With sweet fire heat and loads of flavor, this Mango Habanero Salsa is a must-try for anyone who craves big, bold flavors. It’s an easy fix, and with a handful of ingredients you can transform chips, tacos, nachos, and grilled meats into something fabulous! Ready to cook? Read on and I, Chef Jenn, will show you all my cheffy tricks to make this easy salsa recipe turn out perfectly every time!
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Before You Get Started – a Word About Habaneros
Habanero peppers are HOT. Spicy, With 100,000-350,000 Scoville Heat Units, they can be up to 140 times hotter than a jalapeno. You must be careful when dealing with and cutting these feisty chilis! Always wear gloves when cutting them, and even while cleaning the knife and cutting board afterwards. Keep your hands away from your eyes, and be careful not to touch anything that your gloved hands touched, after cutting the peppers. Dice them very finely – you don’t want to bite into a big chunk of one of these peppers!
About Habanero Peppers
With a slightly sweet but still fiery heat, habaneros are common in Latin American dishes. They come in a variety of colors, with the most ripe being a deep, brick red. You can find them in many grocery stores, or perhaps a specialty Latin market.
Store them in the fridge, and they’ll keep for about a week.
ingredients
- Mangos – Use ripe but firm mangos so the salsa holds texture; too soft and it becomes mushy (see my notes below).
- Habanero chili – One chili is plenty; remove seeds if you want less heat.
- Red onion – I slice mine thin so the flavor melds without being overpowering.
- Red bell pepper – Adds crunch and color; orange or green peppers work if needed.
- Cilantro – Fresh only; dried cilantro won’t give the same bright flavor.
- Lime – Use juice from a fresh lime; it brightens the salsa more than bottled juice.
How To Make Mango Habanero Salsa
Scroll down for the full recipe card with step-by-step instructions.
Peel the mango using a vegetable peeler, then cut the flesh away from the pit. Dice the mango into small, even pieces. A finer dice helps the salsa scoop easily onto chips and tuck neatly into tacos.
Seed the habanero and dice it very finely. Start with about half of the pepper, especially if you’re sensitive to heat. You can always add more later once you taste the salsa. Use gloves and a sharp knife for control and safety.
Seed and dice about one-third of the bell pepper. Add it to a medium bowl along with the diced red onion and chopped cilantro.
Squeeze fresh lime juice over the mixture and stir everything together with a spoon until well combined.
Let the salsa sit for about 20 minutes so the flavors can blend and mellow.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- There’s a lot of chopping in this recipe, but all the ingredients can be prepped ahead of time and then mixed shortly before you want to eat.
- This mango salsa recipe will also keep covered in the fridge for a few days, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
- The mango and bell pepper (not the habanero) should be diced about the same size. Knife cuts are important when making a salsa like this, so take your time and use a good quality chef’s knife to get pretty cuts.
- Be careful when dealing with the habanero chilis – they’re hot! See my notes above about how to safely handle one of these fiery peppers.
- Using a mango that’s more firm than soft will allow you to cut it more easily without making a juicy mess.
serving suggestions
This fruity and spicy salsa goes so deliciously with so many different dishes. Try it on fish tacos, spoon it over grilled chicken, or just scoop it up with tortilla chips. I love building a nacho bar with this fruit salsa and Creamy Jalapeno Dip as some of the options. It’s really versatile! Drop a note below in the comments and let me know how you like to eat this amazing tropical salsa recipe!
Mango Habanero Salsa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups mango from about 2 large mangos
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 tbp diced habanero chili
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix everything together well and serve!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- There’s a lot of chopping in this recipe, but all the ingredients can be prepped ahead of time and then mixed shortly before you want to eat.
- This mango salsa recipe will also keep covered in the fridge for a few days, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
- The mango and bell pepper (not the habanero) should be diced about the same size. Knife cuts are important when making a salsa like this, so take your time and use a good quality chef’s knife to get pretty cuts.
- Be careful when dealing with the habanero chilis – they’re hot! See my notes above about how to safely handle one of these fiery peppers.
- Using a mango that’s more firm than soft will allow you to cut it more easily without making a juicy mess.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
I’ve been looking for a habanero salsa for a while and this one was super tasty! We had it with fish tacos — so good! Thank you for sharing!
Oh wow, this looks so delicious. My family is going to devour it!
I make this salsa all the time! The sweet and spicy combo is such a delicious one!
What a great recipe! I love sweet and spicy combinations.
Thanks so much for this easy, delicious salsa. Love it, especially in the summer.