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Habanero Mango Salsa

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This Habanero Mango Salsa is a little sweet, a little spicy, and perfect as a dip for chips or as a topping for tacos, chicken, or fish.
Servings: 2 cups
Total Time: 15 minutes
mango salsa in a bowl with a side of chips and a drink.

It’s almost spring which means enjoying more margaritas with chips and salsa. Tomato-based salsas are great but there are so many other types of salsas such as our Habanero Mango Salsa. This mango salsa recipe is more than just salsa – it’s perfect as a topping for baked fish or chicken, on shrimp tacos, or even as an addition to quinoa salad.

mango salsa in a bowl with a side of chips and a drink.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions


You really only need a handful of ingredients for fresh mango salsa. With so many ingredient options, you can add a few of your own favorites (or leave one of ours out) to make your own customized version. For our version we include:

The full ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

  • Mangos: Any variety of mango can be used but look for mangos that are ripe but not overly rip. They should be soft to the touch like an avocado but not mushy. You can also use pre-cut or sliced mangos if you can find them at your local grocery store.
  • Red Peppers: These peppers won’t add any heat but will add crunch. We prefer the flavor of red bell pepper but you can sub out yellow or green.
  • English Cucumbers: This may seem like an odd ingredient but they are cool, refreshing, and slightly sweet which balances out the peppers.
  • Red Onion: Besides adding a pop of color they also add crunch. You can substitute pickled red onions if you are not a fan of raw onions. I would avoid substituting white or yellow onion which can over power the salsa.
  • Habanero Peppers (with seeds removed): Closely related to a Scotch bonnet pepper, habanero peppers are spicy but they are not the hottest pepper available. You will want to remove the seeds and stems to reduce the amount of heat and also wear gloves when handling or immediately wash your hands after cutting. Jalapeño peppers are a great substitute and not as hot. If you want an even milder pepper use a poblano. It will give you great flavor without all the spice.
ingredients for mango salsa.

How to Serve Mango Salsa


There are so many options for serving spicy mango salsa, and it will bring a fresh flavor to whatever you decide to add it to. These are some of our go-to options:

  • As a dip with chips or pita
  • On top of baked or grilled fish
  • As a topping on baked or grilled chicken
  • As a condiment on fish tacos
  • With quinoa or rice
  • In a burrito bowl
  • As a topping for fajitas

How to Make Mango Habanero Salsa


Here are the quick step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions with the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.

Pro-tip: Mango salsa is best served fresh so make it the day you plan on enjoying it. Also, make sure your mangos are ripe to get the most flavor. Unriped mangos can be bland.

1. Dice Habanero Pepper: There are a couple of options for dicing a habanero -my hand or with a mini-food processor.

  • To dice habanero by hand wear gloves or immediately your hands after handling. Using a cutting board and sharp knife, cut the pepper in half and remove the stem and seeds then dice the pepper. Discard the stem and seeds and throughly clean the cutting board and knife.
  • To dice habanero using a food processor. Remove the stem and seed then place the pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the habanero is very finely diced. Discard the stem and seeds and throughly clean the food processor to remove any of the oil residue left behind by the pepper.
habanero peppers being diced on a wooden cutting board.

2. Cut the Mango: Mangos have a long flat seed in the middle so cut vertically along each side just past the seed. Using knife score the mango flesh without breaking the skin. With a large spoon remove the flesh out by detaching it from the skin.

3. Combine Ingredients: In a serving bowl, combine the mango, red pepper, English cucumber, red onion, and finely diced habanero along with fresh lime juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper then gently toss. Top with cilantro.

4. Enjoy: Chill for at least 10 minutes then serve as a dip with your favorite tortilla chips or as a topping for fish, chicken, or tacos.

mango salsa in a bowl with a side of chips and a drink.

Make-Ahead and Storage


Make-Ahead: The salsa can be made up to a day in advance but the mangos will release additional juice and become softer.

How to Store: Leftover mango salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe Tips and Notes


  • Use ripe mangos to get the full juicy, sweet freshness of the fruit.
  • Mangos have a big oval-shaped seed in the middle which is inedible. In addition to the method in the directions you can also cut a mango by first peeling it and then cutting the mango into four large pieces around the seed. You can then slice and dice these pieces of mango easily on a cutting board.
  • Mango salsa leftovers can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for 3 days. Note: the mangos will soften over time changing the texture of the salsa.

Frequently Asked Questions


What’s the difference between mango salsa and mango chutney?

Salsa is made from raw fruits and/or vegetables. Chutney is also usually made from fruits and/or vegetables but it is typically blended and cooked.

shrimp tacos topped with creamy cilantro avocado dressing

More Salsa & Dip Recipes to Try


Looking for more salsa and dip recipes? Try these other favorites:

  • Jicama Corn Black Bean Salad – A light, bright, and refreshing appetizer with chips or side dish. It’s quick and easy to make and packed with nutrition.
  • Easy Pico de Gallo – A classic Mexican condiment made with tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice.  It is perfect for topping tacos, nachos, fish, and so much more.
  • Tzatziki Sauce Made with Greek Yogurt – Made from Greek yogurt and is perfect for veggies, pita chips, gyros, sandwiches, grilled proteins, and so much more.

Let’s Connect! If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Casual Epicure, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are considering making our recipes and we love hearing about your cooking experiences. And if you snapped some shots, share them on Instagram, and be sure to tag @casual.epicure so we can feature them in our stories.

mango salsa in a bowl with a side of chips and a drink.

Habanero Mango Salsa

Posted by Melissa
This Habanero Mango Salsa is a little sweet, a little spicy, and perfect as a dip for chips or as a topping for tacos, chicken, or fish.
5 from 1 vote

This recipe may contain paid affiliate sales links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclaimer policy for details.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 2 cups
Calories 49 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 1 ½ cups fresh mango, cut into small cubes
  • ¼ cup red pepper, diced
  • ½ cup English cucumber, diced
  • ¼ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 habanero pepper, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • â…› tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup cilantro. chopped

Instructions 

  • In a serving bowl, combine the mango, red pepper, English cucumber, red onion, and habanero.
  • Add the lime juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper then gently toss. Top with cilantro
  • Chill for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

1. Level of heat: if you prefer a less spicy salsa then chose a less spicy pepper such as jalapeno or poblano peppers.
2. Other ingredients to consider in your mango salsa: tomatoes,  pineapple, banana peppers, bell peppers, avocado, black beans, corn,  zucchini, and parsley. 
3. Options for serving mango salsa: with chips or pita, on top of baked or grilled fish or chicken,  as a condiment on tacos, with quinoa or rice, in a burrito bowl, with fajitas.
4. Tips for dicing habanero peppers:
  • To dice habanero by hand wear gloves or immediately your hands after handling. Using a cutting board and sharp knife, cut the pepper in half and remove the stem and seeds then dice the pepper. Discard the stem and seeds and throughly clean the cutting board and knife.
  • To dice habanero using a food processor. Remove the stem and seed then place the pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the habanero is very finely diced. Discard the stem and seeds and throughly clean the food processor to remove any of the oil residue left behind by the pepper.
5. Nutritional information: The nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. The nutritional value is only for the mango salsa and does not include the nutritional value of anything served with the mango salsa. It does not include the nutrition for any substitutions.
6. Be sure to check out the Key Ingredients along with the Recipe Tips and Notes sections found in the post, for more tips, options, substitutions, and variations for this recipe! You will also find step-by-step photos there.
Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 409mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 202mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 6mg
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Update Notes: This post was originally published on March 11, 2022, but was republished with new photos, instructions, tips, and FAQs in August of 2023.

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