Serves a Crowd

Gingered Cranberry Fig Chutney

by:
November  3, 2009
4.6
17 Ratings
Photo by Rocky Luten
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • Serves 6-8
Author Notes

I've never been much of a fan of straight-up cranberry sauce, in fact, the jellied kind makes me want to gag. I much prefer a condiment like this, that is more than just cranberries and a lot of sugar. This chutney gets its sweetness not just from sugar, but from raisins, some OJ and dried black mission figs. The cider vinegar and lemon juice lend a sparkling acid note, and the ginger and red pepper flakes bring heat. I finished it with some chopped, toasted hazelnuts to add an earthy crunch, and some freshly minced thyme for a hint of herbal complexity. I love the way it turned out, I'll definitely reserve a spot for it on my Thanksgiving table. —Oui, Chef

Test Kitchen Notes

This chutney is perfect for those looking for something zippy and less sweet than a typical cranberry sauce. It combines the elements of a great chutney (mustard seeds, spices, vinegar, sugar) with other carefully selected ingredients (among them cranberries, dried figs, fresh ginger, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme and toasted hazelnuts); the result is a sophisticated, jewel-toned "cranberry sauce" with just the right ratio of sour to sweet that's just as well-suited to roast pork or beef as it is to Thanksgiving turkey. Be careful not to cook the chutney for too long -- you want it luscious and thick, not sticky. - A&M —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup hazelnuts, skinless, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 8 dried black mission figs, cut into eighths
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely minced
Directions
  1. Add all the ingredients, with the exception of the chopped hazelnuts and fresh thyme, to a heavy bottomed pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to bring the mix to a simmer, and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the chutney thickens some. Remove from the heat, stir in the nuts and fresh thyme and let cool slightly before serving.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Peggy Griswold
    Peggy Griswold
  • SophieL
    SophieL
  • I_Fortuna
    I_Fortuna
  • Jacob K Thomas
    Jacob K Thomas
  • marsiamarsia
    marsiamarsia
I am a father of five, who recently completed a two year professional hiatus during which I indulged my long held passion for cooking by moving to France to study the culinary arts and immerse myself in all things French. I earned “Le Grande Diplome” from Le Cordon Bleu, studied also at The Ritz Escoffier and Lenotre cooking schools, and completed the course offerings of the Bordeaux L’Ecole du Vin. About six months ago started "Oui, Chef", which is a food blog that exists as an extension of my efforts to teach my children a few things about cooking, and how our food choices over time effect not only our own health, but that of our local food communities and our planet at large. By sharing some of our cooking experiences through the blog, I hope to inspire other families to start spending more time together in the kitchen, cooking healthy meals as a family, passing on established familial food traditions, and perhaps starting some new ones.

68 Reviews

Peggy G. December 4, 2022
Yummy!
Adding Pomegranate to this recipe would be fun too.
Can this Chutney be preserved or saved in glass canning jars and how long would it last?
 
jenny P. November 23, 2022
so excited to make this but i am using dried turkish figs...this will be fine, right?
 
Oui, C. November 23, 2022
Yes, Turkish figs will work well. Enjoy! - S
 
SophieL December 13, 2019
Deliciously different - savory, sweet and goes with so many holidays meats, as well as on sandwiches. I subbed grapefruit juice for the orange and lemon juices because my grapefruit tree was laden with fresh fruit, and crystallized ginger for the fresh ginger. I gave jars of this in my Food52 Holiday Swap this year, as something a little different than cookies.
 
whmcdevitt November 18, 2018
I’ve been making this for years! Best ever.....great on your turkey sandwiches the next day!
 
I_Fortuna December 24, 2017
My instinct today was to put onion in my cranberry sauce. Alas, I did not. I will make it again for New Year's Day using this recipe. I have all the ingredients on hand except for the cranberries. Instead of raisins, I will probably use black currants or zante currants. This looks terrific, I can't wait to make it! Thanks for this special recipe.
 
