This Authentic Indian Mint Sauce is the same that you find in Indian restaurants served with your starter and poppadum. Easy Yogurt Mint Sauce is made with simple ingredients like yogurt, fresh mint and green chilies and is ready within 5 minutes .
- Why you will love this recipe:
- Ingredients for Yogurt Mint Sauce
- Tips:
- Serving Suggestion for Indian Mint Sauce
- Storage
- FAQ
- Other Restaurant Style Indian Recipes
Hands down, my favourite part of visiting Indian restaurants is because of the Indian appetizers and trio of poppadom chutneys.
By the time I’ve devoured poppadoms and Indian snacks with Indian onion chutney or mango chutney, date and tamarind chutney and yogurt mint sauce I’m usually full! Does this happen to anyone else?
This version is a duplicate of the cool, minty slightly sweet yogurt that you often find with Indian meals. Indian food such as onion bhaji, air fryer onion bhaji , tandoori snacks like paneer tikka or tandoori paneer galette goes great with this dip.
It has similarities to the green chutney (hari chutney) served with chaat. This cilantro mint chutney, or pudina chutney is made without yogurt.
You may recognise many of these ingredients from a mint raita recipe, however, mint raita usually contains cucumber too so is also known as cucumber raita .
Why you will love this recipe:
Tastes just like Indian restaurant / takeaway
Takes just 5 minutes to prepare and is a no-cook recipe.
Uses easy to find ingredients – all available from a quick trip to your supermarket.
Can be made ahead of time – the green sauce retains its vibrant colour thanks to the lemon juice and yogurt.
Ingredients for Yogurt Mint Sauce
Full ingredients with measurements and method can be found in the recipe card below
Plain yogurt – for the best taste use full fat yogurt. You can make this with low fat yogurt, however the sauce will be tart.
Use a thick yogurt such as greek yogurt where possible. If it is not available, prepare hung curd that is used in Shrikhand recipes.
Fresh mint leaves – for refreshing and cool sauce fresh mint leaves are a must. Try to avoid dried mint as you will not get the same effect.
Fresh coriander leaves / cilantro – use fresh cilantro leaves with bright green leaves for the best results. Wilted leaves that are starting to darken will spoil the recipe.
Green chillies – a staple in Indian cuisine, you can adjust the heat level to your own taste. Add an extra green chilli for a spicy chutney. If green chilli not available, use jalapeno peppers.
Spices – a big pinch of ground cumin powder and garam masala works wonders in this Indian mint dip.
Optionally, you can add a small pinch of chaat masala but I find the flavours are zingy without it! Note, if you do not have cumin powder but cumin seeds, you can blend them along with the fresh herbs.
Sugar – a tsp caster sugar or regular sugar in this sauce makes a huge diffrence, especially if you want it to taste Indian restaurant style.
Lemon juice – alternatively use lime juice.
If its your personal preference, you can add a small garlic clove to give the Indian mint sauce a kick of flavour
Vegan Indian Mint Sauce
To make this recipe vegan or dairy-free, simply replace the dairy yogurt with a plant-based vegan yogurt.
Easy Indian Mint Sauce
The quickest way to make this recipe is to use British mint sauce from a jar. Simply stir a spoon of mint sauce into 1 cup of yogurt and season to your taste!
This easy recipe can be ready in less than a minute ready to serve alongside other Indian snacks. The vinegar used in jarred mint sauce will provide a little tang which is addictive!
You can also use any leftover Mint and Coriander chutney that you made earlier and swirl it through yogurt.
Indian Mint Sauce Recipe
First, you need to prepare an easy mint chutney that will be mixed in with the yogurt. You’re looking to get a smooth paste which will blend in nicely.
Tip the coriander and mint leaves with the green chillies, and lemon juice into a food processor and blend until you have a smooth consistency.
Mix this cilantro chutney with yogurt and cumin powder, season with salt and add sugar to your taste. You may want to add more lemon juice.
It is easy to do a quick taste test and decide on any changes to the seasoning!
Tips:
For mint chutney recipe use the freshest ingredients where possible, especially fresh herbs – wilting mint and coriander leaves will ruin the flavour
Do not add yogurt to the blender whilst blending coriander and mint. The yogurt will become far too runny
Use thick yogurt for a thick sauce as the green paste will thin out the yogurt.
