Difference Between Chutney and Pickle (2024)

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Difference Between Chutney and Pickle? ›

Chutneys are prepared by cooking the vegetables. Chutney cannot be preserved and it is usually consumed the day it is cooked and it is always sweet. Pickles, on the other hand, can be sweet, savoury or both and they can last for months.

Unlike a pickle which should be vegetable-based, a chutney should be fruit-based. This means that, even if it contains acidic ingredients such as vinegar or tamarind, chutney should always offer sweetness.

Relishes, on the other hand, are cooked for a shorter time, with the resultant relish chunkier and more sharply flavoured than a chutney. Some people argue that a chutney will always contain mainly fruit or a mixture of fruits, and relishes are generally made of vegetables, and usually one variety.

While not a chutney, Branston Pickle is sweet and spicy with a "chutney-like" consistency, containing chunks of vegetables in a thick brown sticky sauce. It is commonly served as part of a ploughman's lunch, a popular menu item in British pubs.

Chutney is a condiment or spread made from chopped fruit cooked with vinegar, spices and sometimes sugar, that can be served fresh or preserved. It's often associated with Indian cuisine.

Stateside, chutneys are somewhere between a jam, a relish, and a jelly, but in India, that's just the tip of the chutney iceberg.

Western-style chutneys are usually fruit, vinegar, and sugar cooked down to a reduction, with added flavourings. These may include sugar, salt, garlic, tamarind, onion or ginger.

So how does a relish differ? Generally, they are thinner in consistency with more “pickled and vinegary” flavours. They usually contain vegetables rather than fruit and only one variety whereas chutneys are mostly fruit and often a mixture of fruits. Perhaps you are more confused than ever!

Mango Chutney - One of the most common styles of chutney, mango chutney contains mango, ginger, garlic, and vinegar.

Though at first glance it may just look like the sweet cucumber-based pickle relish we're used to in the States, Branston Pickle is actually made from a variety of diced vegetables, including rutabaga, carrots, onions, and cauliflower. And it's pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, tomato, apple, and spices.

What do you call chutney in English? ›

(ˈtʃʌtni) noun. a sauce or relish of Asian origin, often compounded of both sweet and sour ingredients, as fruits and herbs, with spices and other seasoning. Also: chutnee.

Piccalilli, or mustard pickle, is a British interpretation of South Asian pickles, a relish of chopped and pickled vegetables and spices. Regional recipes vary considerably.

Hot chutneys pair well with creamy curries like korma or pasanda, or provide a boost to plain rice. Fruity chutneys pair well with hot curries, like madras or vindaloo. A zesty lime pickle or a spicy brinjal (eggplant) pickle makes a great start to an Indian meal served with poppadoms or naan bread.

Comparisons are tough to come by. Chimichurri looks sort of like pesto, but the flavor is nothing close. An Indian-style cilantro-mint chutney has a similar hand-chopped consistency, but occupies a different place on the flavor (and culture) spectrum.

In the USA, salsa and hot sauce are popular alternatives to chutney as both provide a similar flavor profile with added heat. Salsa is a sauce made from tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, and various spices, and can range from mild to extremely hot.

Pickle relish, a clear descendent of sweet and sour chutney, is considered the first American condiment.

Is mango pickle the same as mango chutney? No, Mango pickle is not the same as mango chutney. Mango chutney is made using sugar or gur and is sweet in taste, while mango pickle is made using mustard oil and spices and is savory in taste.