Your Complete Cheese & Chutney Pairing Guide

Cheese, in all its glorious varieties, has long been loved, particularly around the festive season. From sharp cheddars to creamy bries and pungent blues, the world of cheese offers some weird and wonderful flavours. Elevating this experience further is the addition of chutneys – possibly one of our favourite condiments of all time! But how do you pair chutney with cheese? Our experts show you how…

• Fig Chutney – Blue Cheese
• Apple/Pear Chutney – Brie or Camembert
• Tomato Chutney – Gouda or Havarti
• Caramelised Onion Chutney – Smoked Cheese
• Mango Chutney – Goat’s Cheese
• Chilli Chutney – Almost Any Mild Cheese
• Garlic Chutney – Cheddar Cheese

Read on to find out more about the perfect cheese and chutney pairings, how to properly eat chutney with cheese, as well as answers to your frequently asked questions on all things chutney!

What Chutney Goes With Cheese?

Below we’ve outlined a few of our top cheese and chutney pairings – which one is your favourite?

Fig Chutney

Perfect With Blue Cheese

The rich, jam-like consistency of fig chutney complements the bold, tangy flavour of blue cheese, resulting in a marriage of savoury and sweet notes. If you aren’t big on blue cheese, sweet jams and chutneys help to balance the bitterness, making them more palatable.

You can use fig chutney in place of fresh figs in a lot of recipes, including our delicious Fig & Goats Cheese Tarts. If you’d like a homemade alternative, try our Nectarine & Date Chutney.

Apple or Pear Chutney

Great with Brie or Camembert

The crispness of apple chutney pairs excellently with the creamy, buttery texture of these mild cheeses, offering a delightful contrast in both taste and texture. Some apple and pear chutneys have a hint of spice, making this a great festive combination. If you want to take your brie and camembert one step further, try adding a dollop of apple chutney to your cheese before roasting in the oven until gooey.

Brie and Camembert both pair well with the sweetness of autumn fruits, but did you know that there are a few signature differences between the two? Find out more in one of our blogs: Brie vs Camembert

Tomato Chutney

Pairs With Gouda or Havarti

Gouda is a cheese with mild, sweet, and almost fudgey qualities. Because of it’s slight sweetness, pairing this cheese with a bright tomato chutney creates the perfect balance of flavours. Havarti is equally as sweet, so the acidity of tomato chutney helps to cut through the creaminess.

Spicy Pepper Chutney

Suitable for Smoked Cheese

Smoking cheese creates a wonderful texture whilst offering delicate notes of wood, or even meat-like flavours. Because of this, smoked cheeses smoked gouda or smoked cheddar pair perfectly with the heat from spicy pepper chutney. We also love pairing smoked cheese with ‘chilli-lilli’ for a robust and fiery combination.

Cranberry Chutney

Compliments Goat’s Cheese

Cranberry chutney and goat’s cheese – could there possibly be a more festive combination?! Tangy cranberry chutney offsets the earthy, slightly tart taste of goat cheese, forming a delightful contrast of flavours. Pair with a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme for the perfect Christmas bite. If you love goat’s cheese like us, check out our recipe for Fig & Goats Cheese Tarts or our Stuffed Dates With Goats Cheese. 

Traditional Caramelised Onion Chutney

Perfect With Aged Cheese

The sweet and savoury notes of onion chutney beautifully enhances the complex flavours of aged cheeses like Parmesan or aged Gouda, creating a sophisticated pairing that almost anyone will love. Layer with a slice of your favourite ham or thinly sliced beef for a British feel. 

Chilli Jam

Great With Almost Any Mild Cheese

Whilst not technically a chutney, chilli jam holds a strong position on any grazing board. ‘Mild cheese’ is quite an umbrella term, but chilli jam pairs well with everything from creamy brie to soft roulades, classic cheddars, and everything in between. Cheese with a delicate flavour profile allows the chilli jam to shine, whilst creamy elements help to balance out the spice. 

