Looking for a unique salsa recipe with the perfect combination of sweet and spicy flavors? This homemade mango habanero salsa is going to bring the heat. Hot habanero chilies and ripe mangoes pair up for the most flavorful fruit salsa you have ever tasted.
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Homemade salsa always tastes better, thanks to the fresh ingredients and the ability to adjust the seasonings to your preferred taste level. Try this mango salsa on sweet potato nachos or pollo asado.
📖Why This Recipe Works
When making a fruit-based salsa it is important to take into account both texture and sweetness.
- Fruits like mangos and peaches tend to be softer so when mixed with tomatoes you get a mushy dip. Not good. Instead, we add red bell peppers so you get a different type of sweetness and some crunch.
- To balance the sweetness, you add spicy habanero peppers and olive oil. The fat in the small amount of olive oil helps move the flavors around so you don't get big overly spicy bites mixed with mild ones.
That little splash makes this the best homemade mango habanero salsa.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Mango and habanero chili are obviously the stars of the show. For this recipe, I use 2 large mangos, if you use a different variety you may need to use up to 4 mangos.
- I typically use 1 habanero pepper but always buy two. Just in case it isn't as hot as I would like.
- I do not recommend substituting white onion in this recipe. The flavor is too strong for the delicate mango.
- You need to use fresh lime as this recipe uses both fresh lime juice and the zest of the lime.
💭 Variations
This flavorful salsa can be made with any fruit in place of the mango. You can try it with pineapple, peaches, or even cherries.
⏲️How to Make Spicy Mango Salsa
Making salsa is a relatively quick process with the longest time commitment is in the chopping of the ingredients. The most important trick to this recipe is getting the dice right on the different ingredients.
This is a chunkier salsa recipe, but certain items need to be bigger than others in order to achieve the perfect texture and to get all the flavors in one bite.
Chop the Ingredients
The mango will be the largest diced piece in the salsa. The pit of the mango is large and flat. Cut down lengthwise about one-third of the way towards the center. Repeat on the other side.
Use your knife to make a cross-hatch pattern. Turn the mango inside out and scrape out the flesh. Depending on how large the mango is you may need to dice it up more.
I highly recommend wearing gloves when mincing the pepper. Either latex gloves or kitchen gloves.
Combine
Add the remaining ingredients except for the cilantro into a large bowl and gently mix. It will have a brighter flavor if you add it right before serving.
Allow the salsa to sit at room temperature for one hour to develop the flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If you want a spicier salsa you can add jalapeno peppers or extra habanero at this time.
Stir in the cilantro and serve.
Expert Tip
I can't emphasize enough how small you need to cut the pepper! This is the only way to get the spice level consistent in every bite.
🥗How to Serve Mango Habanero Salsa
Your favorite tortilla chips are the obvious choice. This salsa recipe is great on chicken or shrimp tacos, in place of the pineapple salsa on my roasted salmon recipe, or serve it alongside lemongrass grilled pork.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
If you keep the salsa in a covered container, it will last 2-3 days in the fridge. It’s essential to keep it in an airtight container so the mango doesn't go bad.
More Salsa Recipes
Common Recipe Questions
Yes, you can substitute frozen mango for fresh in this recipe but then I recommend you blend it.
Absolutely- in fact, I recommend it when using frozen mango. Just give a few pulses.
Squeeze the mango gently, a ripe mango will give slightly. If it is hard as a rock the mango is not yet ripe and needs to sit for a few more days.
Place the mango in a brown paper bag, roll it shut, and store it at room temperature. Mangoes release an odorless gas that speeds up the ripening process.
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📖 Recipe Card
Mango Habanero Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 ripe mangos diced
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 1 habanero pepper deveined and very finely minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 lime zest and juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup cilantro minced
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients, except the cilantro, in a bowl. Stir well to evenly distribute the hot habanero pepper.2 ripe mangos, 1 red bell pepper, ½ red onion, 1 habanero pepper, 1 clove garlic, 1 lime, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Cover and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Stir in the cilantro, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, and serve.⅓ cup cilantro
Video
Notes
- Wearing kitchen gloves or a latex glove when chopping the habanero pepper is highly recommended.
- The pepper and the garlic should be finely minced to help evenly distribute the heat.
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