This mango salad recipe will soon become your favorite summer side dish! It’s light and refreshing, prepared with fresh herbs and a zesty lime dressing.
This mango salad recipe is everything I want in a summer side dish. It has a short list of fresh ingredients, you can make it in 20 minutes and it’s sooo bright and refreshing.
I love the variety of textures and flavors in this dish. The mango is sweet and slippery, and when you bite into it, it’s almost creamy. I accented it with crunchy peppers and red onions and jalapeños for a kick of spiciness. Peanuts provide the necessary crunch and a zesty lime dressing rounds it all off. Generous handfuls of fresh herbs (think tangy basil and cooling mint) top it all off.
This mango salad recipe would be a bold alternative to a regular fruit salad at a summer get-together, but it’s too good to save only for special occasions. Make it as a side to any weeknight dinner. You will love the freshness it brings to your meal.
Ingredients for the mango salad recipe
Here’s what you need for this mango salad recipe:
- mango, Naturally! Any variety will work, but I especially love yellow mangoes, also known as Ataulfo mangoes. They have a delicious creamy texture and a tart, honey-like flavor.
- Red bell pepper and red onion – For the crunch.
- jalapeno – For warmth.
- Fresh basil and mint – They make this salad so fragrant, flavorful and fresh! Coriander would be great here too.
- Roasted Peanuts – For nutty richness and crispiness. Don’t you make peanuts? Roasted cashews would be a tasty substitute.
- Fresh Lime Juice – It makes the mango salad dressing tangy and bright.
- Tamari or soy sauce – It gives the dressing a salty, savory taste. Be sure to use certified gluten-free tamari if you want this recipe to be gluten-free.
- avocado oil – It adds body and richness to the dressing. If you don’t have avocado oil on hand, substitute another neutral oil.
- Honey – It sweetens the dressing. Agave nectar is a great vegan substitute!
- Fresh ginger – It gives the dressing a refreshing, peppery note.
- And sea salt – So that all flavors come into their own!
The full recipe with measurements is below.
How to cut a mango
I actually have instructions for slicing a mango in a blog post of my own, but the method I use for this salad is a little different. Instead of using diced mangoes here, I slice the fruit into thin strips that mimic the shape of the peppers and red onions.
You have two options to do this:
- First peel the mango. Carefully remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Then use a sharp knife to cut the flesh off the four sides of the pit. At the end you will get two large and two small fruit boards. Carefully cut them into thin strips.
- Don’t peel it. First, cut the flesh off the four sides of the core. Then place the fruit skin-side down on your cutting board. Cut the fruit into thin strips, cutting all the way to the skin but not through it. Score horizontally between fruit and skin to reveal mango strips.
Recipe tips for mango salad
- Use ripe mangoes. Green mango or unripe mango is commonly used in Thai mango salad and other Indian, Southeast Asian and Thai cuisine dishes. While this recipe is certainly inspired by Thai mango salad, it’s not meant to be an authentic version. This mango salad tastes best with ripe mangoes. Note that depending on where you live, you may not be able to find ripe mangoes at your local farmers market or grocery store. If you can’t, get a few immature specimens and leave them on your countertop for a few days. When they’re soft and fragrant, make this mango salad recipe!
- Adjust the heat to taste. Not a fan of spicy food? Just leave out the jalapeño! If you want to moderate the heat but don’t want to eliminate it entirely, you can use half a pepper instead of a whole one. You can also remove the pits and membranes from the jalapeño before adding it to the salad.
- Get ahead. You can certainly make this mango salad recipe ahead of time for a potluck or picnic. Just wait to add the herbs and peanuts until ready to serve. This keeps the herbs juicy and green and the peanuts keep their crunchiness.
How to serve mango salad
This mango salad recipe is a wonderful summer side dish! Combine it with…
A scoop of this mango salad would also be a great addition to a grain bowl. Pair it with black beans or grilled halloumi cheese, rice, avocado and thinly sliced English cucumber. Finish with a drizzle of cilantro-lime dressing or a squeeze of lime juice.
Enjoy!
More fresh salad recipes
If you love that mango salad, try one of these fresh salad recipes next:
mango salad
serves 4 until 6
This mango salad recipe is a bright, refreshing summer side dish! Sweet, juicy mango mingles with crunchy red peppers, tangy jalapeños and fresh herbs. A zesty lime dressing completes the whole thing.
- 3 medium or 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into strips
- 1 Red pepper, stemmed, cored and cut into thin strips
- ¼ medium red onion, cut very thin
- 1 Jalapeno chilli, thinly sliced
- 2 cups mixed fresh basil and mint leaves, Save some for garnish
- ½ Cup chopped, roasted peanuts, reserving some for garnish
dressing
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon Tamari
- ½ teaspoon honey or agave nectar
- ¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea-salt
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In a large bowl, combine the mango, red pepper, onion, and jalapeño.
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Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, avocado oil, tamari, honey, ginger, and salt.
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Pour the dressing over the mango salad and toss to combine. Add the herbs and peanuts and mix again. Season to taste, garnish with the reserved herbs and peanuts and serve immediately.