Mint Yogurt Chutney – Indian Mint Sauce
Mint yogurt chutney or Indian mint sauce is an easy recipe that goes well with so many dishes and Indian appetizers and Indian snacks. Use it with baked samosas, Tandoori Paneer Tacos, Paneer Tikka, as salad dressing, and more, you’ll find this to be a perfect accompaniment.
Yogurt chutneys like Jalapeno Chutney offer a creamy and cooling complement to the heat often found in Indian cooking.
Note: This dahi chutney recipe is different from Mint Raita, a popular yogurt mint dip.
The “samosa green sauce” that comes with samosas and Indian food is green chutney which is either Cilantro Chutney or Cilantro Mint Chutney. Fresh mint, cilantro, green chilies, a squeeze of lemon, and a few common spices blended make this chutney.
I see chutney referred to as dipping sauce often. I think this is because most people see them as sauces served alongside samosas at an Indian restaurant. But, chutneys are also used to add depth of flavor and elevate many Indian dishes and is a staple of Indian cuisine. They’re essential to many, especially chaats like Samosa Chaat.
They range in flavor from sweet, tangy, spicy, and even creamy like Yogurt Chutney.
In the mint chutney recipe or pudina chutney you use roasted gram dal, peanuts or coconut can be used as a thickening agent.
In this yogurt chutney, Greek yogurt adds creaminess and thickness.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No cook: Ready in five minutes with minimal prep needed
- Versatile chutney – can be made thinner as a sauce as well
- Vegetarian, gluten-free with a vegan option
Dahi Chutney Ingredient Notes
Yogurt – Greek yogurt (plain yogurt) is used to bring cooling properties, tang, and a bit of creaminess. Sour cream or mayonnaise can also be used depending on what you will be using this for. Whole milk yogurt is also an option but may make this more of a sauce consistency vs. a chutney.
Mint – fresh mint leaves only are used. Make sure to use a packed cup mint leaves. Pack by pressing down leaves in a measuring cup.
Fresh Cilantro – Used commonly in green Indian chutneys. Adds a freshness of flavor. Chop off the bottoms and wash. I always use fresh coriander leaves and tender stalks as they have flavor and blend easily.
Green chili – Adjust the amount according to your preference for heat and also the spiciness of the chili itself! Start with one and work up by half a green chili at a time. I have found using too many at once can be overpowering.
Note: can substitute black pepper if you don’t have green chilies on hand
Garlic: one garlic clove is used. Just peel and it is ready to go.
Spices – sugar, salt, and roasted cumin powder are all that is needed. If you don’t have roasted cumin powder, you can substitute it with regular cumin powder. Feel free to substitute brown sugar for white sugar.
Lemon juice – I used fresh squeezed. Feel free to substitute with lime if that is what you have on hand. We are just looking for a little tang and preservative.
Variations
Yogurt – Thick yogurt like Greek yogurt makes the consistency more like a chutney. If all you have is whole milk yogurt you can reduce the amount of yogurt for a thicker chutney.
Ginger – Optionally add in ½ inch fresh ginger for an added spicy kick.
Garlic – Optionally add in more garlic! I use one clove so it does not overpower the mint.
Change texture and concentrate flavor by reducing yogurt by half or omitting it. Then you will get a fresh jalapeno relish.
Making Mint Yogurt Chutney (Dahi Ki Chatni)
Add all ingredients including half the yogurt to a blender jar. Blend into a smooth paste. Add remaining yogurt and blend again.
Use a food processor if you have a small one on hand. It’ll help get a smooth consistency.
The reason for putting the yogurt in parts is that the mixture blends better into finer pieces with a little less moisture at the start.
Do a taste test to adjust for your preferences before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This spicy chutney goes well with a wide range of dishes and finger foods:
Chaats: bhel puri, sev puri, Samosa Chaat
Samosas: Baked Pinwheel Samosa, Samosadillas, or Jalapeno Cheddar Samosa
Pav Bhaji Nachos
Veg Cutlet
Storing chutney
Store leftover chutney in either a Ziplock bag or an airtight container.
Make extra and freeze it! You can freeze in:
- freezer safe container
- Freezer-safe bag
- Ice cube trays – this makes it easy to pop out cubes as you need them. You will have smaller serving sizes ready to go when you get a samosa craving!
Hope you enjoy this green yogurt chutney. It has the heat of jalapeno but is balanced with the coolness of yogurt. It works across Indian dishes and other global cuisines.
I’m always adding new chutneys, so subscribe or follow me on Instagram to get a new recipe.
Easy Mint Yogurt Chutney – Indian Mint Sauce
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or whole milk yogurt 140g, Greek yogurt yields a thicker chutney. Can be adjusted to preferred consistency by adding 1 tbsp of water at a time until you reach desired state.
- ½ cup cilantro packed, 12g
- 1 cup mint leaves packed, 20g
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 green chili 4g, top cut off
- 1 big clove garlic 5g
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients and ½ of the yogurt to a jar and blend.
- Add remaining yogurt and blend again. Taste and adjust for salt preferences. If you'd like a thinner consistency add 1 tbsp of water at a time to get desired state.