Spicy Mango Avocado Salad is a summer staple in my house, as it tastes good with just about everything. It’s fresh, vibrant, and full of texture and flavor, and I love it most of all as a side for BBQ meats or fish. You can even blend the leftovers into a dip!
This salad is the perfect mix of sweet, savory, and spicy. The avocado lends a creaminess to it that balances the heat of the chili, and the acidity of the lime juice and tomatoes. It really is remarkably simple, but it is my number one most requested side dish in summer when I chef for clients.
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Ingredient notes
With this salad, simplicity is key, but the freshness of the ingredients really matters. You don’t want mushy mangoes or avocados, so watch out for over-ripeness. I prefer to use cherry tomatoes as they have the sweetest taste and work well for size. You can adjust the level of spice to suit you by using jalapeno peppers or something hotter.
There’s a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post with quantities and step-by-step directions for how to make spicy lime avocado salad.
How to peel and slice a mango
Opinions vary on how to do this, but I use this method. Mangoes have a large, flat stone in the middle that runs from the top to the bottom of the fruit. The majority of the flesh is on either side of it, with a little extra running around its edge. To minimise wastage, we want to cut as close to the stone as possible. You can locate it and tell how deep it goes by sticking a skewer or sharp knife into the mango.
Slice the two ‘cheeks’ from either the mango, leaving the center stone. Then use your knife to slice the mango flesh while it is still in the skin. Now flip the skin inside out and simply ‘shave’ off the pieces of mango.
How to make spicy mango avocado salad
This is a simple one.
Slice the mango, red bell pepper, and avocado into similarly sized pieces. You can opt for chunks or do strips like in my photos.
Quarter the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the spring onions and fresh chili. You can use shallots instead of spring onions if you prefer.
Squeeze over the fresh lime juice and season with salt before tossing gently. Garnish the spicy lime avocado salad with fresh coriander/cilantro.
Top tip
Don’t be too heavy-handed as you toss this salad; it can cause the avocado to smoosh and ruin the aesthetic. Looks matter.
How to serve spicy mango avocado salad
I love this spicy summer salad as a side dish for BBQ meats and fish, or as a topping in tacos. Serve it for a feast with friends with these other dishes:
- Mexican short ribs
- Pickled red onions
- Spicy lime and avocado sauce
- Mint coriander rice with toasted rice topping
What if I have leftovers?
If you have leftovers (which I rarely do), squeeze some extra lime juice over them and store covered in the fridge for 1-2 days. Alternatively, blend them into a dip or use them as a hot sauce and use within 1-2 days.
🙏🏻 If you try this recipe…
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well. Your feedback helps other readers and is greatly appreciated.
Recipe
Spicy Mango Avocado Salad
Rosanna Stevens
Spicy Mango Avocado Salad is a summer staple that tastes good with everything. It’s fresh, vibrant, and full of texture and flavor, and I love it most of all as a side for BBQ meats or fish. You can even blend the leftovers into a dip!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 145 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 1 mango
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 spring onion
- 2 chillis
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 2 limes
- coriander/cilantro leaves and stems to garnish
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
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Slice the mango, avocado, and bell pepper into similarly sized pieces.
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Quarter the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the chili and spring onion.
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Squeeze over the lime juice and season with salt before gently tossing. Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and serve.
Notes
You can replace the spring onion with finely diced shallot, but onions can be too strong.
Adjust the heat levels by deseeding the chili to make it milder, or adding the seeds to make it spicier. Use jalapeno peppers for a milder hit, or upgrade to habanero to add more kick.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge with an extra squeeze of lime juice and enjoy within 1-2 days.
This recipe works just as well as a chunky dip for tortilla chips if you cut everything small enough.
Nutrition
Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 572mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1980IUVitamin C: 111mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
