Serve this fresh mango pico de gallo recipe as a tasty dip or topping for chicken or fish. The sweet and spicy salsa tastes so good you may just eat it with a spoon!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Mango pico de gallo features ripe and juicy mango, jalapeño peppers, onion, tomato, and fresh lime juice to create a delicious side dish, topping, or garnish.
Where Does Mango Salsa Originate from?
The culinary expertise of combining raw vegetables and fruit for salsa can be traced back to pre-Columbian times in Central and South America. Salsa was a staple throughout history in Aztec, Mayan, and Incan cuisine.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Onion: I enjoy the sharpness of red onion, but you can replace them with green onion, shallot, or white onion.
- Jalapeño: When preparing salsa for a large gathering, jalapeños are my go-to since they tend to be less spicy, but Fresno chiles produce a similar result. Try serrano or habanero peppers if you want more heat.
- Lime: Include the lime zest and lime juice from two limes to flavor the mango pico de gallo.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil works alongside the citrus to balance the flavor of the dip.
- Cilantro: Finish the salsa with finely chopped fresh cilantro.
- Tomato: I use deseeded Roma tomatoes since they have less liquid than other varieties.
- Mangos: Ripe mangos produce the best results.
- Spices: Lightly season the mango salsa with salt and black pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
- I suggest using bell peppers instead of jalapeños if you think the salsa will be too spicy.
- The diced mango adds natural sweetness, but stir in a little agave nectar or honey for a sweeter dip.
- Add ingredients like chopped avocado, strawberries, pineapples, or black beans.
How to Make Mango Pico De Gallo
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Add onion, jalapeño pepper, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cilantro to a serving bowl, and stir to combine.
Step 2: Then, gently fold in the tomatoes and mangos, careful not to over mix. Then, store it in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving it for maximum flavor.
Expert Tips
- Chop the ingredients as finely and evenly as possible with a chef’s knife for the perfect bite, or use a vegetable chopper to reduce some of the work. The mango pieces will be slightly larger than the vegetables, but that’s okay.
- If you need help preparing the mangos for the salsa, check out these tips and tricks for how to cut a mango.
- Make the salsa at least 30 minutes ahead of time. Then, transfer it to the fridge until you are ready to eat for the best results; it is worth the wait!
How to Select a Ripe Mango
Ripe, not overly ripe, mangos work best for salsa recipes, and here’s how to find them!
- Appearance: Color is more of an indicator of the type of mango and has less to do with ripeness. Instead, look for a more rounded shape.
- Touch: The outside of the mango should feel soft but not mushy.
- Smell: A ripe mango will have a fruity aroma near the stem.
If you enjoy the dip, try more homemade salsa recipes!
Serving Suggestions
- Seafood: Blackened Mahi Mahi, Furikake Salmon, Ceviche de Camaron Tostada
- Chicken: Roasted Jerk Chicken, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Peruvian Chicken, Oven Baked Drumsticks, Quesadillas
- Beef: Burrito Bowls
- Tacos: Carne Asada Tacos, Jerk Shrimp Tacos, Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos, Black Bean Tacos
- Dippers: Tortilla Chips, Crackers, Pita Chips, Tostadas, Air Fried Plantains
What to do with the Leftovers
- How should I store the leftovers? If you end up with any leftovers (I highly doubt you will), the mango pico de gallo will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container.
Mango Pico De Gallo
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- lime juice, 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 Roma tomato, deseeded, and finely diced
- 3 mangos, peeled and chopped
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, coarse ground, to taste
- Add onion, jalapeño pepper, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cilantro to a serving bowl, and stir to combine.
- Then, gently fold in the tomatoes and mangos, careful not to over mix. Then, store it in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving it for maximum flavor.
- Chop the ingredients as finely and evenly as possible with a chef’s knife for the perfect bite, or use a vegetable chopper to reduce some of the work. The mango pieces will be slightly larger than the vegetables, but that’s okay.
- If you need help preparing the mangos for the salsa, check out these tips and tricks for how to cut a mango.
- Make the salsa at least 30 minutes ahead of time. Then, transfer it to the fridge until you are ready to eat for the best results; it is worth the wait!
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.