
It’s a happy fact of summer that blueberry season collides in with the beginning of our regular outdoor grilling season resulting in an explosion of fun ways to use up our blueberry crop. One of my favorites is a spicy blueberry chutney slathered on black bean burgers. There is something about the sticky, tangy chutney and the savory burger all sandwiched between a soft/crispy warmed bun that sings “summer”! So, if you’re looking for a savory chutney recipe to slather on everything this summer’s this is it!
Chutney pretty much just means “spicy sauce” and it comes in as many flavors as there are chutney chefs. Originating in India, chutney is made from fruits and vegetables and preserved with vinegar, sugar, and spices. It is a wonderful way to balance or highlight flavors in a dish. Many Americans typically think of mango when they think of chutney, but one of my all time favorites is green bean chutney which I first discovered when my son brought back a jar from a farm in Scotland. That opened my eyes to the realization that I could make a fabulous chutney from just about anything my garden produced. Think tomato, onion, zucchini, carrot or rhubarb, just to name a few. And of course, blueberry chutney! The sweetness of the blueberries in this savory chutney recipe tastes like summer!
Growing your own blueberries is a fun addition to any garden. There are many varieties that have subtly different flavors, colors and sizes. There are even some varieties that do well in a pot on a deck, so urban gardeners, don’t feel left out, you too can grow blueberries! When you pick out a variety, you want to be aware of the space you’ll be planting your blueberries since some varieties can get up to 9 ft tall! Another thing to keep in mind is that harvest times vary from one variety to the next. Having a couple different varieties in your edible garden will allow you to have blueberries all summer long and even into early fall! In the Pacific Northwest Duke and Spartan are very popular blueberry varieties for growing in home gardens.
Now go grab a bucket, pick those blueberries you’ve been meaning to get to and fire up the grill!
I make my chutney in a Instant Pot, but you can easily do this on the stove top as well.
Growing Zones
Blueberries: 3-10 (depending on variety)
Learn more about your growing zone here.
Hand-Drawn Printable Recipe – Savory Blueberry Chutney Recipe


Savory Blueberry Chutney Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
This delectable sweet, savory and spicy blueberry chutney recipe utilizes blueberries fresh from the garden. It’s so good you’ll want to spread it on anything and everything.
Ingredients
¼ C broth or 1 tbsp oil for sauteing
5 Cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 onion chopped
1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vinegar (I like to use …)
1 T grated ginger
¾ C brown sugar – packed (you can substitute 1 cup of honey or maple syrup)
¾ C golden raisins
1 tsp ground mustard
Salt to taste
½ tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom pods
¼ tsp clove
½ tsp ground cumin seed
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes1 lemon – zest and juice
Instructions
Heat the broth or oil in the pot on the “sauté” setting.
Sauté the spices until they are brown and toasted: cardamom pods, cumin seed, red pepper flakes
Add your aromatics: ginger, garlic, onion
Add the fruit: blueberries, raisins
Add the ground spices: mustard, cinnamon, clove, turmeric, black pepper, salt
Stir to combine and continue to sauté for 2 minutes
Add the liquids: vinegar, lemon juice
Hit the cancel button to stop the sauté function and put on the lid and seal.
Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
Once finished, manually release the pressure.
Stir the chutney, then add the sweetener: brown sugar (or honey/syrup)
Add the zest and adjust seasoning as needed: lemon zest (more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes if desired)
Turn the sauté function back on and cook for 2 more minutes.
Let cool completely. Your chutney is ready to spread on anything and everything!
Notes
I like to transfer what I don’t plan to use right away to freezer containers in ½ pint increments.
- Category: Sauce
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