This date and sesame coconut chutney is a lightly sweet, well-balanced variation on classic coconut chutney. Creamy fresh coconut is blended with soft dates, nutty sesame seeds, and a touch of tamarind for depth—creating a flavour that’s mellow, comforting, and surprisingly versatile.
Much like hummus, coconut chutney is endlessly adaptable. You can adjust the sweetness, heat, or tanginess simply by changing a few ingredients, making it one of the easiest accompaniments to personalise.
If you’re new to coconut chutney, this is a great place to start. It’s simple to prepare, naturally plant-based, and full of flavour—perfect alongside snacks, light meals, or savoury nibbles like these homemade lentil crackers.
This version leans slightly sweet, with just enough contrast to keep it interesting.
About Tamarind
The tamarind used here comes in the form of a compressed block, which contains seeds and fibres. It’s very easy to prepare at home by soaking and straining. If you’d like to see how it’s done, I’ve shared a short video tutorial on how to deseed and prepare tamarind on the blog.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this coconut chutney with poppadums, crepes, idli, savoury fritters, or as a simple dip alongside fresh vegetables. It also pairs beautifully with spiced snacks and light Mauritian-inspired meals.
If you enjoy refreshing chutneys with a brighter, tangy profile, you may also like this classic Mint & Tamarind Coconut Chutney, another simple variation already on the blog.
Coconut Chutney with Dates & Sesame
Creamy coconut chutney with dates and sesame seeds, lightly balanced with tamarind and mint. A simple, no-cook vegan chutney for snacks and light meals.
Ingredients
- ½ fresh coconut meat, finely sliced
- 4–5 large dates (or more, to taste)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon tamarind pulp, deseeded (by soaking in a little water – see notes)
- 4–5 stems fresh mint, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2–3 green or red chillies (optional)
- Juice of ½ lime (optional)
- 40 ml water (plus more as needed)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed to reach a thick, spoonable consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, sweetness, or acidity if desired.
Notes
Tip: For a slightly deeper flavour, lightly toast the sesame seeds before blending.
About tamarind: If using tamarind block (compressed paste with seeds and fibres), see my short tutorial on how to deseed and prepare tamarind block, with a step-by-step video on the blog.
Discover more from Veganlovlie: Scrumptious Vegan Recipes
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Hi Lovliebutterfly, your blog and the receipes are really great! I checked your personal website, i’m amazed. Mindblowing creation!!! wow, such a marvellous work! <BR/><BR/>cheers<BR/>Chaya
Coconuts are difficult to find here, but I would totally order this in a restaurant, I tell you…
What a great idea! I need to try this!
chaya: thanks for your nice comments. You’re most welcomed to try the recipes! :)<BR/><BR/>alice: I know some people use dessicated coconut (or coconut flakes) to make chutney. Dessicated coconut might be easier to find. Follow the same procedure and it should work. I have never tried it myself but I would think the only difference would be slightly in the taste.<BR/><BR/>avery yale kamila: