Mango Pico de Gallo

Jump to Recipe

The best homemade mango pico de gallo with a tropical twist! This delicious mango salsa is made with sweet mango, red peppers, spicy jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and lime. It is the perfect blend of spicy and sweet! Perfect for tortilla chip dipping or serving with tacos, fish, chicken or pork.

Mango pico de gallo with jalapeño slices and a spoon.

Mango pico de gallo, also called mango salsa, makes a great side dish or appetizer for Mexican dishes. Use it for a topping for perfectly cooked chicken or shrimp tacos, or devour it with tortilla chips! For more fresh appetizers like this one, try Burrata Caprese Salad, Roasted Chili Corn Salsa, or Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Fresh ingredients. This fresh mango salsa is made with wholesome simple ingredients. Just vegetables, fruit, and herbs with a pinch of salt. No oil required.
Twist on traditional salsa. The addition of sweet mangoes adds a fun twist on classic pico de gallo and makes for the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
Super easy. This easy mango pico de gallo makes an easy snack or dinner topper, and only takes minutes to whip up!
It’s more than just pretty. With green, yellow, orange, red, and purple, this colorful salsa makes a pretty presentation, but is also packed with flavor.

What is pico de gallo?

Pico de gallo is a hispanic dish made from fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. In Spanish, “pico de gallo” translates to “beak of the rooster”.

It is a fresh salsa (salsa fresca), meaning the vegetables are uncooked. The addition of lime mellows out the spicy flavors and sharper taste of the raw onions and peppers, making the perfect blend of spicy, savory, and juicy.

Pico de gallo is great for dipping tortilla chips, or topping tacos, fajitas, shrimp, chicken, or fish. It’s a healthy and flavorful snack!

This version of mango pico de gallo swaps the tomatoes for mangoes for a slightly sweeter variation. If you’re looking for a pico de gallo without tomatoes, this is for you!

This is meant to be a chunky salsa, and not smooth. If you’re looking for a blended salsa, try Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa.

Ingredients & Substitutions

A bowl of produce and cutting board with chopped jalapenos.

Fresh mangoes – Mangoes are a sweet stone fruit with a bright yellow-orange flesh. If you have trouble finding fresh and juicy mangoes or they aren’t in season, you can use frozen mangoes instead.
Red pepper – I love the taste of red bell peppers. They have a slightly sweeter taste than their other color counterparts. You can substitute for any color bell pepper.
Jalapeño – Jalapeños can vary in their spiciness, so taste them first before adding. You can add more or less to adjust the spice level. You can swap out the jalapeños for serrano peppers or habanero peppers, but keep in mind these peppers are both hotter than jalapeños.
Red onion – I like using red onion for this recipe not only for the flavor, but for the bright purple color they add. You can substitute for white onion.
Fresh cilantro – If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, you can substitute parsley instead.
Lime juice – I like to pick up a few extra limes in case they aren’t very juice. Freshly squeezed lime juice is best!

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to cut a mango

Mangoes have a flat oblong seed in the middle. Cut the flesh off along each side of the seed. These pieces are sometimes called the cheeks.

Hold the mango with the long side down, and stem pointing upwards. The seed will be perpendicular to your surface. Make a cut straight down, about ½ inch away from the center, removing the cheeks. Repeat on the other side.
Hold the mango cheek in your hand with a thick towel or oven mitt for safety, and make crosswise cuts into the flesh. Be careful not to pierce through the skin. And be careful not to cut yourself!
You can invert the mango so the pieces are sticking up, and use a knife to cut them off. Instead, I like to take a large spoon and scoop out the cut chunks like you would with an avocado. Repeat on the other side.

Slicing the cheeks off a mango. — Cut away the cheeks from either side of the seed.

Cutting a mango cheek into cubes. — Cut cubes into the cheeks.

Safety tip! Use a thick towel or oven mitt under the mango and be careful not to cut yourself.

