This mango salsa recipe is sweet, refreshing, and easy to make. It’s made with ripe mangoes, red onion, jalapeño, and bell pepper, all topped with a tangy cilantro-lime finish. The salsa is perfect with tortilla chips, or great as a topping for tacos, grilled meat, fish and more!

What’s better than fresh salsa as a condiment or dip? Mango salsa is a nice change up from the usual tomato-based salsas. It’s fresh, sweet, colorful, slightly spicy, and tastes delicious. This recipe is perfect to make this Labor Day Weekend to go with all your bbq dishes!

Mango salsa ingredients

All you need for this recipe are 6 ingredients (5 if you don’t include the jalapeños). The ingredient list is low which means the prep time is quick!

Mango- the star of the recipe. Ripe mangos are sweet, juicy, and have the consistency of butter
Red bell pepper- adds color and texture along with nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A and more
Red onion– adds more crunch, color, and a bite
Cilantro– this fresh herb adds a punch of citrus notes
Lime– balances the sweetness with its acid and sour juices
Jalapeño(optional)- to kick things up a notch. If you like the heat, mix the seeds into the salsa. If you don’t want as much heat, you can remove some of the seeds.

Let’s talk more about the star of this salsa:

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Mango Nutrition

Mangoes are tropical fruits that are not only juicy and flavorful, but are also good for your health. They are naturally very sweet that they feel like a dessert, but are nutrient dense and a wholesome addition to your diet. Mangoes are exceptionally high in vitamin C and A. They also contain vitamin B6, and smaller amounts of vitamin E, K, folate, potassium magnesium and more. In addition, it is a good source of fiber with 1 cup of mango providing about 3 grams of fiber.

Health Benefits

Improves cell function– vitamin C is essential for immune system function, strong connective tissue which helps with wound healing, and healthy blood vessel walls
Protects against cell damage– the antioxidants in mangoes protect the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals play a part in many disease like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Supports Iron absorption– Mangoes are very high in vitamin C, a one cup serving can provide around 65% of your daily needs. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, which is important for red blood cell formation and its oxygen-carrying ability.
Promotes eye health– Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps improve vision, boosts overall eye health and can even prevent age-related vision decline.
Improves digestive health– fiber adds bulk to stool and can help with constipation. Fiber also creates a feeling of satiety and keeps you fuller longer.
And so much more!

How to know if a mango is ripe

There are many varieties of mangoes with different colors. Keep in mind that color is not the best indicator of ripeness. Instead, focus on feel by gently squeezing the mango to judge ripeness. If it is slightly soft under the skin, it’s ripe and ready to eat. They are similar to peaches and avocados which become softer as they ripen. A ripe mango should also have a fruity aroma at their stem ends as well.

How to ripen a mango

Unripe mangoes should be left on the counter, similar to avocados and peaches. A trick if you need to quicken the ripening process: place mangoes in a paper bag with a banana. Bananas release ethylene which causes fruit to ripen. Once ripe, place the mangoes in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

How to cut a mango

A mango has a long, flat seed in the center of the fruit which makes it tricky to cut. There are two methods to cut a mango.

Method 1: First stand the mango on your cutting board stem end down. It is best to cut the wide and flat sides of the mango first. Position the knife adjacent to the center of the stem, cutting along the sides of the pit. You’ll have two large oval pieces. Then cut the two small sides of the mango and any remaining flesh close to the seed. Cut parallel slices into the mango flesh in both directions to form a checkered pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through to the skin. Lastly, scoop the cubes out of the mango skin with a spoon. Dice into smaller pieces. Reference the graphic below.

Method 2: This is usually my preferred method. First I will peel the skin of the mango with a vegetable peeler. Then following the same cutting technique in method 1, slice the mango so you have four pieces. Then I will dice the mango into pieces.

Uses for mango salsa

This salsa goes well with everything. It is great as an appetizer dip with chips but so much more. Use it as a taco filling, in particular this pairs well with fish tacos. Any Mexican-themed dishes like burritos, Mexican salads, quesadillas and more. This salsa will balance and compliment any dish with spice. Lastly, it’s the perfect garnish for grilled meat like steak, pork, chicken and fish (shrimp, any white fish, salmon).

Possible Variations

This salsa is great as prepared, however, feel free to adjust the ingredients by adding more or less of anything to suit your taste. Also, try mixing in any of these yummy additions:

Avocado
Jicama
Cucumber
Tomato
Black beans
Corn
Other fruit: pineapple, peaches, strawberry, kiwi

Other great appetizer dips

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Classic Hummus

Black Bean Dip

Healthy Chipotle Ranch Sauce

Print Recipe

Mango Salsa

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, sauce

Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 ripe mangoes peeled and diced small
1 medium red bell pepper seeds removed & diced small
½ small red onion finely diced
¼-½ cup cilantro chopped
1 Lime juice of
1 jalapeño seeded & diced small
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Place all the ingredients into a medium size bowl. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill and marinate. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

per ½ cup (recipe makes approximately 3-4 cups)

60 Calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram protein, 15 gram total carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber, 11 gram sugar, 2 mg sodium

Notes

There is a jalapeño in this recipe, by removing the seeds, most of the heat is removed or you can eliminate all together. If you prefer a spicier salsa, add some of the seeds into the salsa.

This salsa is better the longer it marinates. I suggest making it ahead of time.

This salsa is great as prepared, however, feel free to adjust the ingredients by adding more or less of anything to suit your taste.