Tamarind date chutney is a must-have for chaat nights, quick snacks, healthy wraps or even drizzle bowls. It comes together in minutes and stores well, making it perfect for meal prep. Use it as a dip, drizzle, or dressing. This Indian tamarind chutney’s sweet-tangy flavor pairs beautifully with roasted veggies, grilled proteins, or any of your favorite appetizers. One batch will elevate your meals all week long.
Top reasons to make this Indian tamarind chutney
- Wholesome & unprocessed: Made with real tamarind and dates—no ultra-processed ingredients.
- Naturally low in calories: Most of the sweetness comes from dates, keeping the chutney flavorful without added fats.
- Versatile: Works as an Indian tamarind chutney for chaats, a dip, drizzle, or sauce for grilled proteins, bowls, and healthy snacks.
- A quick tamarind chutney: 2 simple steps, everyday ingredients, and minimal cooking time.
- Balanced flavor: Sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy, making it a perfect accompaniment for multiple dishes.
- Meal-prep friendly: Stays fresh for days and freezes beautifully.
This is how you make the chutney:
Ingredients and substitutions
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page. Here are step-by-step instructions with pictures to help you easily understand the recipe.)
- Tamarind: I’ve used Indian seedless dry tamarind here. If you can’t find it, you can replace it with half the quantity of tamarind paste.
- Dates: Any type of dates is fine, so long as it is juicy.
- Jaggery: I’ve used a little bit of jaggery for the sticky consistency and flavor. You can replace it with palm sugar or brown sugar. It will still taste good, though the flavor and texture may not be the same.
- Spices:
- Chaat masala: This spice mix has complex flavors and is a must-have condiment if you love Indian chaats.
- Dry ginger powder: You can substitute with fresh grated ginger.
- Asafoetida: a pungent gum resin, also known as hing. It has an onion- and garlic-like flavor when cooked. You can leave it out if you can’t find it.
- Salt: I’ve used pink salt for the flavor. You can substitute with regular salt.
How to make tamarind and dates chutney
This easy chutney recipe is similar to my 5-ingredient green mango chutney. It requires just 2 steps: boiling and blending.
Rinse tamarind and dates. Remove the seeds from dates, if you’re using whole dates. Ensure that the tamarind is free of seeds and impurities.
Take tamarind, dates, jaggery and water in a pan.
Bring it to a boil. Add the spices: chaat masala, cumin, cayenne, ginger powder, hing and salt.
Reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Let the mixture cool down. Blend it using a high speed blender or a food processor until smooth.
Done! Your tamarind dates chutney is ready to be used.
It keeps well in the fridge for a month or in the freezer for at least a couple of months. You can use it in multiple recipes (list given below).
What to pair with date and tamarind chutney
Almost all chaat items (Indian street food) and snacks use this quick tamarind chutney as a dipping sauce. Some examples:
You can also drizzle it on salads and wraps like:
This date and tamarind chutney is perfect as part of an Indian-inspired holiday dinner menu.
More chutney recipes
Tamarind Date Chutney Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tamarind
- ½ cup dates (12-15)
- 2 tablespoons jaggery
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Indian chili powder)
- ¼ teaspoon pink salt (or regular salt)
- a pinch of asafetida (also called hing, optional)
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
- Rinse ¼ cup tamarind and ½ cup dates. Remove the seeds from dates, if you're using whole dates.
- Ensure that the tamarind is free of seeds and impurities.
- Place tamarind, dates,2 tablespoons jaggery and 1 cup water in a pan. Bring it to a boil.
- Add the spices: ½ teaspoon chaat masala, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon pink salt and a pinch of asafetida
- Reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool down. Blend using a high speed blender or a food processor until smooth.
- When you're ready to serve the tamarind chutney, dilute with water and add salt to taste, if required.
Notes
- Tamarind: I’ve used Indian seedless dry tamarind here. If you can’t find it, you can replace it with half the quantity of tamarind paste.
- Dates: Any type of dates is fine, so long as it is juicy.
- Jaggery: I’ve used a little bit of jaggery for the sticky consistency and flavor. You can replace it with palm sugar or brown sugar. It will still taste good, though the flavor and texture may not be the same.
- Spices:
- Chaat masala: This spice mix has complex flavors and is a must-have condiment if you love Indian chaats.
- Dry ginger powder: You can substitute with fresh grated ginger.
- Asafoetida: a pungent gum resin, also known as hing. It has an onion- and garlic-like flavor when cooked. You can leave it out if you can’t find it.
- Salt: I’ve used pink salt for the flavor. You can substitute with regular salt.
- Meal prep: Store in a dry, airtight container. It keeps well in the fridge for a month or in the freezer for at least a couple of months.
- Consistency: This chutney recipe is a concentrate and will be thick in consistency. When you’re ready to serve, add water as required, with more salt to taste. Use warm water for ease of mixing.
- Recommended proportion: ½ cup water for 1 cup of concentrate.
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