Description
This Avocado Mango Salad is a refreshing, vibrant dish combining creamy avocado and sweet mango with a zesty lime dressing. Perfect as a light side dish, appetizer, or a topping for grilled meats and tacos, it offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures with a hint of heat from optional jalapeno.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
- 1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
Pantry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Dice the Avocado and Mango: Carefully peel and pit the avocados and dice into approximately 1/2-inch cubes. Peel and dice the mango into pieces about the same size for consistent texture.
- Prepare the Red Onion: Thinly slice the red onion. Optionally, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor if desired.
- Combine the Ingredients: In a medium bowl, gently combine the diced avocado, mango, and sliced red onion, taking care not to overmix.
- Add Cilantro: Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Juice the Limes: In a small bowl, squeeze fresh lime juice to prepare the dressing base.
- Add Olive Oil: Whisk the olive oil into the lime juice to create a smooth dressing.
- Incorporate Jalapeno (Optional): Add the minced jalapeno pepper to the dressing for heat, ensuring seeds and membranes are removed; adjust amount to taste.
- Season with Salt and Pepper: Season the dressing with salt and black pepper, starting with the suggested amounts and adjusting as needed.
- Whisk the Dressing: Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, jalapeno, salt, and pepper together until the dressing is emulsified and smooth.
- Pour Dressing Over Salad: Pour the dressing over the avocado and mango mixture and gently toss to coat evenly without mashing the fruit.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as preferred to balance the flavors.
- Chill (Optional): For best flavor, refrigerate the salad for 15-20 minutes before serving, though it can be served immediately.
- Serve: Serve as a refreshing side dish, appetizer, or topping for grilled meats, fish, tacos, or tortilla chips.
Notes
- Soaking red onions in cold water reduces their sharpness if desired.
- Removing seeds and membranes from jalapeno controls the heat level.
- Handle avocado gently to avoid mashing when mixing.
- This salad can be customized by adding other fresh herbs or a dash of honey for sweetness.
- Best served fresh; avocado may brown if stored too long.