Inverting a mango to reveal the sliced cubes. — Invert the mango cheek to expose the cubes.

Slicing mango chunks off a mango cheek. — Slice off the mango cubes.

How to make mango pico de gallo

Sliced red peppers on a cutting board with a bowl of mango pieces.

STEP ONE: PREP

Chop the mango, red pepper, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro. Juice the lime.

Juicing a lime on a cutting board with a bowl of red onion and cilantro.

STEP TWO: MIX

Add chopped produce with lime juice and salt to a small mixing bowl and mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

For best results, chill for about 1 hour prior to serving. You can enjoy this mango salsa immediately, but it tastes even better the next day!

Sign up for the newsletter, its juicy.

Expert Tips

When prepping your produce, cut mango, red onions, and red pepper into uniformly small pieces, and finely dice the jalapeño for a better overall texture and taste.
Wear gloves when chopping spicy peppers to make clean up easier!
If you can’t find fresh mango, using frozen is fine.
Pick up a few extra limes in case some of them are not juicy enough.
For the best flavor, let finished pico de gallo sit in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to marinate.
Top your fresh mango salsa with some flakey sea salt right before serving.

Storage & Reheating

How to store leftovers: Store leftover mango pico de gallo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I find it tastes the best after 1-2 days. If the salsa becomes watery with storage, drain excess liquid before serving.

How to freeze: I do not recommend freezing this recipe, as it will ruin the texture.

Variations

Add tomatoes. This homemade mango pico de gallo is made without tomatoes, but you can add some in if you like! Dice 1-2 ripe roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes and add them into the mix.
Make it spicy. You can add more or less jalapeño peppers to adjust the spice level. If you want a spicier salsa, try swapping for serrano or habanero peppers.
Change up the fruit. If you don’t like mango, or can’t find it, you can swap it out for other fresh fruits like pineapple, peach, or tomatoes.

Dipping a chip into a bowl of mango salsa.

What to serve with mango pico de gallo

This delicious salsa is versatile and can be served many different ways! I like having it on hand for snacking with tortilla chips, then repurposing it later in the week for taco toppings or serving with salmon. Here are some other suggestions:

Makes a great app to serve with summer grilling
Mix with guacamole for an appetizer dip
Use on fish or shrimp tacos
Add as a topping for eggs or an omelet
Serve with grilled or roasted vegetables
Add as a topper to a rice bowl
Use for quesadillas
Eat with tortilla chips
Serve on top of salmon or tuna steaks

Equipment needed

gloves

Buy Now →

cutting board

Buy Now →

mixing bowls

Buy Now →

Frequently Asked Questions

How to pick a ripe mango?

To pick a ripe mango, look for one with an evidently fruity aroma. Gently squeeze the mango, it should be firm with a slight give. It will feel similar to a ripe avocado. Mango season in the US is usually May-September, so that will be the best time to find ripe juicy mangos!

Can I make mango pico de gallo ahead of time?

You can make this recipe a day ahead of time. Chop the vegetables and store them separately from each other, mix 1 hour prior to serving, and chill.

What’s the difference between salsa and pico de gallo?

While the ingredients for pico de gallo and salsa can be similar, pico de gallo is usually made from fresh veggies or fruit chopped into small pieces and has a chunky texture, whereas salsa is usually blended with a food processor into a smoother texture.

Can I make mango pico de gallo with frozen mangoes?

If you can’t find fresh mangoes, you can substitute for frozen ones. Make sure to thaw completely and drain, as they may have excess liquid.

Is mango pico de gallo spicy?

You can make this mango pico de gallo as spicy or mild as you want it to be! Just add more or less jalapeños. To make it milder, skip the seeds.

More Appetizer Recipes

Let’s hang out! Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, or sign up for the newsletter.

This post was updated in 2023 with a total overhaul, including newly edited photos, more recipe tips, improved directions, and the addition of more helpful information. The ingredients and method are the same.