Fresh Mango Salsa with Lime and Cilantro

Name: Fresh Mango Salsa with Lime and Cilantro
Prep time: 21 min
Total time: 21 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 large (about 1¾ lb total) (800 g) ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into ⅜-inch (1 cm) dice, to give about 2½ cups (400 g) of fruit; ⅓ cup (50 g) red onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice, about ¼ of a medium onion; 1 medium (30 g) jalapeño, stem removed, seeds and white ribs removed, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons); ¼ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, washed, dried thoroughly and roughly chopped; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes, strained to remove seeds; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (3 g) honey, only if the mangoes are tart (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, juicy salsa of diced ripe mango, crisp red onion, a little jalapeño heat, lots of cilantro and fresh lime. It takes 20 minutes of chopping and needs no cooking. Serve it with tortilla chips, fish tacos or grilled chicken.

Prep: 21 min
Cook: —
Wait: 20 min
Total: 41 min
Makes: About 3 cups (720 ml), serves 6 as a dip or topping

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 large (about 1¾ lb total) (800 g) ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into ⅜-inch (1 cm) dice, to give about 2½ cups (400 g) of fruit
⅓ cup (50 g) red onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice, about ¼ of a medium onion
1 medium (30 g) jalapeño, stem removed, seeds and white ribs removed, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, washed, dried thoroughly and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes, strained to remove seeds
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (3 g) honey, only if the mangoes are tart (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large cutting board
Sharp chef's knife
Small bowl for soaking the onion
Fine-mesh strainer
Medium (2-quart / 2-liter) mixing bowl
Rubber spatula or large spoon

Steps

Before you start

Choose mangoes that give slightly when pressed and smell fruity at the stem end. Rock-hard mangoes taste sour and starchy. Very soft ones turn mushy when diced.
Squeeze the limes before you start. Roll each lime firmly on the counter first so it gives up more juice.
Wash and dry the cilantro well. Wet leaves turn slimy and dilute the salsa.
Wear gloves or wash your hands well after cutting the jalapeño, and keep your hands away from your eyes.

1
Soak the onion
- Dice the red onion into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Put it in a small bowl and cover with cold water.
- Leave it to soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
- This takes the harsh bite out of the onion.
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Ready when: The onion pieces look slightly translucent and smell milder.
Tip: Soaking the onion for 5–10 minutes keeps the salsa tasting fresh instead of sharp.
2
Dice the mango
- Stand a mango on its end with the stem pointing up.
- Slice down on either side of the flat pit to remove two large halves (the 'cheeks').
- Cut a ⅜-inch (1 cm) grid through the flesh of each cheek without cutting through the skin.
- Scoop the cubes into the mixing bowl with a large spoon.
- Cut the flesh left around the pit and dice it too.
- Repeat with the second mango.
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Ready when: You have about 2½ cups (400 g) of evenly sized cubes.
Tip: Work over the bowl so you catch the juice. It becomes part of the salsa.
3
Mince the jalapeño
- Cut the jalapeño in half lengthwise.
- Scrape out the seeds and white ribs with a small spoon.
- Slice the halves into thin strips, then cut across the strips to mince very finely, so nobody gets a big hot bite.
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Ready when: The pieces are about the size of a grain of rice, roughly 2 tablespoons in total.
Tip: For a milder salsa, use only half the jalapeño. For a hotter one, leave in a few seeds.
4
Chop herbs, squeeze limes
- Pile the dry cilantro leaves and tender stems on the board and chop roughly.
- Cut the limes in half and squeeze them until you have 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of juice.
- Pick out any seeds.
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Ready when: You have about ¼ cup chopped cilantro and 3 tablespoons juice.
Tip: Don't chop the cilantro too fine. Very fine pieces bruise and turn the salsa murky green.
5
Combine everything
- Drain the onion in a fine-mesh strainer and shake off the excess water.
- Add the onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the mango.
- Fold gently with a rubber spatula 8–10 times.
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Ready when: The ingredients are evenly mixed and the mango cubes are still distinct.
Tip: Fold gently. Stirring hard breaks up the mango and makes the salsa mushy.
6
Rest to blend flavors
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- The salt draws juice out of the mango and onion, and the flavors blend.
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Ready when: A little bright syrupy juice has collected at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Don't leave it more than about 2 hours before serving, or the mango softens.
7
Taste and adjust
- Stir the salsa and taste it with a chip or a spoon.
- If it tastes flat, add a pinch more salt.
- If it needs more brightness, add 1 teaspoon more lime juice.
- If the mango is tart, stir in ½ teaspoon honey.
- Taste again after stirring.
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Ready when: The salsa tastes balanced: sweet mango, tangy lime, a gentle heat and a savory finish.
Tip: Add salt a pinch at a time. It is easy to add but impossible to take out.
8
Serve
- Spoon the salsa into a serving bowl, including some of the juices.
- Serve it chilled or cool with tortilla chips, or spoon it over grilled fish, chicken or tacos.

Good to know

Tips

Use mangoes that are ripe but still firm enough to hold their shape when diced. Ataulfo (honey) mangoes are sweet and creamy. Tommy Atkins and Kent also work well.
Dice everything to a similar size, ⅜ inch (1 cm) or smaller, so every spoonful has a bit of each flavor.
To add some smoky depth, grill the jalapeño until lightly charred before mincing it.
Taste before serving and adjust the salt, lime and heat. Mango sweetness varies a lot from fruit to fruit.

Make ahead

"Dice the mango, onion and jalapeño up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate them in separate covered containers. Add the lime juice, cilantro and salt up to 1 hour before serving. Fully mixed salsa keeps well for a day, though the texture is best in the first 4 hours."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours (1 hour if outdoors above 90°F / 32°C). Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The salsa gets juicier and softer each day, so drain off excess liquid with a slotted spoon before serving. Freezer: not recommended, because the mango turns mushy when thawed. No reheating is needed. Serve it cold or cool."

Substitutions

ripe mangoes → Frozen mango chunks, thawed and well drained. Pat them dry with paper towels and dice them smaller. The texture will be softer than with fresh fruit.
red onion → Thinly sliced scallions (green onions), ¼ cup (25 g). They give a milder flavor and don't need soaking.
jalapeño → Serrano chile, or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Serrano is hotter, so use half a chile. Add the flakes a pinch at a time.
fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems → Fresh mint, or flat-leaf parsley. Use the same amount. Mint gives a cooler, sweeter flavor.