Homemade fresh mango habanero salsa is quick, chunky, and of course, spicy-sweet! This is an easy 5-ingredient salsa recipe without tomatoes, one of the simplest you'll ever make!
It's a well-established fact that I LOVE MANGOES! Please let me put them in (almost) everything, salsa included.
This is such a good idea for a sweet/savory combo that I already did it with my mango avocado salsa—but let's take it to the next level of spicy by using habanero peppers.
Unlike my tomatillo salsa this is a no-cook recipe, and it's ready in less than 15 minutes. Just chop and go! Serve it with all of your favorite Mexican recipes!
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Mango habanero salsa ingredients
- Fresh mangoes: Use your favorite mango variety, I love the ataulfo yellow mangoes that you find in the spring and early summer, sometimes called champagne mangoes or honey mangoes. And don't worry, I'll show you how to cut a mango if you're unfamiliar.
- Habanero peppers: These small orange peppers are definitely spicy, ranging from 100,000-350,000 on the Scoville scale—but what does that even mean in terms of spice level? It means they are one of the spiciest peppers you're likely to come across, that is why we are dicing them into very, very, tiny pieces. BUT, they also have a floral quality to them which pairs really well with the mango in the salsa.
- Red onion: This is optional, but adds sweetness and a beautiful color.
- Fresh cilantro: You'll need cilantro to add a cooling quality to balance the spiciness.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice and zest: When I'm using fresh citrus juice, I always want to use the citrus zest, too.
*Ingredients with measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to make mango habanero salsa
Step 2: Cut the mango
Slice the mango into two halves, avoiding the large seed in the center. Score each half in a cross-hatch pattern with a small paring knife.
Once scored, take each half of the mango and bend the peel backwards so the cross-hatched pieces are sticking out. Then slice them away from the skin. Be sure to slice off any remaining mango flesh around the seed.
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Step 3: Dice the onion and habanero, chop the cilantro
Use a good chef's knife to cut the onions into a small dice. Chop the cilantro finely.
To cut the habanero, remove the stem, then cut in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Slice it into thin strips, then cut those strips into very tiny pieces, about the size of a peppercorn.
Debra says: You might want to wear gloves
When dicing the habanero, you may want to wear gloves to protect your skin and to hopefully remind you not to touch your face, etc.
Step 4: Finish the salsa
Combine all ingredients along with a pinch of sea salt in a mixing bowl. Stir until well incorporated and serve!
Expert tips
- Don't touch your face or any other part of you when slicing habaneros: Take it from me, a person who has stuck a finger in her eye while slicing spicy peppers... it's painful. You don't want to do it. Concentrate, focus. Don't get distracted.
- Add honey or agave to sweeten: If you want your salsa on the sweeter side to balance the scales in favor of mango over habanero, add a drizzle of honey or agave when mixing the ingredients together.
- Mango variety and size affect the recipe: If using larger red mangoes, you'll only need one, but if you choose the smaller yellow mangoes, you'll use two.
Serving suggestions
Of course we all love it with tortilla chips, but why not try it with fish tacos or Baja shrimp tacos? Or how about as a topping for turkey burgers or slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches, you can even pair it with lettuce wraps!
More mango recipes
Debra's Details: Homemade mango habanero salsa is quick, spicy, and versatile!
- Only 5 ingredients.
- Ready in 15 minutes.
- A great balance of spicy and sweet.
- Serve as a dip, with tacos, or as a burger topping!
- Fun, fresh appetizer for parties!
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Recipe
Fresh Mango Habanero Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 mangoes (depending on size see note)
- 1 habanero pepper
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- zest of one lime
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lime, then juice it. Set both aside.
- Slice the mango into two halves, avoiding the large seed in the center. Score each half in a cross-hatch pattern with a small paring knife. Once scored, take each half of the mango and bend the peel backwards so the cross-hatched pieces are sticking out. Then slice them away from the skin. Be sure to slice off any remaining mango flesh around the seed.
- Cut the onions into a small dice. Chop the cilantro finely.
- Note: You may want to wear gloves when dicing the habanero to protect your skin.
- To cut the habanero, remove the stem, then cut in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Slice it into thin strips, then cut those strips into very tiny pieces, about the size of a peppercorn.
- Combine all ingredients along with a pinch of sea salt in a mixing bowl. Stir until well incorporated and serve!
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll join hundreds of readers on my email list!
Notes
- Don't touch your face or any other part of you when slicing habaneros: Take it from me, a person who has stuck a finger in her eye while slicing spicy peppers... it's painful. You don't want to do it. Concentrate, focus. Don't get distracted.
- Add honey or agave to sweeten: If you want your salsa on the sweeter side to balance the scales in favor of mango over habanero, add a drizzle of honey or agave when mixing the ingredients together.
- Mango variety, size and how many to use: If using larger red mangoes, you'll only need one, but if you choose the smaller yellow mangoes, you'll use two.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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