Mango salad is a colorful, vibrant, and refreshing recipe that combines the juicy sweetness of mangos with creamy avocado, crunchy red pepper, cool mint leaves, and zesty lime juice.
The recipe is easy to make, and you can enjoy it as a starter, side dish, or light meal.
Table of Contents
This bright and refreshing mango salad is an excellent way to enjoy this delicious tropical fruit as part of your meal.
The sweet and juicy flesh of ripe mango pairs perfectly with creamy avocado, crunchy red bell pepper, tangy shallots or mild red onions, and spicy red chilies.
If you want to add something leafy, we recommend dark green baby spinach or beautiful purple radicchio; its slightly bitter and spicy taste melds perfectly with the sweetness of ripe mango.
As for the dressing, we keep it simple and celebrate the colors and flavors of this salad by seasoning it with some extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a pinch of sea salt.
Ingredients in mango salad
Mango
It’s best to get ripe mangoes for this recipe as we rely on their juiciness and sweetness to make it delicious.
If your mangoes are not perfectly ripe, add a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to amp up the sweetness.
Avocado
The creamy texture and buttery flavor of avocado meld perfectly with the sweet and juicy mango.
You can substitute avocado with diced English cucumber for a cooler and crunchier feel.
Red bell pepper
Crunchy, sweet, and refreshing, red bell pepper is beautiful and delicious when paired with golden and sweet mangoes.
You can substitute orange bell peppers or green bell peppers for red ones.
Red onion
We recommend using a mild red onion or, if your red onions are too sharp, opt for a shallot with a milder and rounder flavor.
Chili peppers
For a touch of heat, you can add thinly sliced chili peppers. Any variety works; adjust the spiciness based on your taste.
Substitute red pepper flakes for fresh chilis.
Fresh herbs
We think fresh mint or basil leaves are best for this salad.
The mint adds a cooling and refreshing aroma that, combined with the mango and lime juice, reminds us of a tropical beach vacation.
The basil has a more mellow and warm aroma that works beautifully with mango and avocado.
Fresh cilantro would also work, although it’s not our favorite choice here.
Seasoning
We recommend extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a pinch of sea salt. Black pepper is optional.
The salt brings out the sweetness in the mango, so don’t skimp on it!
As mentioned before, add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey if your mango is not super sweet.
How to make mango salad
Cut the mango
Put the mango on its side and cut it with a chef’s knife as close as possible to the pit. Turn the mango around and repeat on the other side.
Next, take the mango stone, slice off the flesh that’s left around it, and cut it into dice.
Then with a paring knife, score the flesh of the mango into squares.
Turn the mango inside out, cut off the diced flesh with a paring knife, and add it to a serving platter (or mixing bowl).
Note: some like to scoop out the mango with a spoon, but I find that the spoon method is messy and doesn’t always work depending on how ripe your mangoes are. It’s easier to use a paring knife.
Add the veggies
To the same platter, add diced avocado, diced red bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion (or shallot), and thinly sliced chili pepper.
Season with olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt, then give it a gentle toss and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Variations
Mango salad with spinach
The dark green color of spinach is beautiful, with the bright colors of mangoes and red pepper. Also, their mildly earthy flavor goes well with the sweet and juicy tropical fruit.
You can chop your spinach before mixing it with the mango salad if your spinach is large.
Mango salad with radicchio
This is my favorite variation because of the beautiful purple, yellow, red, and green combination and the more nuanced, complex flavor.
Radicchio is not everyone’s cup of tea, I know. Its bitter flavor can put people off.
In this salad, the sweet juicy mango mellows the bitterness of the radicchio wonderfully. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey if it’s still too bitter for you.
You’ll see how delicious this is!
Mango black bean salad
This grain bowl is inspired by our mango salad and black bean salad. It combines the delicious juiciness of mangoes with nutty and protein-rich black beans and quinoa.
Try our black bean mango salad with quinoa; it’s a great lunchbox idea and summer salad meal.
Serving Suggestions
With peanut sauce or next to wholesome and tasty main dishes, such as:
- Peanut noodles
- Grilled tofu
- Yaki udon
- Kung pao tofu
- Tofu stir fry
- Sesame noodles with juicy mango
Note: mango pairs perfectly with most Asian dishes and with tofu.
Questions
You can enhance mango flavor by tossing the mango with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lime juice, a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey, or by tossing it and letting it marinate for 15 minutes to 1 hour with lemon juice and brown or palm sugar.
Mango goes well with vegetables (chilis, ginger, garlic, red onion, spinach, arugula, radicchio, tomatoes, red bell peppers), fruit (avocados, bananas, strawberries, berries, coconut, peaches, kiwi, lemon, lime, papaya, orange, pineapple), tofu, legumes (black beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas), nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios), rice, quinoa, noodles, yogurt, and herbs (mint, basil, cilantro).
Mango pairs perfectly with mint, basil, Thai basil, and cilantro. Other herbs that go well with it are oregano, parsley, and chives.
Storage
Make ahead: it’s best to make this recipe shortly before serving it so that the colors stay bright and fresh. However, you could cut the veggies and the mango a few hours before to get ahead. Cut the avocado at the last minute.
Refrigerator: keep mango salad leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 – 36 hours.
Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
More summer salad ideas
- Watermelon salad (mint, feta, or plant-based feta, watermelon, pistachio, etc.)
- Greek salad (cucumber, olives, tomato, green bell pepper, red onion, etc.)
- Zucchini salad (cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, mint leaves, zucchini, lemon, etc.)
- Tomato salad (tomatoes, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, etc.)
- Cucumber tomato salad (cucumber, tomato, onion, olive oil, salt, etc.)
For many more salad ideas, check out our salads category page.
This mango salad recipe is suitable for:
- Plant-based, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free diets.
Mango Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ripe mangos diced
- 1 ripe avocado diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 shallot or mild red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red chili pepper thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 limes the juice
- 15 leaves fresh mint
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cut mangos into dice
- Put the mango on its side and cut it with a chef's knife as close as possible to the pit. Turn the mango around and repeat on the other side.Next, take the mango stone, slice off the flesh that's left around it, and cut it into dice.Then with a paring knife, score the flesh of the mango into squares.
- Turn the mango inside out, cut off the diced flesh with a paring knife, and add it to a serving platter or mixing bowl.
Add the other veggies
- To the same platter, add diced avocado, diced red bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion (or shallot), and thinly sliced chili pepper.
- Season with olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt, then give it a gentle toss and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Variations with leaves
- You can add a handful of arugula, baby spinach, or radicchio to turn it into a leafy mango salad.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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The recipe is easy to make, and you can enjoy it as a starter, side dish, or light meal.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
