Name: Mango Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 medium or 2 large ripe mangos (peeled and sliced into strips); 1 red bell pepper (stemmed, seeded, and sliced into thin strips); ¼ medium red onion (very thinly sliced); 1 jalapeño pepper (thinly sliced); 2 cups mixed fresh basil and mint leaves (reserve some for garnish); ½ cup chopped (toasted peanuts, reserve some for garnish); 2 tablespoons 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

This mango salad recipe is about to become your favorite summer side dish! It's bright and refreshing, made with fresh herbs and a zesty lime dressing.

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This mango salad recipe is everything I want in a summer side dish. It has a short list of fresh ingredients, you can toss it together 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 accent it with crisp bell peppers and red onion, plus jalapeños for a kick of heat. Peanuts add crunch, and a zesty lime dressing ties the whole thing together. Generous handfuls of fresh herbs (think spicy basil and cooling mint) take it all over the top.

This mango salad recipe would be a bold alternative to a regular fruit salad at a summer gathering, but it’s too good to just save for special occasions. Make it as a side dish for any weeknight dinner. You’ll love the burst of freshness it brings to your meal.

Mango Salad Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this mango salad recipe:

Mango, of course! Any variety will work, but I especially love yellow mangos, also called Ataulfo mangos. They have a delicious creamy texture and tart, honey-like flavor.
Red bell pepper and red onion – For crunch.
Jalapeño – For heat.
Fresh basil and mint – They make this salad so fragrant, flavorful, and fresh! Cilantro would be great here too.
Toasted peanuts – For nutty richness and crunch. Don’t do peanuts? Toasted cashews would be a yummy substitute.
Fresh lime juice – It makes the mango salad dressing zingy and bright.
Tamari or soy sauce – It adds salty, savory flavor to the dressing. Make sure to use certified gluten-free tamari if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
Avocado oil – It gives the dressing body and richness. Sub another neutral oil if you don’t keep avocado oil on hand.
Honey – It sweetens the dressing. Agave nectar is a great vegan sub!
Fresh ginger – It gives the dressing a refreshing, peppery kick.
And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Cut a Mango

I actually have a guide to how to cut a mango in its own blog post, but the method I use for this salad is a little different. Instead of using diced mango here, I cut the fruit into thin strips that mimic the shape of the peppers and red onion.

You have two options for how to do this:

Peel the mango first. Gently remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the flesh off the four sides of the pit. You’ll end up with two large planks and two small planks of fruit. Carefully cut them into thin strips.
Don’t peel it. Start by cutting the flesh off the four sides of the pit. Then place the fruit, skin side down, on your cutting board. Score the fruit into thin strips, cutting down to, but not through, the skin. Slice horizontally between the fruit and the skin to release the mango strips.

Mango Salad Recipe Tips

Use ripe mangos. Green mango, or unripe mango, is commonly used in Thai mango salad and other dishes in Indian, Southeast Asian, and Thai cuisine. While this recipe certainly draws inspiration from Thai mango salad, it’s not intended to be an authentic version. This mango salad is best with ripe mangos. Note that depending on where you live, you might not be able to find ripe mangos at your farmers market or grocery store. If you can’t, pick up a couple unripe ones and leave them on your counter 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? Simply omit the jalapeño! Or, if you’d like to moderate—but not totally eliminate—the heat, you could use half a pepper instead of a whole one. You could also remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño before adding it to the salad.
Get ahead. You can totally make this mango salad recipe ahead of time for a potluck or picnic. Just wait to add the herbs and peanuts until you’re ready to serve. That way, the herbs will stay lush and green and the peanuts will retain their crunch.

How to Serve Mango Salad

This mango salad recipe is a wonderful summer side dish! Pair it with…

Classic cookout fare. Grill up some veggie burgers, black bean burgers, or portobello mushroom burgers. Round out the meal with a few more BBQ sides, like a pasta salad, black bean salad, or Mexican street corn salad.
Tacos. This mango salad recipe would be fantastic with my mushroom tacos or any veggie tacos.
Grilled tofu or crispy sesame tofu. Serve with cilantro lime rice!

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. Top it off with a drizzle of cilantro lime dressing or a squeeze of lime juice.

Enjoy!

More Fresh Salad Recipes

If you love this mango salad, try one of these fresh salad recipes next:

Mango Salad

rate this recipe:

4.97 from 30 votes

Prep Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Serves 4 to 6

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This mango salad recipe is a bright, refreshing summer side dish! Sweet, juicy mango mingles with crisp red peppers, spicy jalapeños, and fresh herbs. A zesty lime dressing ties it all together.

Ingredients

3 medium or 2 large ripe mangos, peeled and sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into thin strips
¼ medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups mixed fresh basil and mint leaves, reserve some for garnish
½ cup chopped, toasted peanuts, reserve some for garnish

Dressing

2 tablespoons 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

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss together the mango, red pepper, onion, and jalapeño.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, avocado oil, tamari, honey, ginger, and salt.
Pour the dressing over the mango salad and toss. Add the herbs and peanuts and toss again. Season to taste, garnish with the reserved herbs and peanuts, and serve immediately.

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4.97 from 30 votes (18 ratings without comment)