Quick & very easy pear chutney

This simple and delicious chutney is a terrific complement for all manner of savoury dishes: quiche, cold meats, cheese……

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I particularly like to use this chutney as a topping for savoury cheesecakes: the sweet tang of the chutney is a great foil for the rich lusciousness of the cheesecake.

Used on a savoury Gorgonzola, pear & walnut cheesecake

About this recipe

I have been making this chutney for almost thirty years and I love it for its great flavour and utter simplicity. Cut the pears into small pieces (or roughly pulse them in a food processor to break them up): that way they will cook more quickly.

I sometimes use a 50-50 mixture of balsamic vinegar and cider vinegar, but you can use different vinegar such as white wine vinegar. I occasionally add one or more of the following:

  • a few sultanas
  • a generous grating of fresh ginger
  • a pinch of saffron
  • finely chopped chilli

But other than that I like to keep the flavours simple so that the pears shine.

Unlike many chutneys, this one doesn’t need to mature and can be used immediately.

Recipe: quick pear chutney – makes one large jar

Quick and easy pear chutney
  • 3 large pears, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 160ml cider vinegar
  • 60g soft brown sugar
  • a few gratings of nutmeg
  • a generous pinch of sea salt

(1) Add the ingredients to a medium pan – ideally with a wide top which helps the evaporation later – and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring from time to time to dissolve the sugar.

(2) Simmer gently (with the heat no more than medium) without the lid for about 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. You can keep cooking for longer if needed: you just need to ensure there is not too much liquid left and the liquid left is like a light syrup that coats the pears.

(3) Spoon the chutney into a hot sterilised jar and put the lid on. The chutney can be used once it has cooled, but it will also store well.

Quick and easy pear chutney
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Author: Philip

Finalist on Britain’s Best Home Cook (BBC Television 2018). Published recipe writer with a love of growing fruit & veg, cooking, teaching and eating good food.

48 thoughts on “Quick & very easy pear chutney”

  6. Laden pear tree in 2022, best crop ever in 37 years, so what better than to use some of the surplus in making your quick and easy chutney, as I did two years ago. Given dozens away, so hope they do the same, such a contrast with last year’s two forlorn pears, ruined by April 2021 frosts!

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      1. Thanks so much for replying. I look forward to this delicious sounding chutney, now that our pears are beginning to appear.

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  12. We live in Malta, and decent chutney is surprisingly hard to find here. I had a few pears that were getting a bit ripe, and yours was the first recipe that came up when I searched. I’m so glad I didn’t look any further, this is such an easy and delicious chutney. My husband demolished it in two days.

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  16. hi phil

    i am in India and came across this recipe. I had some red himalayan pears and plums that were sour even when ripe, so searched for a recipe online.

    a few comments: my pears were so sour that I needed double the amount of jaggery ( aka pre sugar phase) in the recipe.

    i had only organic apple cider vinegar at home, is that ok?

    wirh great trepidition I put HOT chutney into the glass jars and closed the lid ( have never doone this before, I always thought the glass would break at the audden temperature difference !

    my chutney does not have seperate chunks like yours even though the plums were firm and unripe. And like others, I had to simmer for much longer than 20 mins. Is that what affected the texture?

    thanks SO much for this recipe. I had so much fun making it!

    and the taste is great !

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    1. I’m so pleased you enjoy it. Organic vinegar is great to use. Sometimes it takes a bit longer to make depending on the ripeness of the pear and the heat level, but if some then break apart, that’s absolutely fine.

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  18. Just making second batch of this delicious chutney, our pear trees are laden this year, it’s so easy to make and is so moorish. Thank you for the recipe, regards Sandra

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  19. just made this (or a mild variation of this) and it’s absolutely fabulous. added a few chilies and a lovely natural warmth comes through the chutney. I love how simple this recipe is, others I’ve looked at have a whole list of ingredients

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  21. I’m in the middle of chemo and needing to distract myself using this years fabulous crop of pears I used your excellent recipe but ,on a whim, added walnuts. Worked well.

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