Friday Night Appetizer - Spiced Beans & Chutney

I recently bought a giant jar of Major Grey’s Chutney for only $4.99 at Sage Market, so I brainstormed on possibilities for its use - what could I do with 2 pounds of chutney?


I don’t know about you, but when Friday rolls around, I like to make party food and take a break from normal meal preparation. Plus, party food goes better with alcoholic beverages! I found a dish that can serve as a tasty Friday night meal or can be easily brought to a party for sharing.

Originally, the recipe called for ground beef. Years ago, I adapted it to use ground turkey instead and even further adapted it for a vegetarian lifestyle since we just don’t buy ground beef or turkey in our house nowadays. A can of black beans or even a mix of beans will serve you well here.

I love the contrast of the spicy beans with the sweet chutney topping. Believe it or not, the cloves and cinnamon bring some heat. You can serve this with pitas, pita chips, tortilla chips or even cut veggies.

Now I just need to figure out how to use the rest of that chutney...any suggestions?


Spiced Beans on Pita Triangles

4 pita breads
¾ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
2 tsp olive oil
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 large red onion, diced small, divided
Salt and pepper
1 cup Major Grey’s Chutney, divided
1 medium mango, diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 325°. Wrap pitas in aluminum foil and bake for about 10 minutes or until warm. Cut into triangles.

In a small dish, mix cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup chutney, diced mango, chopped cilantro, 1/3 cup of red onion, and ¼ teaspoon of spice mix.

Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and remaining onion; sauté until onion has softened. Add drained black beans, remaining spice mix, and ½ cup of chutney; stir to combine. Cook until mixture has warmed and season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, spoon a portion of beans on each pita triangle, top with mango salsa and serve.