Emily Sweet juicy mango with jalapeño, red onion, cilantro and lime — the fresh salsa that makes fish tacos, grilled chicken and tortilla chips dramatically better in under 10 minutes.
There is a moment when you put a bowl of fresh mango salsa on the table and watch people reach for it before anything else. It happens every single time. The colour is extraordinary and the smell of fresh lime and cilantro and sweet mango is the kind of thing that makes everyone in the room suddenly very interested in the appetizer table.
This salsa takes ten minutes and zero cooking. You chop everything, squeeze lime over it, add salt and it is done. It works as a dip with tortilla chips, as a topping for fish tacos or shrimp tacos, spooned over grilled chicken or salmon, served alongside birria tacos or eaten straight from the bowl with a spoon which is what usually happens in my kitchen.
Fresh Mango Salsa
Sweet mango, jalapeño, red onion, lime and cilantro. Ready in 10 minutes. No cooking required.
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced small (about 2 cups)
- ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ red onion, finely diced
- 1 to 2 jalapeños, finely diced (seeds optional)
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of chili powder (optional)
- 1Dice the mango into small, even pieces. Aim for pieces about the size of a pea so every scoop on a chip gets a little of everything.
- 2Combine mango, red bell pepper, red onion and jalapeño in a bowl.
- 3Add lime juice and a generous pinch of salt. Toss everything together gently.
- 4Fold in the cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and lime. Add a pinch of chili powder if you want a little extra warmth.
- 5Rest for 5 minutes before serving. The salt draws out a little juice from the mango which makes everything saucier and brighter.
📝 Notes
The mango needs to be properly ripe for this to be really good. A ripe mango is slightly soft when pressed, smells fragrant at the stem end and gives a little when squeezed gently. An underripe mango is starchy and bland. Frozen mango, thawed and drained, works well year-round when fresh mango is not at its best.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This salsa is the kind of thing that improves literally everything it touches. It takes a simple piece of grilled fish from good to genuinely memorable. It makes store-bought chips feel like party food. It turns a basic taco into something that tastes restaurant-quality. And it takes less than ten minutes to make with no cooking involved.
Best Ways to Serve Mango Salsa
Serve with tortilla chips as a standalone dip. Spoon over fish tacos, shrimp tacos or grilled salmon. Use as a topping for grilled chicken, pork carnitas or birria tacos. Toss through a summer salad or serve alongside grilled corn for a full Mexican spread.
“I made this for a taco night and the salsa was completely gone before any of the taco shells were filled. We had to start the main course early.”
What You’ll Need
- Ripe mangoThe most important ingredient. The mango needs to be sweet and juicy for this salsa to sing. Ataulfo or Honey mangoes are the best variety when in season.
- Red bell pepperAdds sweetness, crunch and a beautiful red colour contrast against the orange mango. Green bell pepper is too bitter here.
- Red onionMore flavourful than white onion raw and gives a purple colour that makes the salsa visually stunning. Soak in cold water for 5 minutes if you find raw onion too sharp.
- Fresh lime juiceDo not use bottled. Fresh lime is bright and acidic in a way that brings the whole salsa together.
Helpful Tips
- ✓Dice everything to roughly the same size so every scoop on a chip or every bite on a taco gets a balanced mixture of all the ingredients.
- ✓Let the salsa rest for at least 5 minutes after making it. The salt draws liquid from the mango and the flavours meld together significantly in that short time.
- ✓If your red onion tastes too sharp or pungent, soak the diced pieces in cold water for 5 minutes then drain before adding to the salsa.
- ✓Add a diced avocado at the very end for a mango guacamole variation that is completely addictive served with chips.
Frequently Asked Questions
How ripe should the mango be?
Can I use frozen mango?
How long does mango salsa keep?
What can I serve this with?
Storage
🥣 Same Day
Best eaten fresh the day it is made while the mango is still firm and the lime is bright.
❄️ Refrigerator
Store covered for up to 2 days. The mango softens slightly and the salsa becomes juicier but stays delicious.
🚫 No Freezing
Do not freeze — mango becomes mushy when frozen and thawed and the texture of the salsa is ruined.
🥑 Add Avocado
Add diced avocado right before serving not in advance as it browns quickly. Stir in gently so it does not get mashed.
