Indian Onion Chutney (for poppadoms)

This raw onion chutney recipe is the same as the red cold onion chutney served in British Indian restaurants with poppadoms. It is a super easy chutney recipe as no cooking is required and can be ready within minutes.

Indian onion chutney in a small white bowl.

Recreate takeaway style Indian onion relish that is served with poppadums as a starter in BIR or curry houses!

There are many different names for this chutney but they all refer to the same recipe: Indian onion chutney, Indian red Onion chutney, raw onion chutney, cold onion chutney, spiced onions, Indian onion relish for poppadoms, to name a few.

This easy onion chutney usually has a bright red color and sharp taste thanks to the spicy ketchup mixture that raw diced onions are mixed in with. The recipe is really that simple!

It is a great alternate side to Indian Onion Salad which is a simple recipe of raw onions that are flavoured with lemon juice, fresh coriander and various spices.

I love tangy chutneys alongside my crispy fried poppadoms and Indian appetizers. The classic trio of poppadom dips/chutneys include Indian mint sauce (sometimes mint raita), mango chutney and an Indian style salad of either onions or kachumber.

Have you tried this finger licking Indian Tamarind Sauce? It is perfect vegan dipping sauce to serve with your Indian snacks or Indian starters.

These Samosa Sauces recipes are guaranteed to elevate your samosa snacking experience!

South Indian Onion Chutney (Vengaya Chutney recipe)

It is worth noting that there is a variation to onion chutney recipes and this is the version served in South Indian cuisine known as Vengaya chutney in Tamil language.

It is made with regular onions, garlic cloves and dry red chillies which is cooked then ground to a smooth paste. In this particular version, the onion mixture is tempered in mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal (black gram) and chana dal (split bengal gram). It is sweetened with tamarind and jaggery.

South Indian chutneys are usually served as a side dish alongside hot idli dosa, neer dosa and medu vada - a staple in South Indian homes.

You can also find coconut chutney and tomato onion chutney served with South Indian food.

Why you should make this recipe:

Naturally vegan and gluten-free

No-cook chutney recipe

Easy Indian onion chutney recipe

Can be ready within 5 minutes

Recreate Indian restaurant flavours at home

Indian onion chutney in a bowl with a spoon

Ingredients for Indian Onion Chutney/Spicy Onions:

Full ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Onion - this is the main ingredient and you can use either white onions or red onions for this recipe. Dice the onion as finely as possible.

If you find raw onions too strong, you can soak the diced onions in cold water for around 15-20 mins.

Alternatively, pearl onions have a sweeter and more mellow flavour but are probably more difficult to get hold of.

For the red sauce:

Tomato ketchup - and/or you can use tomato paste to give a more vibrant red colour

Red chili powder - you can alternatively use paprika. Add this according to your spice preference.

Cumin seeds - you can either use cumin seeds or cumin powder. If you have the time, you can optionally lightly toast cumin seeds in a pan on medium heat for 1 minute to extract the flavour better.

Lemon juice - use either bottled or fresh lemon or lime juice to provide a slight tart flavor

Salt - a pinch to taste

Variations

You can add a pinch of sugar to the red tomato sauce mixture which will mellow down some of the tartness from the tomatoes

Why not mix in a little mango chutney in with the ketchup to make an Indian onion dip for your poppadoms.

Add a tiny pinch of Madras curry powder.

How to make:

Full printable recipe in recipe card below.

Follow the step by step pictures for Indian onion chutney that is ready in 5 minutes!

Dice your onions finely - use a sharp knife for this step.

Raw diced white onion in a small blue plate

The next step is optional. If you are pressed for time, you can leave out this step.

Place the raw onions in a bowl of cold water with ice- this reduces the pungency of the onions whilst keeping them crunchy.

Meanwhile, mix tomato puree/tomato ketchup, chilli powder and cumin powder together in a bowl. Add lemon juice.

cumin seeds, red chilli powder, cumin powder and tomato ketchup in a blue bowl

tomato ketchup mixed with spices in a small plate to make Indian onion chutney

Drain the onions after 15 mins and ensure you pat dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove the excess moisture.

Mix the onions in the tomato mixture and add salt to taste. Note that ketchup is usually salty so you may not need to add it.

raw onion added to the tomato ketchup mixture to make cold onion chutney

You can now keep this cold onion chutney in the fridge until serving time.

I like to serve the dip at room temperature but many like to serve it chilled. Do whatever you fancy!

raw onion chutney or indian onion chutney in a small bowl

Serving Suggestions

Serve Indian Onion Chutney the original way with mango chutney and indian yogurt mint sauce alongside a basket of poppadoms. Why not add a side of cucumber raita?

You can also enjoy this cold onion chutney in different ways with pakora , samosas and other Indian finger foods.

I like Indian style spicy onions with my curries too! A feast with Peshwari Naan, Punjabi Matar Paneer , Indian Vegetable Curry and delicious onion chutney cannot be missed!

How about Restaurant style Brinjal Bhaji and Chana Saag along with Tarka Dal - it's healthy and delicious!

I find that this Indian onion relish is best served fresh so I prefer to make a small batch every time I want to serve it.

Storage

You can store leftover chutney in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I would consume the chutney by the next day as the flavours get quite strong and the onion becomes quite pungent as it sits.

If you have leftovers that you do not want to eat, you can add it into your curry when preparing the onion/garlic base.

FAQs

What is the onion chutney at Indian restaurants?

Onion chutney served at Indian restaurants is made from finely chopped onions, tomato ketchup, red chilli powder, cumin and lemon juice. It is served with poppadoms and Indian starters.

How long do spiced onions keep in the fridge?

Spiced onions keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Indian Raw onion chutney for poppadom in a bowl served with a spoon

Other Chutney Recipes

Garlic Chutney - Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney

Date Tamarind Chutney - Imli chutney

Mint and Coriander Chutney

Red Garlic Chutney for Chaat

Apple Saffron Chutney

Carrot Tomato Cardamom Chutney

Apricot Thyme Chutney

Red Pepper & Chilli Chutney

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