Mango Chutney

Ideal With Cheddar Truckles

Mango chutney might seem like an unusual choice for pairing with cheese, but trust us, it works! The sweetness of mango chutney beautifully contrasts the sharpness of cheddar cheese, creating a balance of flavours that works perfectly on top of your favourite cracker.

If you’re keen to learn more about cheddar truckles and why they’ll make a wonderful addition to your next grazing board, read our recent blog: What is a Truckle Of Cheese?

Garlic Chutney

Try With Gruyere

The Glorious Garlic Pickle from our friends at The Bay Tree is a signature on any grazing platter. Try pairing this unusual chutney with Gruyere’s nutty and slightly sweet taste. This pairing creates a lovely contrast to the sharpness and sweetness of the garlicky chutney.

Cheese & Chutney Pairing Tips

1. Contrast is Key

Look for chutneys that offer a contrasting flavour profile to the cheese. Sweet chutneys often complement sharp cheeses, while tangy or spicy chutneys balance creamy or mild cheeses. Likewise, sweeter chutneys (think a sticky fig & honey spread) will help to balance the bitter flavours of English stilton or Gorgonzola.

1. Consider Texture

Chutneys come in various consistencies, from chunky to smooth. Consider the texture of both the chutney and the cheese for a well-rounded experience. If you’re serving your cheese and chutney on thin, delicate crackers, a smooth chutney will be best. If you’re serving your cheese and chutney with chunky bread, then you can get away with chunky chutney.

1. When in Doubt – What Grows Together, Goes Together

Pairing chutney and cheese by location is a great tip for anyone struggling to get their head around combinations that work well together. For example, a French onion & tomato chutney is likely to pair really well with a classic French brie! On the other hand, a British Wensleydale will go best with an apple chutney made from local produce.

A lot of these tips are applicable when pairing cheese and wine as well as chutneys. To find out more, read one of our most popular blogs: What is a Good Wine & Cheese Pairing?

How To Eat Chutney With Cheese

Eating chutney with cheese is super simple. Simply pop a teaspoon of your chutney of choice onto a cracker and then layer on a thin slice of cheese. Cheese and chutney don’t always have to be layered on a cracker, instead, try:

• Water biscuits
• Crispbreads
• Slice of baguette or fresh bread
• Thinly sliced fruit
• Crudites 
• Crisped up prosciutto ham

All Things Cheese & Chutney From Savery Grazing

If you’re a cheese-aholic like us, we have plenty of cheese-related articles on our website for you to read. Check out our Cheese Storage Guide or our delicious Baked Camembert Topping Ideas for the festive party season.

If you’d like more easy recipes, pairing tips, or cheese advice, explore our blog page, or keep up to date with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Related Questions

Does Mango Chutney Go With Cheese?

Yes, mango chutney can be an excellent pairing with certain types of cheese. Its sweet and tangy flavour profile complements the richness of the cheese, especially varieties like cheddar. The sweetness of mango chutney provides a delightful contrast to the sharpness of cheddar cheese, but it can also be paired with:

• Brie
• Camembert
• Roulade
• Fun cheeses with a similar flavour profile like Mango & Ginger Wensleydale!

How Long Does Chutney Last?

The shelf life of chutney largely depends on its ingredients and how it’s stored. Typically, homemade chutneys, if stored properly in airtight containers in the refrigerator, can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Vinegar or citrus-based chutneys tend to have a longer shelf life due to their preservative properties. On the other hand, chutneys with fresh fruits or low acidity might have a shorter life span.

How Else Can You Use Chutney?

Chutney is one of our favourite ingredients in the Savery Grazing kitchen, and we use it almost every week outside of creating gorgeous cheese platters. Here’s how else you can use chutney (beyond cheese pairings!):

• Glazing parsnips or carrots
• Stirred into dips or yoghurt
• Thinned out as a salad dressing
• To spread on sandwiches & paninis
• As a topping for grilled meat or fish

---