Fresh Mango Salsa (Naturally Paleo + Vegan!)

Fresh Mango Salsa – This mango salsa makes just about anything taste better! It’s the perfect blend of spicy and sweet. (Naturally gluten-free, vegan, and paleo)

I’ve been on a serious Tex-Mex kick lately, thanks to our summer heat. It’s so easy to pull together a tasty Tex-Mex dinner without heating up your kitchen, especially when you can use a few big flavor ingredients that don’t require any cooking. Today, I’m talking about MANGO SALSA. Because wow.

Mango salsa recipe is the perfect marriage of sweet, savory, and spicy. Whether it’s scooped up with chips (so good), spooned over fish tacos, spread on tostadas, or made into burrito bowls with yummy proteins, flavorful beans, rice, and veggies, this salsa is one of my favorite condiments ever.

Plus, it’s EASY. It only takes 6 ingredients to make amazing homemade mango salsa! Here’s what you’ll need to get started…

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MY FRESH MANGO SALSA:

• FRESH MANGO. This mango salsa recipe wouldn’t be possible without fresh mango! I like yellow mangos (also sold as Atulfo, champagne, or honey mangos) best, but red also works!
• RED ONION. A little finely minced red onion gives this mango salsa a savory spin. I love the balance of flavors it creates. I recommend a very fine mince so there aren’t any large chunks of onion.
• JALAPEÑO. For some kick and a little smokiness, I add fresh jalapeño. Start small, since you can’t tell from the outside whether a jalapeño will be spicy or mild. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
• CILANTRO. Fresh cilantro really turns this into salsa for me. I love the bright, fresh flavor. (If you’re not a cilantro fan, scroll down to the FAQ for some tips!)
• SALT. To balance the flavors between savory and sweet, I add a little salt. You can totally add this to taste, leaving it sweeter or dialing things up to more savory by adjusting the salt.
• LIME JUICE. Fresh lime juice ties everything all together. I do NOT recommend bottled lime juice, as it’s often bitter and doesn’t have the same lime flavor. You’ll just need 1/2-1 lime for this mango salsa recipe!
• OPTIONAL EXTRAS. I most often make mango salsa using just the ingredients above, but you can also add one of these yummy add-ins to mix things up…

3 YUMMY WAYS TO CHANGE UP THIS MANGO SALSA:

1. ADD A BIT OF CHILI OR CHIPOTLE POWDER. One easy way to add another layer of flavor to your mango salsa is to add a pinch of chili powder or chipotle chili powder.
2. ADD AVOCADO! I’d put avocados in anything, but they really are delicious added to this salsa. Mango salsa with avocado tastes especially awesome with chips or spooned over grilled chicken or fish tacos!
3. ADD RED BELL PEPPER. One of my other favorite ways to play with this salsa recipe is to add red bell pepper like I do in these vegan plantain burrito bowls. The pop of red is beautiful and it can be lovely in mango salsa.

NOW, LET’S USE IT! YUMMY WAYS TO EAT MANGO SALSA:

USE IT AS A DIP WITH SALTY TORTILLA CHIPS. Salty tortilla chips are CRAZY good with this mango salsa. For parties and get-togethers (remember those?), I love setting out a few different dips with chips–my guacamole, pico de gallo, and this mango salsa. People go crazy for this trio!

SCOOP IT ONTO TACOS. This fresh salsa is AMAZING on fish tacos. Warm tortillas, spice-rubbed fish, fresh crunchy slaw, creamy avocado, and spicy-sweet mango salsa is a DREAM pairing.

ADD IT TO BURRITO BOWLS OR TACO SALADS. Burrito bowls and taco salads are a regular staple at our house. Layer rice, charro beans or black beans, lettuce, veggies, and maybe some of your favorite proteins–honey-lime shrimp, sweet & spicy pork, salsa verde chicken, or beef carnitas, for instance–and top with some avocado and this mango salsa. Or, skip the rice and double up on the lettuce for a dynamite taco salad!

WRAP IT UP IN BURRITOS. Or, fold all those goodies into a flour tortilla and roll them up into next-level burritos.

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST MANGO SALSA:

TIP: CUT YOUR MANGOS SMALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE SMALLER! For the best consistency, I recommend dicing your mangos small (1/2″ or smaller) so they’re easy to scoop up with chips and don’t fall out of things like tacos as easily. Everything else will be minced fine so the flavors can distribute evenly.

TIP: HOW TO CUT A MANGO. If you’ve never cut a mango before, it can seem a bit intimidating. Don’t’ worry, it’s a lot easier than you think! I use this method for cutting mangos. A small, sharp knife can make this a lot easier!

WHAT KIND OF MANGOS ARE BEST FOR MANGO SALSA? My favorite variety of mango is yellow mangos (sometimes sold as Champagne, Atulfo, or honey mangos). I get them at Sprouts. They’re very sweet, less fibrous, and have smaller pits, so they’re easier to prep! Red mangos will absolutely work, too. Just use whatever is ripe!

I DON’T LIKE CILANTRO. WHAT ELSE CAN I USE? If cilantro isn’t your jam (I get it!) and you want to make your mango salsa without cilantro, you can skip it or add another layer of flavor with a few fresh chives, or a pinch of chili powder.

MAKE IT MILD! If you want mild mango salsa, I recommend removing the white ribs and seeds of your jalapeño before mincing it. A lot of the heat (the capsaicin oils) are in the ribs and seeds. Also: start small! You can always add more jalapeño if yours is mild, but it’s a lot more difficult to take it out!

MAKE IT SPICY! If you like spicy mango salsa, leave those ribs and seeds in your jalapeño. You can also add a second tablespoon of jalapeño, a little pinch of chipotle chili powder, or both for even more heat!

LOVE THIS MANGO SALSA? YOU MIGHT LOVE…

• The BEST Fish Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Slaw
• Our Ultimate Guide to Guacamole
• How to Make Pico de Gallo
• Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Mango Salsa
• Honey Lime Shrimp
• Mango Green Smoothie

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