This fresh Mango Salsa is not messing around! My recipe for purists. No tomato, no bell pepper, no funny business. We are focusing on the sweetness of the mango itself, plus a few supporting ingredients that bring spice and flavor: lime zest and juice (super important!), jalapeño, cilantro, and red onion. It’s so simple. I eat it by the bowlful!

A bowl of fresh mango salsa with diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, garnished with lime wedges and served with tortilla chips.

I hope your summer is finishing off as happily as ours is! Today specifically looks rosy because I have a bowl of this Mango Salsa and a whole bag of chips in front of me (nothing says “summer” more than that, right?), but on top of that I have Big News. The UNTHINKABLE has happened!!

After 18 years of being united solidly on team “Pets Are Not For Us,” Eric and I got the kids a puppy. A PUPPY, GUYS!!! I am still dazed and confused over here!

Four children stand outdoors with backpacks; one girl in the center is holding a small brown puppy. They are smiling and surrounded by greenery.

Isn’t he the cutest? Have you ever seen a happier bunch of kids?? This was taken on the first day of school (yes, already, boo. But we can handle anything now that there are puppy snuggles to be had!!)

Never has my heart melted so much for a being with four paws. I am not much of an animal person, guys. But I think I’m having a change of heart! I mean just LOOK at him! He’s like a tiny teddy bear!

The kids are absolutely obsessed with him. We are having so much fun playing fetch outside, teaching him to sit, cleaning messes off my favorite rug…oh wait. That part is less cool.

A close-up of mango salsa with diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and a hand holding a tortilla chip ready to scoop some.

But hey, he’s a smart dog, I’m sure we will get there in the end right?? Someone please tell me yes?? He’s a Border Cavapoo, so practically Einstein pup over here. (At least that’s what they told me. This dog literally chews on rocks though, so I don’t know if I believe them…)

His name is Totoro, after a Japanese movie from the 80s. Have you heard of it? My whole family is obsessed with Studio Ghibli films. If you haven’t seen My Neighbor Totoro, go watch it! It’s such a geat family movie. Make a big bowl of this mango salsa to chow on while you watch!

A close-up of a bowl filled with vibrant mango salsa, featuring diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and green peppers, with a lime wedge partially visible in the corner.

Mango salsa for purists

Imagine the ripest, juiciest, sweetest mango, chopped up bite size, with all the perfect salsa aromatics: jalapeno, red onion, cilantro…and that’s IT. I’m a mango salsa purist. No bell pepper. No tomato. No beans or anything weird like that. JUST. MANGO.

I love to let the mango shine! Just give it to me straight. Make every bite mango heaven. I feel like other “main” ingredients like tomato or bell pepper just dilute the mango flavor. All you need is some lime, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro.

Mango is sweet like candy, and when you plug it into a salsa it’s truly something special. Grab a bag of Juanitas (the best brand of tortilla chips on the planet, I will die on this hill) and go to town.

A hand with polka dot nail art holds a tortilla chip topped with fresh mango salsa, featuring diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and green peppers.

Why do you even need Mango salsa

It’s a fair question, when Pico de Gallo exists. But hear me out.

Besides eating it with a spoon or chips poolside, it also makes an amazing garnish for basically any protein.

Protein topper: Take any protein (chicken, tilapia, salmon, steak) sear it until it’s hot and juicy, then top it with this Mango Salsa. Instantly elevated! A great addition to any Mexican style meal.
Add it to your burrito or taco situation
Top off these Green Enchiladas
Serve as a side with these Mexican Black Beans, the recipe I posted last week.

The options are endless, of course. My favorite meal this summer has been this Chili Lime Salmon topped with fresh mango salsa. ↓ Here’s a sneak peak! The recipe will be posted next Thursday.

A plate with grilled salmon topped with mango salsa, served over green rice, with black beans, crumbled cheese, cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Essential ingredients

The ingredient list for this salsa is pretty short. Here are the stars!

Mango, of course! For the best salsa, we’re looking for goldilocks mango. Not too green, but not over ripe either. Give it a squeeze, it should be soft but not mushy.
Fresh lime zest and juice will make or break your salsa! It cuts through the sweetness of the mango and honey, and adds that perfect level of acidity you need. Don’t skip it!
The perfect salsa trio: onion, cilantro, and jalapeño! For this salsa we’re using red onion, which is milder than yellow or white and perfect for using raw. Cilantro and jalapeño should be added following your heart. :)

How to make mango salsa

Here is the line up! So simple.

Three mangoes, a red onion, cilantro, a lime, a jalapeño, a salt container, ground cumin, pepper grinder, and a bottle of wildflower honey on a white surface.

Start by zesting up your limes. Don’t skimp here! Lime zest is where it’s AT for this recipe. It brings a really important punch of flavor! If you haven’t bought yourself a microplane grater yet, now is your chance. It’s my favorite kitchen tool!!

