Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa
Roasted mango habanero salsa is the perfect blend of spicy and sweet! Roasting the produce gives it an extra layer of delicious flavor. This easy recipe makes a great appetizer or side to pair with tacos, enchiladas, seafood, chicken, or pork. Ready in under 20 minutes!
The best roasted habanero mango salsa recipe
Fruit salsa, like this mango habanero salsa recipe or Mango Pico de Gallo, is a great way to celebrate in season fruits and produce. Mango season in the US is from May to September, so summer is a great time to make this spicy salsa.
Sweet mango and spicy habanero peppers make the perfect combination of sweet and spicy! This easy appetizer works great for taco night. Serve it up with Chimichurri Shrimp Tacos, or use Blackened Shrimp to make tacos with a drizzle of Cajun Garlic Aioli. It also goes really well with seafood, like fish tacos, or salmon.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- More flavor. Roasting the mangos, peppers, tomatoes, and onions adds an extra depth of flavor to this homemade salsa.
- Easy to adjust the spice level. You can make this salsa as spicy or mild as you want it. Just add more or less habanero.
- Fresh and healthy. This homemade salsa is made with simple and fresh ingredients, making it a healthy snack.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Fresh mangos – Look for mangoes with a noticeably fruity aroma. Ripe mangoes will feel similar to a ripe avocado. They should be mostly firm with a slight give when you gently squeeze them, and feel heavy for its size. If mangoes aren’t in season, you can substitute for frozen mango. Defrost and drain frozen mango before using.
- Habanero peppers – These spicy peppers are small, but pack a lot of heat! Habanero peppers are between 100,000 and 350,000 on the Scoville scale, meaning they are much hotter than a jalapeño, but not as hot as a ghost pepper. Use 1-2 habanero peppers depending on how spicy you like this salsa. If you can’t find habanero peppers, substitute for serrano pepper or jalapeño peppers.
- Tomatoes – Go for ripe tomatoes that are more fleshy with less seeds, like Roma or plum tomatoes.
- White onion – Can substitute for a yellow onion or red onion.
- Avocado oil – Avocado oil is a great neutral oil for roasting at high temperatures.
- Fresh cilantro – If you don’t like cilantro, you can substitute for fresh parsley, green onions, or chives, but this will change the flavor of the salsa.
- Limes – Use limes for fresh lime juice. I pick up a few extra in case they aren’t very juicy.
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
How to cut mango cheeks
Mangoes have a flat oblong seed in the middle. The fleshy part of fruit on either side of the seed are called “mango cheeks”. The mango cheeks are what you will want to roast for this recipe.
- 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 cheek.
- Repeat on the other side to remove the other mango cheek.
How to make mango habanero salsa
STEP ONE: TOSS
Toss mangos, habanero, tomatoes, and onion with avocado oil, and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet.
STEP TWO: ROAST
Roast under the broiler for about 5-8 minutes, until skins are blistering. Turn halfway through.
STEP THREE: ADD
Once cool, add mango, habanero, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro to a food processor.
STEP FOUR: BLEND
Pulse until desired texture. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
Expert Tips
- Wear gloves! Whenever handling spicy peppers, it’s best to wear gloves to protect your hands. Make sure not to touch your eyes!
- Let it chill. This homemade salsa tastes better after chilling for at least an hour.
- Adjust the spice. To make sure your final product isn’t too spicy, add the habanero one half piece at a time until you get the desired spice level.
- Smooth salsa – For a smooth salsa, pulse in the food processor until smooth.
- Chunky salsa – For chunky mango habanero salsa, skip the food processor and chop veggies by hand into small pieces.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make roasted mango habanero salsa a day in advance. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. It tastes even better the next day!
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers: Store leftover homemade mango habanero salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
How to freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this salsa as it could change the texture and flavor.
Variations
- Pineapple habanero salsa – Substitute mango for fresh pineapple.
- More peppers. Along with the spicy peppers, you can roast sweet peppers too like a green or red bell pepper to add more veggies into the salsa.
- Make it easy. For a super easy mango habanero salsa version, skip roasting and just throw it all into the food processor and blend. (But I really love the flavor that roasting adds to this salsa, and it only takes a few minutes more.)
Serving Suggestions
- Spice up perfectly cooked chicken breasts
- Use as a topping for tacos, like these Chimichurri Shrimp Tacos
- Add as a sauce to rice bowls
- Try it on Easy Cajun Blackened Shrimp
- Perfect for fresh fish like tuna or salmon
- Great for grilled meats
- Use as a topping sauce for enchiladas
- Dip for your favorite tortilla chips
- Make with Mango Pico de Gallo and Roasted Chili Corn Salsa for a chip dip trio appetizer
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use frozen mango to make mango habanero salsa. Thaw the frozen mango chunks and drain. You can also squeeze them in a cheesecloth or tea towel to release any extra liquid from freezing. Skip roasting mango when using frozen pieces.
Mango habanero salsa is usually pretty spicy, but you can adjust this recipe to be as spicy as you want it to be! I recommend starting off by adding one habanero half at a time. Add more and taste as you go to make it as spicy as you like.
To prevent your salsa from being too watery, remove seeds from the tomatoes and squeeze out any excess liquid from them prior to blending. Using fleshy tomatoes like Roma or plum varieties will help with this too.
If you find your salsa to be too watery after blending, try straining it through a cheesecloth to remove excess liquid.
More Salsa Recipes
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Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 mango (cut into cheeks)
- 1-2 habanero peppers
- ½ pound Roma or plum tomatoes (halved)
- ½ white onion (quartered)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (loosely packed)
- 1-2 limes (juiced)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- ROAST: Toss mangos, habanero, tomatoes, and onion with avocado oil, and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil for about 5-8 minutes, until skins are blistering. Turn halfway through. Keep an eye on the broiler, as food can burn quickly.
- PREP: Allow produce to cool enough to handle. Squeeze excess liquid and seeds out of the tomatoes before adding them to the food processor. This will help your salsa be less watery. Peel skins off mango. Optional: Remove skins from the tomatoes and peppers. They should pull right off after broiling.
- BLEND: Add mango, habanero, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro to a food processor and pulse until desired consistency. Add in lime juice and salt to taste.
- SERVE: Serve warm or chilled with tortilla chips, or as a topping for chicken, tacos, fish, or enchiladas. Salsa tastes the best after chilling for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- For milder salsa: Remove seeds and inner membranes from habaneros. Add habaneros one half at a time until you reach your desired level of spiciness.
- For spicier salsa: Keep seeds and membranes on when blending. Add a second or third habanero until you reach your desired level of spiciness.
- If the salsa comes out too watery, strain it through a cheesecloth.
- If using frozen mango, defrost and drain before using. You can skip roasting frozen mango.
- How to store leftovers: Store leftover homemade mango habanero salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- How to freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this salsa as it could change the texture and flavor.
Equipment
- Knife
- food processor
Nutrition
Any questions? I’d love to help! Drop a comment below or send me an email!
