Mango Avocado Salsa

This mango avocado salsa is a fresh and healthy appetizer perfect for tortilla chips and BBQ. It also works as a great topping for grilled seafood or tacos.

Ah, mango…

THE LADY. THE MYTH. THE LEGEND.

There’s just something so intoxicating about fresh, sweet mango.

I grew up eating my fair share of mango since my family is from the Caribbean. They taught me a meticulous and precise mango peeling and slicing method.

It’s done entirely in your hands (i.e. no cutting board necessary!). That means in the summertime, my hands are always dripping with sticky, orange mango juice.

Think of it like when you have a plate of ribs and your fingers are covered in bbq sauce. You’re unwilling to waste any that sweet flavor, right?

If you’re new to cooking with mango, here is a quick and handy guide from Real Simple on how to cut a mango.

How to choose the best mangoes and avocados?

All this is to say that I LOVE MANGO!

Whether it’s served fresh, with a squeeze of lime and chili or mixed into salsa, you really can’t go wrong with the ever alluring mango.

The key to making the best mango avocado salsa is choosing the ripest fruit. And contrary to popular belief, avocados are fruits.

So what should you look for when picking these fruits?

How to choose the best mangoes for this mango salad:

• SMELL THEM! Seriously. Pick them up in the store and sniff each end. It should smell sweet like candy.
• Gently push them: There should be some slight give but still firm enough that when you push your finger in it doesn’t leave a dent. P.S. If it does leave a dent, the mango is overripe. No need to toss it, just use those mangoes for homemade jam or smoothies.
• The smaller the better: I find that smaller mangoes tend to be sweeter. If you can find them, look for the Ataulfo (the skin is entirely orange) variety from Mexico. They’re never stringy or too firm. They have a really smooth texture, like butta!

How to choose the best avocados: Avocado can be a little tricky because most grocery stores stock them before they’ve fully ripened.

• Check the firmness: Choose one that still feels firm but has some slight give to it. If your finger easily pushes in and dents the avocado, it’s too ripe.
• Ripening unripe avocado: If you’ve searched through a tall heap of avocados and they all feel like rocks, you can still buy them if you:
  • Place the avocados in a bowl on your countertop with a banana. Bananas let off a natural gas that helps them ripen. In two days, your avocados should be good to go.
  • Put your avocados in a brown paper bag and leave them on the counter. The darkness and heat will ripen them. They’ll be ready to use in 1-2 days.
• Know when it’s ready to eat: The avocados are fully ripe if the skin comes off easily. However, if the skin is stuck on there and only comes off in small, broken bits, it’s not ripe yet.

What do you eat this mango avocado salsa with?

This mango avocado salad makes a great party starter for all your favorite dip fanatics.

You can also use this mango salsa as:

• Topping for baked salmon
• Salsa for shrimp tacos
• Topping for grilled chicken breast or thigh
• Dip for tortilla or plantain chips (try this and thank me later!)

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Mango Avocado Salsa

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5 from 1 vote

This mango avocado salsa is a fresh and healthy appetizer with tortilla chips. It also works as a great topping for grilled seafood or tacos.

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Appetizer, Snack

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time0 minutes

Chill time in the fridge1 hour

Servings4

Ingredients

• 1 fresh mango cut in even chunks (~1 cup chopped)
• 1 haas avocado, peeled and cut in even chunks
• 1/2 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1/2 lime, juice only
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt I use fine sea salt
• pinch black pepper freshly cracked is always the way to go!

Instructions

• Peel and chop the mangoes and avocados to even sized pieces and add them to a large glass or plastic bowl. (P.S. I wouldn't recommend using a metal bowl because it will change the flavor of the lime juice, making the salsa bitter).
• Add all of the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. Stir with a spatula until evenly combined.
• Refrigerate at least an hour before serving so that the flavors can soak. Enjoy!

Notes

If you like spicier foods, you can leave the seeds in the jalapeño when you chop it up; Be sure not to touch your eyes after chopping up the peppers though.

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