This mango salsa is filled with bright juicy mangos, jalapeños, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Perfectly sweet with a bit of a spicy kick, it’s a tasty side kick to corn chips, or terrific spooned atop of grilled fish or chicken!
Mango Salsa, a Sweet and Fruity Take on Salsa
Summer is the quintessential season for indulging in one of my favorite things: fresh, juicy fruit!
From berries to stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines and plums, I love them all.
But when a fruit with a more tropical, floral flavor beckons to me, I love to peel and cube up a fresh mango. Mmm...!
Mangos, when perfectly ripe, have that golden-orange flesh that's scrumptiously juicy, tangy, and just a touch starchy. They taste like pure summer to me, and are the perfect fruit to use to create a salsa with a fruity slant.
Mango salsa not only visually bright and beautiful, awakening the senses, but is a fantastic fresh pick to serve alongside of (or atop of) light fair such as grilled fish or chicken.
It's also a fun and tasty substitute for classic tomato-based salsa or pico de gallo, offering a mildly spicy, sweet-n-savory partnership to some corn chips!
How to Make Salsa using Fresh Mangos
Fresh, homemade salsa is incredibly easy to prepare, and this mango salsa recipe is no different.
I love the flavor profiles in a classic pico de gallo—a hint of onion, cilantro and jalapeno—incorporating those flavors into my easy mango salsa recipe to give it that little kick of spicy savoriness.
Dicing up the mango and all of the other ingredients very, very finely is the way to go. I also add in a hint of fresh lime juice and zest, plus a sprinkle of salt and perhaps even some chili powder and/or cayenne at the end for extra zip to ties things together.
Served cold with your favorite entree or chips, this mango salsa is a fantastic fruity salsa to enjoy during the warm summer season!
Here's a glance at how I prep my mango salsa recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- There are many different ways to prepare a mango, and the way that I like to do it is to cut a little of the bottom and top off the mango (to give it a flat surface), and then peel it using a veggie peeler. Then, I simply cut the flesh away from the large center pit, and very finely dice it.
- Next, the other flavorful ingredients such as finely diced jalapeno, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro are added with the mango, along with a few other tidbits to brighten and liven up the flavor.
- Everything gets gently mixed together and then placed into the fridge, covered, to chill until ready to use; and once nice and cold, I use it top grilled fish or chicken, or as fruity salsa for chips.
Recipe
Mango Salsa
by Ingrid Beer
Category: Condiment
Cuisine: South American
Yield: 3 ¾ cups
Nutrition Info: 60 calories (per ½ cup serving)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
• 2 large, ripe mangos, peeled and finely diced (about 3 ½ cups worth)
• ⅓ cup finely diced red bell pepper
• ¼ cup finely diced red onion
• 1 jalapeno (or half, depending on heat level), cored/seeded and finely minced
• ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon lime zest
• Pinch or two sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium size bowl and toss gently to combine; taste to see if you desire any additional seasoning.
- Use immediately, or keep cold in a covered contained in the fridge.
Tips & Tidbits for my Mango Salsa:
- Fresh, ripe mangos: When preparing a fresh mango salsa, it's best to use fresh mangos. Frozen won't quite work here, as they'll be a bit too mushy once defrosted. So choose mangos with a some gold and red hues, and ones that have some give but aren't too soft so that they're easy to peel/work with, and will hold shape when diced.
- Making mango salsa extra zesty: Often times, in South American countries, folks enjoy their fresh fruits such as watermelon and mango with a sprinkle of chili powder and even salt. My husband swears by this as it offers a little smoky kick, and tends to actually bring out the sweetness of the fruit more! So if you're a fan of this, add a tiny sprinkle of chili powder to the prepared mango salsa once in the serving bowl, along with a sprinkle of salt too. I also add into the mix some lime juice and zest for flavor.
- Chill, baby: While you can certainly serve the mango salsa at room temp once you prepare it, it's really nice to allow the flavors to mingle a bit and allow the salsa to chill in the fridge. That way, it stays fresher, and a bit of time (even 30 minutes) in the fridge will allow for the flavors to deepen.
Hungry for more fruity accompaniments? Check out this Blueberry Compote, this Strawberry Jam, this Lemon Curd, or this Cranberry Sauce!
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