Mango Salsa

Save this recipe—you'll want to spoon the zippy salsa over crab cakes, tacos, seared fish, or even grilled chicken.

Southern Living Mango Salsa in a bowl to serve
Photo:

Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
4 to 6

I think it’s time for more Southerners to embrace the deliciousness of fresh, ripe mangos—and you can start with mango salsa.

Soft,  sweet, and faintly peppery, mangoes are like peaches’ sassy tropical cousins. And while nothing beats a perfect summer peach, mangoes sport the added bonus of being widely available almost year-round, thanks to different varieties grown around the world.

Mangoes are delicious on their own, but diced and tossed with cilantro, chiles, onion, and lime juice, they make a knockout mango salsa that makes any dish it's served with twice as good. Here are just a few of our favorite ways to serve it.

Try it With Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken can be an automatic snooze-fest when it comes to flavor, but not when this Mango Salsa comes to the party! We love it on a salad with sliced grilled chicken or served alongside wings or even drumsticks.

Spoon it Over Grilled Pork

Just when you thought you couldn’t love pork more, here comes Mango Salsa giving you fresh new feels. Pork is often paired with stone fruits like peaches and cherries, so it’s no shock that mango is the perfect partner for pork chops and tenderloin.

Serve it With Crab Cakes

Is it even legal to serve crab cakes without mango salsa? It should be. The peppery bite of mango, plus the lift of lime, are a match made in heaven when it comes to sweet, buttery crab cakes.

Try it With Fried Shrimp

Fried shrimp require no further adornment. Or so we thought. The next time you tuck into a big pile of fried shrimp, have a little ramekin of mango salsa nearby. It’s not exactly dippable, so you’ll need a fork, but trust us. Get a little mango salsa on the end of your fork, then spear a crispy fried shrimp. The combination of sweet, savory, soft, and crunchy is a mouth party you don’t want to miss.

Pile it on Tacos

Everything that goes on a taco swings savory—meat, cheese, sour cream, you get it. Layering in a sweet element like mango salsa helps the other flavors play off each other, resulting in a much more interesting meal.

Serve it With Seared Scallops

While some folks may be tempted to whip up a fancy sauce for scallops, I’m here to tell you there’s no need to bother. A perfectly seared fresh scallop requires little else, but a dab of mango salsa not only looks pretty—it accentuates the scallop wonderfully.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups diced ripe mango (from 3 large [about 2 1/4 lb. total] mangoes)

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (from 1 small [7 oz.] onion)

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (from 1 small [5 oz.] pepper)

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1/4 cup fresh key lime juice (from 8 medium [8 1/2 oz. total] key limes)

  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions

  1. Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Related Articles