This Indian Green Sauce is a quick cilantro mint chutney that adds fresh flavor to everyday meals. Cilantro and mint form the base, while ginger, green chilies, roasted cumin, and black salt add heat and a savory finish.
I keep sauces like this ready when weekday meals need a fresh finish without extra cooking. You can spoon it over salads, spread it inside wraps, or serve it with roasted vegetables and snacks.
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Fresh Herbs and Two Salts Create a Savory Balance
Fresh cilantro forms the main body of this sauce, while mint gives it a gentle cooling flavor. Ginger and green chilies add warmth. Roasted cumin adds an earthy note, and lemon keeps the finish lively.
The combination of black salt and regular salt gives the chutney a fuller savory flavor without adding a long spice list.
This sauce makes a reliable busy-weekday meal easier because one batch can dress a salad, fill a wrap, or finish roasted tofu without another cooked side. You can also stir a spoonful into Indian raita or yogurt to make a quick cilantro mint raita.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
How to Make Mint Green Chutney
Step 1: Add the cilantro, mint, ginger, green chilies, roasted cumin powder, black salt, regular salt, and lemon juice to a blender jar.
Step 2: Blend the sauce until it reaches a thick, spoonable consistency, adding cold water only as needed.
Serving Tips
This Indian green chutney works with breakfast dishes, snacks, salads, and light everyday meals.
- With dosa or idli: Serve a spoonful alongside dosa or idli for a fresh and tangy breakfast chutney.
- As a dip: Pair it with tandoori tofu tikka skewers or roasted paneer for a simple appetizer plate.
- In wraps and sandwiches: Spread it inside a chapati wrap, vegetable sandwich, or Indian bean toast.
- With salads: Spoon it over chickpea cucumber salad or grilled corn salad for extra herb flavor.
- With rice bowls: Add a spoonful to a rice and vegetable bowl for extra freshness and spice.
- With roasted vegetables: Spoon it over Indian-spiced roasted vegetables or roasted cauliflower florets for a fresh herbal finish.
- For meal prep: Refrigerate the chutney in a clean, airtight container. Freeze it in small portions when you want to store it for longer.
Recipe
Indian Green Sauce - Cilantro Mint Chutney
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cilantro leaves tightly packed, I use tender stems as well.
- 1 cup mint leaves tightly packed
- 1 tablespoon ginger peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 green chilies roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black salt
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more only if needed
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water Use cold water and use more as needed for blending
Instructions
- Rinse the cilantro and mint thoroughly. Drain them well to remove excess water.
- Add the cilantro, mint, ginger, green chilies, roasted cumin powder, black salt, regular salt, and lemon juice to a blender.2 cups cilantro leaves, 1 cup mint leaves , 1 tbsp ginger, 2 green chilies, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon black salt, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- Add 2 tablespoons of cold water.2 tablespoons water
- Blend everything until smooth. Stop and scrape down the blender jar as needed.
- Add more cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, only when the blender needs help. Use no more than 4 tablespoons in total.
- Taste the sauce. Add more regular salt only if needed.
- Serve immediately as a dip or condiment, or refrigerate it in a covered container.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- Drain the washed herbs well. Extra rinse water can make the chutney too thin.
- Use cilantro tender stems along with the leaves. They add flavor and blend smoothly.
- Start with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Add more only when the blender needs it.
- Scrape the blender jar between pulses. This step helps the herbs blend evenly.
- Blend in short intervals. This method gives the herbs time to move toward the blades.
- Instead of Indian green chili, you can use jalapenos for a gentler heat.
- Taste the chutney only after it becomes smooth. The salt and lemon distribute more evenly after blending.
- Keep the sauce thick when you plan to use it as a dip or sandwich spread.
- Keep the prepared sauce chilled in a clean, airtight container and use it promptly.
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Nutrition
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For another cilantro-based sauce, try my Indian Cilantro Sesame Chutney or avocado cilantro sauce. Both recipes use fresh cilantro, but the sesame chutney has a nutty South Indian flavor, while the avocado sauce is mild and creamy.
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