Rhubarb Mixed Fruit Chutney
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This rhubarb mixed fruit chutney combines the tart bite of rhubarb with sweet, over-ripe fruit for an easy side dish that pairs beautifully with rice, lentil soup, or roti.
Rhubarb mixed fruit chutney is a great combination of tastes — tart and sweet. The tart taste of rhubarb, combined with over-ripe sweet fruits, makes this chutney an ideal side dish.
This chutney has been a regular here for a while, given the high yield during rhubarb season. It’s usually served as a side with rice and Indian lentil soup, and it pairs well with roti (Indian flatbread) too.
Table of Contents
A Note on Rhubarb
Rhubarb has a strong, tart taste, and only the stalks are edible — the leaves and roots are high in oxalates, so they’re cut away and discarded during harvest, leaving just the stalks to enjoy in a variety of dishes.
Why This Chutney Is Low in Sugar
To keep sugar to a minimum, very ripe, sweet fruit does most of the sweetening here, rather than relying on added sugar. It’s also easy to make vegan by leaving out the ghee — since some oils have a strong flavor of their own, vegan butter or coconut oil work best as a substitute.
A Versatile, No-Waste Recipe
This chutney recipe is versatile and can be adapted to whatever fruit you have on hand. It’s also a great way to use up over-ripe fruit lurking on the kitchen counter — especially those very ripe bananas that no one wants to eat plain.
How to Make Rhubarb Mixed Fruit Chutney?
Ingredients List
- 3 stalks rhubarb, chopped
- Fruit of your choice, diced
- 1 stick ginger
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp ghee
- 3–4 tsp brown sugar or jaggery
Cooking Instructions
Toast the Spices:
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the ghee along with the ginger and cinnamon.
Add the Fruit:
Mix in all the fruit along with a little water.
Cook:
Cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
Sweeten and Finish:
Add the sugar, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
This chutney is a great side dish. Try it:
With rice and lentil soup: a classic pairing.
With roti: works beautifully alongside Indian flatbread.
As a topping: spoon over yogurt or a simple grain bowl.
Tips for Rhubarb Mixed Fruit Chutney
Only use the stalks: rhubarb leaves and roots are high in oxalates, so trim them away and use just the stalks.
Let ripeness do the work: very ripe, sweet fruit means you can use less added sugar.
Make it vegan: swap the ghee for vegan butter or coconut oil.
Use up your ripest fruit: this is a great way to rescue over-ripe bananas and other fruit before they go to waste.
Variations of This Chutney
If you don’t have rhubarb on hand, this recipe adapts easily to other fruit. Bananas, apples, pears, plums, and peaches all work well. Avoid berries or other high-water-content fruit, since they add too much liquid and slow down the quick cooking time this recipe is built around.
Watch the Video (Chutney recipe: 10:12–12:59)
Recipe Card
Rhubarb Mixed Fruit Chutney
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A tart-and-sweet rhubarb chutney made with over-ripe fruit and warm spices — an easy, low-sugar side dish for rice, lentil soup, or roti.
Ingredients
- 3 stalks rhubarb, chopped
- Fruit of your choice, diced into cubes
- 1 stick ginger
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 3 to 4 teaspoons brown sugar or jaggery
Instructions
-
Toast the Spices:
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the ghee along with the ginger and cinnamon.
-
Add the Fruit:
Mix in all the fruit along with a little water.
-
Cook:
Cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
-
Sweeten and Finish:
Add the sugar, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Only use rhubarb stalks — the leaves and roots are high in oxalates. Very ripe, sweet fruit reduces the need for added sugar. For a vegan version, swap the ghee for vegan butter or coconut oil.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Side Dishes
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 50
- Fat: 3
Frequently Asked Questions
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