One of the top tips to eating healthy is making sure there are a lot of bright, vibrant colors on your plate. So I got pretty excited when I went to the supermarket last week and mangoes were on sale… my mind immediately drifting to thoughts of a delicious mango salsa. I’ve had mango salsa a few times on fish at restaurants, but never made my own before, so I started researching some recipes as soon as I got home to find some inspiration. I ended up finding a perfect one on Cooking Light that I only slightly modified for my version below.

Note: I love cilantro – and I know it’s one of those things that you either love it or you hate it. If you hate it, don’t try this recipe.

Fresh Mango Salsa
Inspired by this Cooking Light recipe

  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 1/2  cups  diced peeled ripe mango
  • 1/2  cup  diced white onion
  • 1/2  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
  • 1  tablespoon  cider vinegar
  • 1  teaspoon  sugar
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
  • 2  cloves garlic, minced

Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic. It’s that easy! And voila…

Mango Salsa - Add a Pinch of Salt

Delicious fresh mango salsa

The best part about this salsa is that it has a lot more to offer than just it’s delicious, refreshing flavor. It’s incredibly versatile… you can use it to top fish (any white fish, salmon, the possibilities are endless) or chicken to add a splash of color and fresh flavor to a main course, or you can serve it with tortilla chips as a snack or appetizer… or you could even eat it with a spoon if you love it as much as I do!

There are also so many variations you could make to this recipe. I’m already thinking of adding a pop of spice to my next batch – perhaps adding some diced jalapeño and maybe a touch of cayenne pepper. If you don’t love spice, bell peppers would add a nice crunch and some more bright colors to the salsa. Pineapple would also make a delicious addition if you want to make it more sweet and fruity to add to the mango.

I still have more of my salsa left over and I’m so excited to eat it, and also anxious to finish it so I can make more and try new versions of this recipe. I was shocked that even my husband, who is a very straightforward and not-so-daring eater, loved the addition of the fresh fruit and herb flavor on top of his fish. I definitely think that this recipe is going to become a staple in my spring and summer cooking!

Have you ever made a mango salsa before? What other ingredients do you like to include?