Peach Chutney in Instant Pot (No pectin)

Sweet juicy peaches cooked with fresh ginger and seasoned with a hint of roasted cumin and cayenne, this Peach Chutney is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Enjoy this versatile condiment year round with this easy Instant Pot or Stovetop recipe. No pectin used!

What is Chutney?

Chutney is a sweet and savory condiment, typically made with fruits, by cooking them with vinegar, spices, sugar and salt.

Its origin can be traced back to India. Chutneys made with fruits or vegetables evolved with the Anglo-Indian cuisine in India, where the main aim was to preserve the seasonal fruit or vegetable for year round consumption.

As a deviation from the Indian pickle, in which oil and spices are used as flavoring and preserving agents, chutneys use vinegar, spices and sugar for pickling purposes as well as for prolonging the shelf life of the product.

Peaches are my all-time favorite fruit. I can have them in anyway, fresh, as jam, canned in light syrup, in a salad, on a cheese platter, and of course, as a chutney. Chutneys and Jams are a nice way to enjoy the taste of your favorite fruit for the year round.

I am very grateful for the generous Peach Tree in my backyard. Every year, we get a huge harvest of sweet juicy peaches, and even after sharing with our neighbors, colleagues, friends, and even strangers, we still have tons left:-)

So, I wash, dry and pit the excess, slice them and freeze some for later use. The peaches you see in this recipe, came out of my freezer (that's why they look a little brown and liquidy :-).

Multiple Ways to Enjoy Peach Chutney

I enjoy Peach Chutney in a variety of ways, including appetizers, entrees, spreads and even salad dressings. Here are some of our favorite ways:

It makes for a great addition to a cheese platter. Pair it with Goat cheese or a creamy Brie, along with crackers and nuts. The sweet and spicy chutney tastes so good with the creamy goat cheese.

This chutney goes really well with grilled Pork Chops or a Grilled Chicken breast, with some spicy arugula on the side too. I lightly season the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper, then grill it using the oven broiler or air fryer. Then, I top it with a tablespoon of this Peach chutney, and it tastes phenomenal.

Salad dressings get a new life with a dollop of this chutney. I combine a couple of tablespoons of this chutney with half the quantity of balsamic vinegar, some olive oil, salt and pepper and shake. This Peach dressing goes really well with arugula and goat cheese.

Another popular one in my home! I smear some of this chutney on bread in a grilled chicken sandwich, it's quite a hit with my kids!

Cooking Time Variation

You can make this on the stove-top cook pot or in the pressure cooker, both methods take about the same time. The cooking time really depends on two factors:

• How juicy and sweet your peaches are
• How big a batch are you making

If the peaches too juicy, you have to dry all that liquid. If they're not as sweet, you'll add more sugar, which will release more liquid, thereby increasing the simmering time.

For 4 cups of fruit, it takes me about 15-20 minutes of simmering time, depending on how juicy and sweet the fruit is. This time can be longer if using frozen peaches since those release more liquid on cooking.

Instant Pot Recipe for Peach Chutney

In the recipe below, I have cooked this chutney in my electrical pressure cooker, Instant Pot.

Even though it takes about the same time as on the stove, I don't have to stand by the stove watching and stirring this chutney for most of that time, which makes this my preferred way of making it.

Here are the step by step instructions on how to make Peach Chutney in your pressure cooker. This recipe should work with most comparable electric pressure cookers like Mealthy.

Step 1: Pressure Cook (Picture 1)

• Turn ON the Instant Pot. Use the biggest size you have, since the wider the surface area, the shorter your SAUTE time will be.
• Add peaches, sugar, ginger, salt, spices and vinegar. Mash the fruit to your liking using a Potato Masher or a Hand Blender. This will release some liquid (for fresh peaches), which will be needed to build pressure.
• Close the lid. Set Pressure Cook for 1 minute. Once cook time is done let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes.
• After that, manually release the remaining pressure by turning pressure valve to 'venting' position in Duo, or pushing down on pressure valve in Ultra models.

Step 2: Simmer and Thicken (Picture 2)

• Open the lid after the pin drops. Turn on SAUTE (High) and simmer the chutney. Keep stirring every 5 minutes or so. The chutney is done when it reduces down to a jam-like consistency.
• Towards the end, the fruit splashes as it boils, so using a Splatter Screen comes in handy.  Use a Wooden Spoon or a Silicone Spatula with a long handle as it protect your hands from the splashes when you're stirring.
• When the chutney is thick enough, turn off the Instant Pot. The chutney will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Cool before transferring to a glass jar. You can follow the canning procedures if you like. This chutney stays good in the refrigerator for a few weeks and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Stove-top Recipe for Peach Chutney

Prep: Wash and dry peaches, pit them and chop them into 1 inch pieces. Toss the fresh peaches with juice of ½ a lemon to avoid browning.  If using frozen peaches, thaw them and cut into pieces. Removing the skin is an optional step. I leave them on and the skin dissolves in the chutney. 

Cook: Heat a wide stock pot or pasta pot on medium high heat. Add the chopped peaches, grated ginger, roasted cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and apple cider vinegar. Toss well to combine the spices with the peaches.

Simmer: When the fruit comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium and keep stirring every 5 minutes or so. Cook until the peaches have broken down. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash some of the peaches. This helps thicken the jam naturally.

Thicken: The chutney is done when it has reduced down to a jam-like consistency. Turn off the heat once the peach chutney has reached a desirable consistency. This chutney will continue to thicken as it cools down.

Store: Let it cool completely before storing it in jars. This peach chutney stays good in the refrigerator got for couple of weeks, or up to 3 months in the freezer. You can also can it using standard canning procedures.

Tips for Making Peach Chutney

• If using frozen peaches in this recipe, thaw them in the refrigerator gradually.  Skip the step of tossing them with lemon juice.
• When picking a pan or Instant Pot for this recipe, use the biggest size you have, since the wider the surface area, the shorter your SAUTE (simmer) time will be.
• Since peaches are rich in natural pectin, this chutney thickens well without using any additional pectin.
• Towards the end, the fruit splashes as it boils, so using a Splatter Screen comes in handy.  Use a Wooden Spoon or a Silicone Spatula with a long handle- it protect your hands from the splashes when you're stirring.
• This chutney continues to thicken as it cools so keep that in mind when checking for consistency.  
• Cool completely before transferring to a glass jar. You can follow standard canning procedures if you like to can this chutney. This chutney stays good in the refrigerator for a few weeks and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

More Jam and Chutney Recipes on the Blog

• Cranberry Sauce: Sweet, tart and extremely delicious, this ruby red Cranberry sauce is a jam-like relish made by cooking down cranberries with sugar. 
• Strawberry Jam: This 3-ingredient Strawberry Jam recipe sings all things springtime. All you need is fresh strawberries, sugar and lemon juice (no pectin!)
• Plum Jam Recipe: This 2-ingredient Plum Jam recipe is like capturing the fresh flavors of summer in a jar and all you need is plums and sugar!

📖 Recipe

This recipe was originally posted in 2017, but was updated in 2019 with new photos, helpful information, tips, and step-by-step photos.