Jacob K. November 24, 2017
This turned out well, I didn't have figs, but like a lot of commenters, I subbed in apricots, also put apples in, and used walnuts, instead of the hazelnuts. Everyone for my dinner enjoyed it. This is definitely something to try and better than the standard cranberry sauce.
 
learnoff November 25, 2016
This was excellent and despite the long list of ingredients it is really easy to make. It was a huge hit among the cranberry sauce traditionalists and those who like something new. I cut down on the red pepper flake by half and it still had quite a kick but not too spicy! YUM!
 
beejay45 October 19, 2015
This is a cranberry sauce/chutney that can stand up to the Christmas goose, or a pork roast, as well as a turkey! My mom would have loved this on her leftover dressing and gravy sandwich the day after. Never could get into the regular cranberry sauce that way myself, but this! If I have the ambition, I'm going to make a huge batch and can it, some for giving, lots for the pantry. I can totally see this as the center of a cheese board. And it will also go well with our frequent curries. /;)
 
marsiamarsia December 4, 2014
I made this chutney for the first time for Thanksgiving 2014, a week in advance, and it's divine! Definitely will be a holiday staple in my house. My grown son said he's never been fond of cranberry sauce of any sort, but that this was fantastic. I had to sub dried apricots for figs (will start now scouring the city for dried figs for our December 25 dinner), and chopped pecans for the hazelnuts, which we never see in Austin, TX. Hats off to "Oui, Chef"!
 
Andrea H. November 28, 2014
Thank you! This was such a hit, I adjusted the heat a touch to accommodate my 94 year old grandma but the flavored were amazing I got comment after comment!! This will now be my staple.
 
Oui, C. December 1, 2014
So glad you like it, and thanks for letting me know. FYI - it also freezes really well. In fact, this year for Thanksgiving I pulled last year's leftovers from the freezer and they were still delicious!
 
Adelucchi November 26, 2014
Made this today. Thanks for the recipe. Can't wait to use this on left over turkey sandwiches.
 
June January 12, 2014
Thank you for sharing. I adapted this recipe using Sorrel which is sometimes called Hibiscus flowers and other Caribbean fruit in season and it was a major hit!
 
FabricPusher November 27, 2013
This is delicious, I just made it for the second Thanksgiving in a row. While I do love it, this amount of ginger is overpowering to me. I cut it in half this year and it still seems like a lot. Still delicious though!
 
Oui, C. November 29, 2013
So glad you like it and have tailored it to your own tastes.
 
EmilyC November 27, 2013
Made this last night and it's fantastic! I substituted dried Turkish apricots since the figs in my pantry were a little past their prime, and Aleppo for the red pepper flakes. Can't wait to have it with turkey!
 
Oui, C. November 29, 2013
YUM....love the idea of the apricots.
 
Rupal P. November 24, 2013
Planning to make this today but with certain substitutions. Because my pantry is much more filled with Indian ingredients (and we will be an Indian family at the table) I wonder if there is any objection to using some dried red chilis instead of the chili flakes and black mustard seed (slightly lower quantity) rather than the yellow mustard seed. My local store didn't have black mission figs but the dried turkish figs smelled good so I bought them.
 
Oui, C. November 24, 2013
Your substitutions sound pretty wonderful f me, I'm sure it will turn out terrific! Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Laura A. November 25, 2012
Made this for Thanksgiving and both my husband and I agree that it was the most delicious thing on the table! Made exactly as is and will certainly make this a holiday tradition in our house!
 
Oui, C. November 26, 2012
I love being a part of new holiday traditions, thanks!
 
madhatrk November 19, 2012
This recipe will make its 3rd year return on our table. Although it was already in the plan, it was specifically requested by 2 return guests! I make it a few days ahead to let the flavors blend. It's so so good! Also really tasty on your day after left overs sandwich!
 
Oui, C. November 26, 2012
Terrific...so glad you enjoy it!
 
broccolirose November 18, 2012
I got a head start on Thanksgiving prep and this was the first thing I made! I love this alternative to traditional cranberry sauce.
 
