This Homemade Mango Salsa is delightfully light and refreshing, and can be eaten with chips, added to chicken or seared tropical fish like mahi mahi, and more. It’s easy to make in less than 10 minutes, and has tons of flavor! 

Mango Salsa - With Fresh Chopped Cilantro In Blue Bowl

While tomato salsa is the most popular salsa of all, this vibrant mango salsa is my personal favorite.

With mango as the star, it’s sweet and tropical, with bright and tangy lime juice, fresh cilantro, and red onion to balance it all out. It also only takes 10 minutes to make, and is make ahead friendly.

What’s nice about this recipe is it’s extremely versatile, and it’s easy to make as a quick addition for main entree meats and seafood like Spatchcock Chicken or Grilled Salmon.

Plus, whenever I serve this at a party with homemade tortilla chips, it goes SO fast. It’s one of those special dishes that people get really excited about, but is incredibly simple to make.

Tips for the Best Results

Use the freshest ingredients possible – Ingredients lose their flavor as they age. Since this is an uncooked recipe that’s all about fresh and vibrant flavors, it’s important to use fresh ingredients.

Taste and adjust at the end – The best mango salsa is one that’s properly balanced, and only you can truly determine that. I give guidelines for the proportions of ingredients, but if you have a super sweet mango, maybe you need to balance it out with a little more fresh lime juice. Or maybe you need a little salt. Always taste and make adjustments before serving.

Use *just* ripe mangos – You want the mangos to taste sweet and ripe, but to keep the salsa from going mushy, you want to catch the fruit when it’s at peak firmness. Avoid using overripe mangos, because they tend to get quite mushy, and that makes the fresh salsa less appealing. A ripe mango will simultaneously be slightly soft AND a bit firm when you press it gently with your finger.

Mango Salsa Recipe - with Fresh Cilantro in Blue Bowl

The Five Ingredients You’ll Need:

To start, gather up your five required mango salsa ingredients, which are ripe mangoes, fresh lime, red onion, cilantro, and salt.

Cilantro Bunch, Mangoes, Red Onion, and Lime on Wooden Board

Does It Matter Which Type of Mango You Use?

All varieties will work here, though the two varieties you’ll find most often at the grocery store are Tommy Atkins (pictured above), and Ataulfo or Honey mango, which is sweeter in some ways and slightly creamier in texture.

Keitt mango is also wonderful, but just use what you can find during mango season. Any variety of mango will work.

As far as how to make mango salsa, there’s no cooking involved, just prepping and combining the ingredients.

Peel the mangos and cut around the pit using a sharp knife.

Cut the flesh into chunks on a cutting board, then add to a large bowl along with chopped cilantro, finely diced red onion, and a big squeeze of lime juice from half a lime:

Mango Chunks, Red Onion, Cilantro in Bowl

Add a big pinch of salt, then toss it all together to combine:

Mango Salsa in Bowl with Cilantro and Lime

Taste and adjust as necessary. For example, if you have a super sweet mango, you may find it needs extra lime juice to balance it out.

It’s now ready to be enjoyed, but if possible, I think it tastes slightly better after it has had a chance to sit for 30 minutes or so.

Serving Suggestions:

If you’re wondering what to eat with mango salsa, there are tons of ways to enjoy it.

The classic pairing is to eat with salty tortilla chips, especially on game day with other snacks like Crispy Baked Chicken Wings, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños. The sweetness of the mango pairs beautifully with spicy foods.

This is also the perfect topping for seafood of all kinds, like Chipotle Shrimp, Seared Snapper, Seared Scallops, Salmon Cakes, and Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi.

You can also pair it with halibut, Chilean sea bass, salmon, and fish tacos.

The best meat for pairing with this recipe is definitely chicken breasts. Try this Mango Cilantro Chicken or a simple Crockpot Chicken Breast with homemade burrito bowls.

Ideas for Other Ingredients You Can Add:

I love keeping this fresh mango salsa recipe true to its name most of the time, letting the fresh mangoes be the star. But, there are also other ingredients you can add to switch things up, like most homemade salsas. Here are some ideas:

  • Minced Jalapeño – Jalapeno peppers are great if you want some heat and spice in the salsa. You can also add habanero or serrano pepper, but both are a lot spicier.
  • Avocado Chunks – Mango and avocado go beautifully together. Just note that if you add avocado, you can’t keep leftovers very long because the avocado will brown.
  • Pineapple – Fresh pineapple is a great ingredient to pair with the mango, to make it extra tropical with more flavor! Cut it into chunks and add it in.
  • Peaches – Great in the summertime when peaches are in at their best.
  • Black Beans – This takes it into a more savory direction, but mango and black beans go great together.
  • Corn – Some grilled corn is also a fantastic addition, and makes it more savory.
  • Red bell pepper – Chop finely and add to the mix. I recommend up to 1/2 cup so the red pepper does not dominate the overall flavor.
  • Onions – Green onions or scallions, white onion, or even shallots can be swapped out for the red onion for a milder flavor. I don’t recommend yellow onion.
  • Spices – Try adding up to 1 teaspoon of chili powder or cayenne pepper for a smoky heat.

Recipe FAQ

How do you store leftover Mango Salsa?

Keep in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Is Mango Salsa healthy?

Everyone has their own definition of healthy, but this fresh fruit salsa is paleo, gluten-free, and Whole30-friendly.

Can you make Mango Salsa ahead of time?

Yes, but I recommend not making it more than 1 day in advance, because it will not taste as fresh.

Can you use frozen mango?

No, the texture will be terrible. Save the frozen mangos for smoothies, and use fresh produce here.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Overhead View of Mango Salsa With Fresh Chopped Cilantro In Blue Bowl

Mango Salsa

Servings: 4 people
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
This Mango Salsa is light and refreshing, and can be eaten with chips, added to seared tropical fish like mahi mahi, chicken, and more. It’s simple to make and has tons of flavor! 
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Ingredients

  • 2 large mangos (3 cups chopped)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
  • juice of half a lime
  • salt

Instructions 

  • Peel the mangos, then cut around the pit in the middle. Cut the mangos into large chunks.
  • Place the mango chunks in a big bowl, then add the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
  • Taste and adjust the ingredients as needed. For example, if you have super sweet mangos, you may need to add extra lime juice to balance the sweetness.
  • Serve the salsa with tortilla chips, fish, chicken, and more. See more suggestions in the blog post. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make ahead instructions: Prepare the recipe in full and keep in the fridge. I recommend not making it more than 1 day in advance of serving, as it will start to lose its fresh and vibrant qualities.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing here because raw plant foods tend not to freeze well. The texture changes significantly.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 533mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 29g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Joanne Ozug

This post was originally published in March 2015, and updated in June 2018.