This mango salad is bursting with juicy mango chunks, along with avocado, red peppers, cucumbers and fresh herbs in a tangy lime dressing. Delicious as a side dish, or serve it over greens for a refreshing main dish!
Mangoes are, in my humble opinion, one of the most delicious foods on earth, which is pretty amazing because they grow on trees. Nature is amazing, isn't it?!
And while mangoes are available pretty much all the time, I find that the really good ones tend to come in spurts throughout the year. One of those spurts seems to be happening now!
So I'm making the best of things and incorporating sweet, juicy mangoes into as many meals as possible, starting with this mango salad.
This salad includes lots of flavors and textures that really complement mangoes, from the zippy lime dressing, to the crispy cucumbers and creamy avocado. I've been enjoying it as a side dish alongside some of my favorite summer main dishes like veggie burgers, but you could also pile it on top of greens and add some protein like marinated tofu to make a meal of it.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Lime juice. Make sure you use freshly squeezed juice to give your dressing the best flavor.
- Maple syrup. Another liquid sweetener such as agave could be substituted if needed.
- Olive oil. This enhances the flavor, but you can leave it out if you prefer to cook without oil.
- Salt.
- Mango. Make sure you're using ripe mangoes. Not sure how to identify one? Check out this detailed guide. I also recommend choosing a variety with smooth flesh so it's easy to dice. Ataulfo and Kent mangoes are both great choices!
- Red bell pepper.
- Red onion.
- Cucumber.
- Avocado. This needs to be ripe as well, bot not overripe to the point where it's mushy. A firm-ripe avocado will hold up when diced and stirred in with the rest of the ingredients.
- Fresh herbs. We're using fresh basil, mint, and cilantro.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Start by mixing up your dressing. Stir together lime juice, maple syrup, olive oil and salt in a small container such as a liquid measuring cup.
- Add diced mango, bell pepper, onion, cucumber and avocado to a large mixing bowl. Finely chop your herbs and add them as well.
Tip: If you often find onion to be an overpowering addition to salads, simply soak your diced onion in some cold water for 10 minutes and then drain it before adding it do the salad. This will reduce some of the bite.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, then toss the ingredients to mix everything up.
- Taste-test the salad and adjust any flavors to suit your taste. This might mean adding more salt, lime juice, or maple syrup.
- Serve your mango salad and enjoy!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover mango salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The avocado may start to turn brown. This can be avoided by using an avocado that's just barely ripe.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is!
Slice a slab off of the side of your mango, then cut a grid into the inner flesh of the slice. Then use a spoon to remove the mango cubes from the skin. See a visual guide in my mango salsa recipe.
Mangoes are generally available year-round, but I find the best varieties for making salad with are abundant in the summer.
More Mango Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Fresh Mango Salad with Avocado
Ingredients
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cups diced ripe mango, about 2 large or 4 small mangoes
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup diced red onion (Note 1)
- 1 cup diced cucumber (about ½ of a medium cucumber)
- 1 just-ripe avocado, diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Stir the lime juice, maple syrup, oil and salt together in a small container such as a liquid measuring cup.
- Place the mango, pepper, onion, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, mint and basil into a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the lime mixture into the bowl and toss the ingredients to mix and coat everything with dressing.
- Taste-test the salad and adjust any seasonings to taste.
- Serve or place in a sealed container and chill for later.
Video
Notes
- Optionally, you can soak your diced onion in some cold water for 10 minutes then drain it. This will mellow the flavor and reduce the bite.
- Recipe makes about 6 cups.
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Wow, loved all the flavors! And paired this with the linked sesame tofu on top of a bed of greens as suggested. Definitely a great summer dish!