Oui, C. November 19, 2012
Funny, I just made mine for Thanksgiving last night too. It gets better as it sits for a few days before the feast. So glad you like it!
 
durun99 November 25, 2011
I have been making the dried cherry chutney from The New Basics Cookbook every year at Thanksgiving for years. Usually I try out one new chutney as well, but nothing ever fares as well with my family. This year, I tried this cranberry-fig chutney and it was the first time just as many people liked the new chutney as much as the dried cherry. I will definitely make this again, it is really outstanding.
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2011
Thanks, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
 
jlsm November 21, 2011
I made this last year and again last week. Hands down the best cranberry sauce I have ever made. Last year I used regular figs and liked them better than the black mission I used this year.
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2011
Awesome! I've used both black mission and calmyrna figs and liked them both, certainly you can use whatever you prefer.
 
jlsm November 21, 2011
I made this last year and again last week. Hands down the best cranberry sauce I have ever made. Last year I used regular figs and liked them better than the black mission I used this year.
 
WeeklyGreens November 18, 2011
Loved this! Perfect balance of sweet and tart. I used toasted walnuts instead of hazelnuts. Much to my chagrin, there were no leftovers!
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2011
Glad you like it. I always make a double batch so that I can have enough left-over for a few days' worth of hot turkey sandwiches.
 
kitchen-55 September 24, 2011
Oops, I was reading the comments backwards. Sorry for the mistake! Last comment was more recent than a year ago, I am silly.
 
kitchen-55 September 24, 2011
I see the last comment was about a year ago, has anyone successfully canned this? I saw there was interest in preserving it- can anyone follow up? Also, if I made this to can or freeze, would it be a good option to leave out the nuts until a little before serving, or do they really need to stay together for the flavors to develop?
 
sarah613 September 5, 2011
How long does it last in the fridge if it is just spooned into a boiled glass jar (and not "canned")...and can I freeze it? If so, how long would it last in the freezer? Thanks!
 
Oui, C. September 6, 2011
It should last 2 weeks or so in the fridge, and yes, it is freezable. In fact, I pulled some from my fridge not long ago, and it was great. The hazelnuts lose a bit of their crunch, and the thyme it's freshness, but it's still tasty. Hope you like it! - S
 
mnr_t December 18, 2010
Mmm, love the idea of hazelnuts! I've made Laurie Colwin's lemon chutney (with cranberry variations) for years -- and her suggestion of letting chutney ripen for 6 mos is dead-on with your observations! This will definitely enhance weekend plans! Thanks!!
 
AntoniaJames November 29, 2010
I made this a week ago Sunday, in preparation for T-Day. It improves significantly with time (as every good condiment does). I made three different T-Day chutneys/relishes from food-52, and this was not my favorite, right out of the pan or even four days later. But I must say, it's excellent today. If I were to make it again, I'd give it at least a week to let the flavors settle in. ;o)
 
Oui, C. November 29, 2010
AntoniaJames, I'm so glad you wrote in with this observation, because I couldn't agree with you more. I made this year's batch on the day before Thanksgiving and thought it was "good" on the big day, but not as good as I remember it from last year. I had some again last night with what was our final left-over meal, and thought....damn this is great! I wonder if it has to do with the nuts and thyme infusing their flavors over the course of the week? Whatever it is, if I make it again next year, I'll definitely make it a week before Thanksgiving.....thanks for the great tip. - S
 
beejay45 October 19, 2015
Here's a thought. Does canning it stop the flavor changes? That is, if you want the best flavor in your canned chutney, should you give it a week before processing??? ;)
 
FrozenFoodie November 24, 2010
This is fabulous! I had to make my husband stop 'tasting' it so there would be some left for tomorrow.
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2010
Thanks! You might have to make a double batch next time, one for your taster, and one for the table. - S
 
CASJ November 23, 2010
I have this cooling on my counter right now. It may not make it to the table on Thursday, it is SO GOOD. Wow.
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2010
Thanks, CASJ. Glad you like it! - S
 
likestocooklovestoeat November 19, 2010
This was so good it's making a return appearance on our Thanksgiving table this year - thank you for a great recipe!
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2010
It's nice to be a part of your Thanksgiving tradition! - S
 
iGreen November 13, 2010
I canned this recipe today with great success! Doubled, this recipe yields 8 half-pint jars. What a delicious flavor combination!
 