Top: A bowl with lime zest, a zester, and a lime. Bottom: A bowl with lime juice and zest mixed together.

Add in a touch of honey and a little pinch of salt.

Two images: a bowl with liquid and green zest, a spoon pouring in yellow liquid above it; a hand adds white powder from a spoon into the same bowl, next to a gray spatula.

And don’t forget to add the cumin and black pepper. We are going light on the spices, to let the sweetness of the mango shine, but I love a little cumin with my salsa to give it that earthy, deep flavor. It’s the most amazing combo.

A glass bowl with oil, lime zest, ground pepper, a brown spice, and a green herb mixture on a marble surface, ready to be mixed.

Now, remove the membranes from your jalapeño unless you like it screamin’ hot. My neighbor brought me some bounty from her garden the other day and there was a box of jalapeños. But she told me that some of them were jalapeños, and some of them were “no-lapeños,” meaning they look exactly the same but aren’t spicy at all. Talk about a roulette situation!!

Top: A jalapeño pepper cut in half with seeds visible on a wooden board next to a knife. Bottom: One jalapeño half being deseeded using a small knife, with a chefs knife and seeds nearby.

I didn’t take any chances and cut out the membrane and seeds, which is where most of the spicy part is. Chop it up and toss it in the bowl.

Sliced green chili peppers on a cutting board with a knife, and chopped peppers mixed in a bowl with oil and seasonings.

Now chop up about 1/4 of a red onion. Chop it small!! I don’t know about you, but I really appreciate a finely diced onion in a salsa, so that I don’t wind up with a huge piece of onion on my chip.

A hand holds a piece of red onion on a cutting board in the top image. The bottom image shows finely chopped red onion next to a kitchen knife on the same board.

Add it all to the bowl.

A glass bowl with finely chopped red onion, chopped green jalapeño, and a pool of greenish liquid on a white surface.

Now grab your mangos, dosey doe. Here’s how I like to chop them:

Turn it upright and chop slightly off-center, so that you are as close as possible to the pit in the middle. Slice right along the edge of the pit.

Two images show a mango being sliced on a wooden cutting board; the first image shows the knife partway through, and the second shows one mango half separated from the pit.

Repeat on the other side. Then slice the mango like this, but DON’T cut through the peel.

Two images show hands cutting a mango: the first image shows lengthwise slices, and the second shows crosswise cuts creating a grid pattern on the mango flesh, all on a wooden cutting board.

Repeat in a grid pattern like this. See how tiny these pieces are? It’s a salsa with little bits, so if you have huge chunks of mango, it’s less of a salsa experience. Small pieces fit better on a chip.

Then scoop it out with a spoon!

Two images show a person using a spoon and a knife to remove diced mango cubes from the peel on a wooden cutting board. The mango is vibrant yellow and freshly cut.

Use a knife to get every last bit. No sharp knives, a butter knife will do great! Don’t hurt yourself!

Add it all in:

Two images of a glass bowl: first shows chopped mango, red onion, and herbs; second shows the same, now mixed with chopped cilantro and a spoon inside.

And don’t forget the cilantro! It’s the BEST flavor combo. All you cilantro haters, you can leave it out! Or you could try basil, but I wouldn’t do parsley or dill myself. (unless you love that idea!) Although maybe thyme would be good!?

A glass bowl filled with vibrant mango salsa, featuring diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, with a spoon resting inside.

Just look at this delicious mess. Oooh it’s so good! I hope you get to try this soon!

What to eat with mango salsa

Give me a big ol’ bag of tortilla chips and this salsa, and no other food needs to exist for a while. It’s sooo good! But besides just straight up snacking, it makes an excellent condiment on so many things. Here are some of my favorites!

Coming soon…Chili Lime Blackened Salmon! Check back next week because this salmon is 100% my favorite entree to have alongside this mango salsa
Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe >> I love this chicken. It’s SO easy (6 ingredients!) and everyone loves it
Cuban Roasted Mojo Pork >> some of the best meat I’ve ever had, and would definitely go with the tropical mango flavor in this salsa
How to Make Carne Asada >> for a fun twist, try this mango salsa on top of you carne asada tacos instead of normal pico de gallo

How to store leftovers

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salsa will stay good for 3-4 days, but the quality does go down with each passing day, so I recommend getting to your leftovers quickly. You can also share with neighbors (who will love you) or try cutting the recipe in half if you’re worried you’ll have too much!

Definitely do not try to freeze mango salsa. It’s a fresh salsa and will turn into mush after the freezing and thawing process. Just no.

A glass bowl filled with vibrant mango salsa made of diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and lime wedges, sits next to a striped towel and more lime slices.

More amazing toppings and dips to love

A good condiment is the icing on the cake of a good meal. Does that even make sense?! These are some of my favorite, most often made and eaten toppings for our meals!