Mango Habanero Salsa Recipe
This vibrant, sweet, and spicy Mango Habanero Salsa Recipe is easy and quick to make. Its fresh and bold flavors are a refreshing change from traditional tomato salsa. Fresh lime juice and ripe mangoes tossed with spicy habanero peppers, onions, and spice are the perfect combination and make a truly refreshing, but still spicy salsa.
Sometimes you just need to mix things up!
I do love my traditional salsa and guacamole with tortilla chips but after fifty (mumble mumble) years, I was ready to try something new.
And now, I have only one thing to say…why did I wait so long for a fresh mango salsa?!
I tend to be a traditionalist…I like what I like. But the downside of that is that I sometimes miss out on certain foods because I tend to make the same things.
This Habanero Mango Salsa Recipe is a perfect example; it took the stars aligning just so for me to try it. And now, I love it. No joke, I eat this fruit salsa by the spoonful! That is something I don’t do with traditional tomato salsa…for what that’s worth!
Table of Contents
If you are preparing this Habanero Mango Salsa for a Latin-inspired meal, then you really must include my dad’s famous Margarita recipe (famous because it is fresh and delicious and always one of the most popular recipes on the blog!) It is hands down the best Margarita. The only downside is that you will henceforth be a Margarita Snob!
So, let’s talk about Hot Peppers
If you aren’t familiar with the Scoville Scale, in a nutshell, it is a universal measurement of the heat of peppers developed by American pharmacist, Wilbur Scoville. Scoville Heat Units (SHU) are the measurement used by the scale. SHU represents how many times the capsaicin in the pepper needs to be diluted by sugar water so that it is barely detectable.
At the one end of the Scoville Heat Scale you have bell peppers and pimento which measure in the 0 – 100 SHU range. At the opposite end of the scale, you have your very hot and spicy peppers, like Carolina reaper and Law Enforcement pepper spray, which clock in at the 1,500,000 – 3,000,000 SHU range.
Fiery habanero peppers falls in the 150,000 to 350,000 SHU range…so…Hot! But, not 🔥🚒🔥HOT🔥🚒🔥!!!
I like hot food, but not uncomfortably hot foo; I don’t like my sinuses to seize up and break out in a sweat, which I know some people (my son) seem to enjoy. One habanero pepper, on the small side, is what I used in my Mango Habanero Salsa, but feel free to add more.
If you are looking for something a little milder, consider swapping out the habanero for a serrano pepper (10,000 – 25,000 SHU) or jalapeño pepper (2,500 – 10,000 SHU).
I am able to find all the ingredients at my local grocery store. If yours doesn’t carry habanero peppers, experiment with another pepper and make it your own version!
Handling Hot Peppers
Always Wear Rubber Gloves when chopping habaneros, or any hot peppers. The oil from the peppers is not easily washed off your hands, although an oil-cutting dish soap or rubbing alcohol can cut through it.
Fresh or Frozen Mango for this Mango Habanero Salsa?
This recipe works well with either fresh or frozen mango. Just thaw your mango before dicing it.
In fact, the entire recipe freezes well after it is all mixed up! Just store it in an airtight container.
Don’t have Mango?
I like the tropical flavor that fresh mango brings to this salsa. As such, I can easily see swapping out or adding in other tropical fruits like pineapple or kiwi. My only suggestion would be to keep the dice small and similarly sized.
Other Substitutions
My husband doesn’t like bell peppers, otherwise, I would add some diced red bell pepper for added color and crunch to this spicy mango salsa. I’d start with about two tablespoons of the red pepper, the same quantity as the onion.
Easily Double or Triple this Flavorful Mango Habanero Salsa
If you do decide to double or triple it, consider using a small food processor to chop up your Habanero pepper. I don’t have a food processor small enough for just a single pepper, but multiple peppers would chop well in a small food processor.
Dicing Tip
While this is a chunky salsa, I caution you to not make it too chunky. Aim for small dice, like no more 1/2″. You want to be able to get a few chunks of this flavorful salsa on your tortilla chips without them being so big that they fall off.
Our Favorite Ways to Enjoy this Homemade Mango Habanero Salsa
Of course, it is great scooped up with your favorite tortilla chips. I am particularly fond of the combination of salty chips with the sweet flavor of mangos.
It is excellent on top of fish tacos, grilled fish or grilled chicken. The fresh flavor of the salsa really complements grilled or blackened chicken and fish recipes.
We mix it with black beans as a salad or a taco filling.
Mango Habenero Salsa Questions and Answers
Absolutely! You can reduce the heat by using fewer habanero peppers or substituting them with milder peppers like serrano or jalapeño. Removing the seeds and membranes from the peppers also lessens the heat.
Yes, you can use frozen mango instead of fresh mango for the Mango Habanero Salsa. Before using the frozen mango, make sure to thaw it completely. Leave it in the refrigerator overnight or place the mango in a bowl at room temperature for a few hours. Frozen mango might release more water than fresh mango as it thaws. Drain any excess liquid to avoid a watery salsa.
The texture of frozen mango may be slightly softer than fresh mango after thawing. This shouldn’t significantly impact the salsa, but the chunks might not be as firm. Use the same amount of frozen mango as you would fresh. Once thawed and drained, measure it to match the recipe’s requirement.
The salsa should keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The flavors will meld and intensify a bit over time.
Yes, this salsa can be frozen. Store it in a freezer-safe container. It should last for up to three months. However, note that the texture may change slightly upon thawing.
This salsa is great with tortilla chips, over grilled chicken or fish, as a topping for tacos, or mixed with black beans for a hearty salad.
Yes, this salsa is quite healthy. Mangoes are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, while the capsaicin in habanero peppers has been linked to health benefits like pain relief and reduced inflammation.
Lime juice is preferred for its distinct flavor, but if you don’t have it on hand, lemon juice can be a decent substitute. The taste will be slightly different but still delicious.
Peel the mango and slice off the flesh from around the seed. Then, chop the flesh into small, even dice to ensure consistency in the salsa.
Look for mangoes that are slightly soft to the touch and have a fragrant aroma. They should be a little yielding but not overly mushy.
Yup! Not only is it gluten-free, but it is vegetarian and vegan.
Mango Habanero Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped mango 1/2″ dice (defrosted from frozen or from 2 fresh mangoes)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons very finely chopped onion yellow, sweet or red onion
- 1 habanero pepper very finely chopped (see notes)
- Zest from half of a lime
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and lightly toss.
Notes
Nutrition
Bookmark this page or pin the following image to refer back to this Chunky Mango Habanero Salsa Recipe in the future.
Thanks so much for spending a few minutes of your busy day with me!
To ensure you don’t miss future content, pop your email in the pale green box on the right or click here. I usually send one email weekly, so I won’t inundate your inbox. I’m sensitive to an overflowing email inbox!
We will only use your email address to send you emails, no more than 1-2 weekly. In addition, you will have access to my growing library of knit & crochet patterns and other printables. Check back often as this library will continue to grow. You can unsubscribe anytime by emailing me or clicking on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of all emails.
And you can access many of the products I refer to on my Nourish and Nestle Amazon Page. You can access it here.
So, if you’d like to participate in the ‘subscriber benefit’ action, simply subscribe to Nourish and Nestle here or use the form on the right sidebar. It’s slightly towards the top.
I have sent all my subscribers the link to the Subscriber Benefits Library. If you missed it or misplaced it, let me know.
Until next time…
I tried the recipe, it’s really good.
Thanks!