Serving Suggestion for Indian Mint Sauce
Serve it British Indian Restaurant style with a trio of chutneys and a bowl of Indian kachumber or Indian Onion Salad on the side.
Use it as a green chutney for paneer tikka or drizzled over chaat such as bhel puri or sev puri
Why not try it as a salad dressing in buddha bowls or other healthy recipes
It makes for a delicious dipping sauce for finger foods such as masala chips , samosas and kachori .
Keep some spicy condiments, like this red chutney , in a separate bowl so your guests can choose whichever they like!
I like to spread this Yogurt Mint Sauce onto a naan bread . I then top with falafel and salad for a delicious lunch!
Check out these other Samosa Dipping Sauces for more inspiration!
Storage
Store leftover chutney in the fridge in an airtight container. It should keep well for 2-3 days. If it separates, give it a stir before serving.
You can also freeze this yogurt chutney. Spoon into an ice cube tray, once frozen, you can transfer into freezer bags and defrost as you need – note that it might be a bit more liquid when it defrosts.
It is also known as Yogurt Mint Sauce
Indian mint sauce will last up to 3 days in the fridge
Indian Mint Sauce is made from thick yogurt, fresh coriander, mint, green chillies, lemon juice and sugar.
Yes, Indian mint sauce is naturally gluten free.
No Indian mint sauce is not vegan as it is made with dairy yogurt. However, you can make Vegan Indian mint sauce at home using a plant based yogurt.
Simply add a pinch of turmeric powder to the yogurt and mix with green mint chutney.
Other Restaurant Style Indian Recipes
Sweet Tamarind Chutney
Masala Poppadums
Paneer Jalfrezi
Saag Aloo
Pilau Rice
Dal Fry
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Indian Mint Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup yogurt use thick yogurt like full fat greek yogurt
- ⅛ cup mint leaves
- ⅛ cup coriander cilantro leaves
- 1 medium green chili mild or hot work fine
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon water chilled or 1 ice cube
Instructions
- First clean and remove thick stalks of coriander, mint and chili. Tender stalks are fine to use 1/8 cup mint, 1/8 cup coriander
- Wash coriander, mint and chili under running water. 1 medium green chili
- Break chili into 2-3 pieces.
- Place mint, coriander, chili, salt, water or ice cube and lemon juice in a blender jar. 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt, 2 tablespoon water
- Blend until smooth paste. This is your hari chutney (cilantro chutney).
- Then add yogurt, cumin, garam masala (if using) and sugar into the the chutney, and mix well. 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- Transfer in to the serving bowl, whisk and combine well.
- Cover it with cling film and chill in the refridgerator until you are ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Indian Mint Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup yogurt use thick yogurt like full fat greek yogurt
- ⅛ cup mint leaves
- ⅛ cup coriander cilantro leaves
- 1 medium green chili mild or hot work fine
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon water chilled or 1 ice cube
Instructions
- First clean and remove thick stalks of coriander, mint and chili. Tender stalks are fine to use 1/8 cup mint, 1/8 cup coriander
- Wash coriander, mint and chili under running water. 1 medium green chili
- Break chili into 2-3 pieces.
- Place mint, coriander, chili, salt, water or ice cube and lemon juice in a blender jar. 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt, 2 tablespoon water
- Blend until smooth paste. This is your hari chutney (cilantro chutney).
- Then add yogurt, cumin, garam masala (if using) and sugar into the the chutney, and mix well. 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- Transfer in to the serving bowl, whisk and combine well.
- Cover it with cling film and chill in the refridgerator until you are ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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.
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:
Naturall y 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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Spiced onions keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Indian Onion Chutney (for poppadoms)
Equipment
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 big onion diced
- 4 tablespoon tomato ketchup add more or less
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- First peel the onion and dice it finely. 1 big onion
- If you have time soak diced onion in a bowl of cold water with ice.
- Meanwhile, mix tomato puree/tomato ketchup, chilli powder and cumin powder together in a bowl. Add lemon juice. 4 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 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. salt
- You can now keep this cold onion chutney in the fridge until serving time.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
