Mango Salsa
Published Jun 22, 2026
This easy mango salsa recipe is made with avocado, red onion, jalapeño, and lime. Ready in 15 minutes with no cooking, and great with chips or fish.
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This fresh mango salsa is what I make when I’m grilling fish or shrimp and want something to spoon on top (If you like fish tacos, this salsa is chef’s kiss on top!), but I also make it just as a “plain” mango salsa served in a bowl surrounded by chips. I usually double the batch, because between snacking on it while I cook and serving it at dinner, a single batch never makes it to the table without a huge dent in it.
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Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this mango salsa recipe.
When I was testing this mango salsa recipe, a few small things made the difference between batches I liked and batches I didn’t.
Chop size: I diced the mango about the same size as the avocado (a little under ¼ inch cubes), and that ended up being the right call. When I diced everything super small, I felt like the flavors of the mango and the avocado got lost, so I went with the chunkier version.
Spice level: To make it faster, my first batch had the jalapeño seeds and ribs left in, and it was a lot, almost too much for my kids to get through. When I took the seeds out, it had the right heat without overpowering the salsa.
Storage: I had leftovers of one batch and let it sit in the fridge for a day, and it got watery at the bottom of the bowl. So if you’re making it ahead of time, I wouldn’t do more than 24 hours.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Mango Salsa Ingredients
- Mangoes: Use ripe mangoes that give slightly when you press them. If they’re still hard, they’ll taste more tart and won’t dice as cleanly. Cut them about the same size as the avocado so every bite gets a little of both. For help, see my tips on how to cut a mango.
- Avocado: Use one that’s ripe but still has a little firmness for this mango salsa recipe, not one that’s soft and mushy, or it breaks down once you start tossing everything together. Cut it last and add it right before you mix, since it browns faster than anything else in the bowl. If you’re prepping ahead, keep it separate and stir it in right before serving. For help, see my tips on how to cut an avocado.
- Red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro: Dice the red onion small so it doesn’t take over every bite. For the jalapeño, remove the seeds and ribs if you want it mild, or leave some in if you want more heat. Chop the cilantro right before mixing so it stays bright, and if it’s not your thing, swap in the same ¼ cup of chopped flat-leaf parsley instead.
- Lime juice and salt: Use fresh lime juice instead of bottled, since it’s really the only acid in this recipe, and bottled juice tastes flat. Salt to taste once everything is mixed in, since how sweet your mangoes are will change how much you actually need.
How to Make Mango Salsa
These photos give you a quick visual on how this mango salsa comes together, since there are really only two steps. The full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below, or you can jump straight to the → Mango Salsa Recipe
1. Add Mango Salsa Ingredients to Bowl
Dice the mango and avocado, and place them in a bowl with the finely diced red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and salt.
2. Toss Everything Together until Combined
Pour the lime juice over the top, then use a big spoon to fold everything together gently until the mango and avocado are evenly coated.
Full Fresh Mango Salsa Recipe
Mango Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe mangoes diced
- 1 avocado diced
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño finely diced, deseeded
- 1 lime juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium serving bowl, combine the mangoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and salt. Toss until everything is evenly mixed.
- Serve right away, or refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge before serving so the lime juice has time to mellow the red onion, but no longer than that, or it starts to get watery.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The avocado will brown as it sits; it’s still fine to eat, just give it a stir and a fresh squeeze of lime before serving again. I don’t recommend freezing this one, since the texture won’t hold up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add corn. Stir in ½ cup of grilled corn or thawed frozen corn kernels for crunch and a little sweetness.
- Add black beans. Mix in ½ cup of drained, rinsed black beans to bulk it up into more of a topping for bowls or wraps.
- Add cucumber. ¼ cup of finely diced English cucumber keeps it lighter and adds extra crunch.
Recipe Tips
- Let it rest, but not too long. About 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge gives the lime juice time to mellow the red onion and pull the flavors together. Past that, the salsa starts to release liquid and gets watery.
- Fold gently instead of stirring hard. If you mix too aggressively, the avocado breaks down and this mango salsa recipe turns more into a chunky guacamole than a salsa with distinct pieces.
Serving Ideas
- Serve it with fish. I make this mango salsa most often to spoon over grilled fish, since the sweetness against the smoky char is seriously soo good. Try it with my Grilled Mahi Mahi, Salmon Tacos, or Air Fryer Salmon.
- Spoon it over shrimp. My Grilled Shrimp Tacos and Shrimp Skewers are a good match here.
- Scoop it up as a mango salsa dip. If I’m setting this out for a crowd, I just put out a bowl with tortilla chips, Homemade Pita Chips, or serve it alongside Sheet Pan Nachos.
Troubleshooting
This usually happens when the mango or avocado is very ripe and juicy, or when the salsa sits too long before serving. Salt also pulls extra liquid out of the onion and jalapeño the longer it sits. If you’re making it ahead, hold off on the salt and lime juice until closer to serving time, and drain off any liquid that collects at the bottom of the bowl.
Avocado oxidizes fast once it’s cut, so if it sits too long without enough lime juice coating it, it starts to brown. Toss everything together as soon as the avocado goes in so the lime juice coats every piece. Homemade mango salsa like this one will still brown faster than something with an oil-based dressing holding it together, so give leftovers a stir before serving again.
