Mango Salad with Lime Dressing (Print Version)

Ripe mango and crisp vegetables tossed in tangy lime-honey dressing with cilantro and chilies for vibrant flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruits & Vegetables

01 - 2 ripe mangoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into thin strips
02 - 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
03 - 0.5 medium red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small cucumber (about 6 ounces), peeled, seeded, and sliced into half-moons
05 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves, whole or roughly chopped
06 - 1 to 2 small red Thai chilies, thinly sliced, optional

→ Lime Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon fish sauce or soy sauce for vegetarian option
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - Pinch of salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Peel and slice mangoes into even strips. Slice red bell pepper into thin strips, red onion into half-rings, and cucumber into half-moon shapes. Remove seeds from chilies if less heat is preferred.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey or agave, fish sauce or soy sauce, and salt. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season with black pepper to taste.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine mango, bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, and chilies if using.
04 - Pour lime dressing over salad. Gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Let salad sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to develop and integrate.
06 - Transfer to a shallow serving dish or individual plates. Garnish with extra cilantro leaves or lime wedge if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It turns whatever produce you have into something that feels special without any fancy skills.
  • The lime dressing clings to every slice, so no bite tastes flat or boring.
  • You can make it spicy, mild, or skip the heat entirely and it still sings.
02 -
  • If your mangoes are underripe, the salad will taste starchy and dull; wait an extra day or two until the skin yields to gentle pressure.
  • Seeding the cucumber is not optional; those watery pockets dilute the dressing and make everything soggy within an hour.
  • Resting the salad is when the magic happens; skipping those ten minutes means you miss the moment when lime, honey, and fruit become one flavor.
03 -
  • Chill your serving bowl in the freezer for ten minutes before assembling; cold mango tastes even sweeter and more refreshing.
  • If you can find champagne mangoes, use them; they're smaller, silkier, and have almost no fiber to get stuck in your teeth.
  • A microplane works better than a knife for zesting lime into the dressing if you want an extra layer of citrus without more juice.
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