cumin, this Indian green sauce adds bold flavor to sandwiches, wraps, samosas, chaat, pakoras, and grain bowls.
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🌿 What is green chutney?
Green chutni is a classic Indian condiment made with fresh herbs, green chili, acid, salt, and warming spices. Most versions include coriander leaves, and many also include mint, ginger, garlic, cumin, and lemon or lime juice. It is commonly served with Indian snacks, chaats, sandwiches, and wraps because it adds freshness, heat, and tang in one spoonful.
Unlike some traditional versions that use peanuts or roasted chana dal for thickness, this recipe uses sunflower seeds for body and a creamy finish. The flavor is still very close to a classic coriander-mint chutney, but the seeds add richness and help the sauce blend smoothly.
Why you'll love this green chutney
- Nut-free option without sacrificing creaminess
- Fresh, bold, and packed with flavor
- Ready in about 10 minutes
- Works as a dip, spread, or drizzle
- Delicious with Indian snacks, sandwiches, and wraps
- Naturally vegan and easy to customize
- Made without yogurt, so it stays bright and versatile
Jump to:
- 🌿 What is green chutney?
- 👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- 🥜 Substitutions
- 📝 How to Make Green Chutney
- ✔️ Expert Tips
- 🥄 Serve green chutney with ...
- 🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
- 🫙 More Green Sauce Recipes
- 👩🏽🍳 Made this recipe?
- ⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
- Green Chutney Recipe
- 🛍️ Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
- 💬 Comments
👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.
Note: Use mostly leaves and tender stems from the cilantro. For mint, stick to the leaves if you want the cleanest flavor. Older mint stems can turn the chutney bitter.
- Cilantro (coriander): the main flavor base in this coriander chutney recipe
- Mint: adds freshness and that classic cooling note.
- Green chili: for heat and brightness
- Ginger: adds warmth and depth
- Garlic: sharpens the flavor
- Cumin seeds: earthy and fragrant
- Lemon juice: lifts and balances the herbs
- Sunflower seeds: add body and creaminess without dairy or nuts
- Salt: brings everything together
See the printable recipe card below for quantities.
🥜 Substitutions
This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.
- Sunflower seeds: Add peanuts and olive oil instead and process until peanuts are chopped finely for a crunchy nutty chutney.
- Coriander: Use an assortment of fresh herbs as desired: coriander, mint, arugula, basil, dill, parsley.
- Mint: Reduce the mint for a more coriander-forward sauce.
- Lemon juice: Lime juice works too.
📝 How to Make Green Chutney
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
- Toast the cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Transfer the cilantro, mint, toasted cumin seeds, green chilis, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, and water to a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high until smooth. Or pulse instead for a chunkier green sauce.
- Add salt to taste.
✔️ Expert Tips
These additional tips will help you get the best results.
- Use very fresh herbs. Wilted herbs can make the chutney taste flat or bitter.
- Start with less water for the boldest flavor.
- Add more lemon at the end if the sauce tastes dull.
- For a nuttier, more traditional finish, use peanuts instead of sunflower seeds.
- For a chunkier chutney, pulse in a food processor instead of blending until fully smooth.
- If your chutney tastes too sharp, add a little more sunflower seeds to round it out.
- Store green chutney in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days for best flavor. It can last longer, but the color and freshness fade. You can also freeze it in small cubes and thaw as needed.
🥄 Serve green chutney with ...
Baked Vegan Samosa Wraps. These deliver the warm, spiced flavors of traditional samosas in a much easier format.
Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers. These are the ultimate high-protein, plant-based burgers.
6-minute Instant Pot Quinoa Lentil Curry. Add green chutni for serving to boost flavor and health.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Green chutney is a broader name for fresh green Indian chutneys, while coriander chutney usually highlights cilantro as the main ingredient. Many recipes overlap.
Use fresh herbs, avoid too many thick mint stems, and add enough lemon juice to keep the flavor bright.
Yes. It will still be delicious, but the flavor will be more coriander-forward and a little less cooling.
It is most often served with Indian snacks, sandwiches, wraps, and chaat, but it also works as a dip, spread, or sauce.
Yes. This version uses sunflower seeds instead, but you can also use peanuts for a more traditional texture.
🫙 More Green Sauce Recipes
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⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
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Green Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 packed cups cilantro leaves
- 1 packed cup mint leaves
- 2 to 3 green chilis stems removed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ inch ginger
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice plus more to taste (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 ½ tablespoons sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
- Salt to taste
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Instructions
- Toast the cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Blend: Transfer the cilantro, mint, toasted cumin seeds, green chilis, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, and water to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add salt to taste.
Notes
- For a smoother chutney, add a neutral flavored oil when blending.
- Omit the seeds and use oil instead as desired.
- Pulse in a food processor for a chunky chutney, or use a blender for a smoother sauce.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
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Neena Chandiramani says
Absolutely excited to try this now!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I eat this with almost everything to add extra antioxidants from the herbs!