Oui, C. November 27, 2010
This year I canned green tomato chutney for holiday gifts, next year I think I'll follow your lead and make this one. Glad you like it! - S
 
Diana January 9, 2010
A friend brought this to a "pot luck" before Christmas and it was just delicious. It ended up being next to the Brie and what a wonderful combination. The flavor is so bold ... can't wait to make it myself!
 
MrsWheelbarrow November 24, 2009
Oui Chef, I just made this chutney for our Thanksgiving table. It's delicious and absolutely beautiful, too. I packed it in an antique Mason jar to serve. And that got me thinking... I believe the ratios are correct for canning. It would make a great Christmas gift.
 
AntoniaJames June 26, 2010
Hi, MrsW! I agree that this would be a lovely Christmas gift. I'm wondering what source of information your rely on for determining whether the ratios are correct for canning something like this. I have so many ideas this spring (now summer) for things I'd like to try . . . like this . . . that could be processed and stored, to enjoy in the winter time. Thank you! ;o)
 
MrsWheelbarrow June 26, 2010
In the case of this chutney, I eyeballed the recipe and can see it's about the same ratio of fruit to sugar and vinegar as other chutneys I've canned safely. Those are really the three elements that need to be considered as spices don't enter into the equation. Your local extension service will always review a recipe to determine if it safe to preserve.
 
AntoniaJames June 26, 2010
Wow, that's good know, about the extension services. Thank you so much. I've done the same, in the past (looking at recipes with the same fruit, and using vinegar and sugar equivalents), but am never sure, really, if I'm right. Do you know if vinegar and lemon or lime juice are equivalent for this purpose? Thanks again. ;o)
 
MrsWheelbarrow June 26, 2010
Vinegar will have a consistent acidity (5%, generally) so is more consistent than lemon or lime juice, so I never "count" them in the ratio.
 
Garret November 15, 2009
It's certainly very visually appealing. I love the idea of having a flavorful but not overly sweet chutney to accompany our Turkey Day feast. I am going to try it for sure, and am looking forward to our guests feedback. Looks awesome, Oui Chef!
 
Marla November 14, 2009
I would be very curious to try this cranberry sauce. It sounds very complex and interesting. The toasted hazelnuts are nice addition.
 
biceinparadise November 13, 2009
YES! A bold thrill ride of flavors, sure to be a classic.
 
Heidi R. November 12, 2009
Sounds fantastic I love cranberries!
 
melissav November 12, 2009
Sounds like a delicious and interesting addition to the Thanksgiving table.
 
Maria T. November 12, 2009
Fabulous recipe, brilliant combination of flavours and it looks absolutely beautiful. Well done you. Can this chutney be kept? How long will it keep and do I need to refrigerate it? Thanks for answering.
 
Oui, C. November 14, 2009
Thank you, Maria. The cooked sugar and vinegar should allow you to keep this refrigerated for a couple of weeks at least. I would recommend letting it come to room temperature before serving it to allow the flavors to re-awaken. I haven't tried to preserve this chutney yet, but think I will the next time I make it. When I do, I'll let you know how it survives the canning process. I do expect that the nuts will lose their crunch after some amount of time, but aside from that, it should keep well.
 
Food B. November 6, 2009
What a fantastic medley of flavors you have combined here! I especially love the figs and hazelnuts.
 
Oui, C. November 4, 2009
Thanks, all. The figs do add a nice textural contrast, but for me, it is the heat and spice from the ginger, red pepper, and mustard seeds that make this dish. I do hope you try it!
 
mariaraynal November 4, 2009
Fascinating combination of ingredients! I was just thinking that figs would be good in cranberry sauce, good to see someone else has the same thought.
 
Kelsey B. November 3, 2009
The addition of figs is a great idea!
 
WinnieAb November 3, 2009
yum...sounds unbelievable delicious
 
TasteFood November 3, 2009
This sounds like a meal in itself, with all the best flavor combinations. I will certainly try this and look forward to the fireworks!