Description
This easy fig chutney recipe uses fresh or dried figs simmered with brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and cinnamon to create a sweet and tangy condiment perfect for enhancing cheese boards, grilled meats, or sandwiches. With simple ingredients and quick stovetop cooking, it’s a versatile and flavorful addition to your pantry.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 12 ounces figs fresh or dried
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the figs: With a small knife, remove the stem from the figs and slice each fig in half to prepare them for cooking.
- Combine ingredients: Place the figs, brown sugar, water, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a medium-size saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring every few minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble gently.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chutney to thicken.
- Remove cinnamon stick: Take the saucepan off the heat and carefully remove the cinnamon stick from the chutney.
- Blend to desired texture: Let the chutney cool for 10-15 minutes, then transfer it to a food processor or blender. Pulse 2-5 times until achieving your preferred texture, whether chunky or smooth.
- Store the chutney: Place the fig chutney in airtight jars. Let it reach room temperature before refrigerating to preserve freshness and flavor.
Notes
- If fresh figs aren’t available, dried figs can be soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften before cooking.
- Fresh figs might not need processing in a food processor because their skins break down naturally during cooking.
- You can adjust the amount of sweetener depending on the natural sweetness of the fig variety used; taste and modify as needed.
- Granulated sugar can be used instead of brown sugar, but this will slightly change the flavor profile.
- For sugar-free options, consider omitting sweetener or using a golden sugar-free sweetener like monk fruit or allulose. To thicken without sugar, use a thickener such as guar gum.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 80 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
