More than Just Dessert: How to Cook With Mango in Salsas, Chutneys, Salads, and More

Mangos are more popular than ever. In the US, for instance, consumption of the tropical fruit grew by 82 percent from 2005 to 2017, according to the US National Mango Board. This means that today, Americans eat nearly seven mangos each per year on average.

Mangos are loved for many reasons. Firstly, they’re juicy and sweet, of course, which makes them a tasty standalone snack and a great dessert ingredient. They taste delicious in everything from pavlova to ice cream to fruit salad. But mangos aren’t just for sweet treats, you can also whip up delicious dinners and lunches with them, too. Find some of our favorite plant-based recipes with mango below.

The benefits of eating mango

Mango has earned the coveted title of “king of fruits” across South Asia, where it has been harvested and eaten for thousands of years. This is largely because of its unique taste—mangos are fresh and sweet, but also a little zesty and tangy, too. But it has many assets, and one of its biggest is its nutritional content.

The tropical fruit contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which are essential for supporting gut and digestive health. The recommended amount of amount of fiber we should all be consuming each day is around 25 to 30 grams. One cup of sliced mango is nearly three grams of fiber, so when consumed alongside other fiber-rich, whole-food ingredients, it can help us reach our fiber goals for the day.

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If you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber, introducing mango into your diet can help you slowly build up your tolerance. “I usually counsel people who are fiber-naive to start slow, with 10 grams a day,” Carmen Fong, MD, FACS, who is the author of the upcoming book Constipation Nation: What to Know When You Can’t Go, recently told VegNews. Eating too much too quickly could result in uncomfortable digestive symptoms, like bloating and gas. 

Mango also contains important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6. On top of all of this, it contains a potent plant compound called mangiferin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and even anticancer properties. Per Healthline, in some studies, mangiferin has been shown to counter free radical damage associated with cancer and diabetes.

What dishes can be made from mango?

Because of its sweet flavor, mango is a popular dessert ingredient. It can be blended into refreshing sorbets, whipped into indulgent ice cream, or enjoyed alongside passionfruit on top of a sophisticated pavlova, for example.

Natalie Norman

But mango is incredibly versatile. For centuries, it has also been enjoyed across India in different spicy, sour, or sweet chutneys, and in Mexico, it’s a popular salsa ingredient. Mango can also be grilled, roasted, and baked with ingredients like lime and spices, and some even like to eat the fruit on a pizza, alongside ingredients like spicy sausage and pineapple.

Vegan recipes with mango

When it comes to mango, the options are endless, but you can find some of our favorite ways to enjoy the fruit below. 

Bailey Ruskus

1 Vegan Chili Jackfruit Tostadas With Mango-Avocado Salsa

A fresh, nutritious, homemade mango-avocado salsa is the perfect accompaniment for these spicy chili jackfruit tostadas from the Cook. Heal. Go Vegan! cookbook. Delicious with a side of chips or refried beans, it’s the perfect recipe to liven up your midweek.
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The Experiment

2 Fishless Baja Tacos With Fresh Mango Salsa

Baja tacos are traditionally made with fish, but this tasty recipe from the But I Could Never Go Vegan! cookbook will guide you through how to recreate the same taste and texture using chickpeas. Combine your fishless fillets with fresh mango salsa for ultimate flavor.
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3 Easy Vegan Spring Roll Bowl With Mango and Avocado

Spring rolls are often filled with crunchy fresh vegetables, which makes them a delicious, nutritious side or snack option. But if you don’t have time for all of the wrapping and rolling that comes with making them, this bowl is a great alternative. It combines those same tasty vegetables with creamy avocado and zesty mango for a unique, flavor-packed salad.
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Katy Beskow

4 Vegan Spiced Bhaji Naan Wraps With Mango Chutney

Spiced onion bhajis, soft naan, and minty yogurt are already the perfect combination of ingredients, but add in some mango chutney, and you’ve got yourself a next-level lunchtime treat. These wraps from the Easy Speedy Vegan cookbook are unique, packed with flavor, and easy to whip up.
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Antonis Achilleos

5 Vegan Cauliflower Rice Biryani With Mango Chutney

Made with large, green, slightly unripe mangos, salt, fennel, agave, and spices, the chutney in this delicious biryani recipe from the Good For You cookbook is a tasty combination of sweet, sour, and salty. Enjoy this dish as-is, or with some crispy tofu or vegan chicken pieces for added protein.
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Luke Albert

6 Vegan Spiced Yogurt-Grilled Cauliflower and Mango

If you’ve never grilled mango before, let this be your sign to give it a go. The recipe from the Vegan BBQ cookbook skewers and grills the tropical fruit with cauliflower florets, which have been marinated with a mix of yogurt, oil, curry paste, spices, and salt, with delicious results.
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Crissie Mergogey

7 Sweet and Spicy Noodle Salad With Peanut Sauce

Bring a little bit of zesty, juicy flavor to this tasty, nutty noodle salad by mixing in some thinly sliced mango. The fruit pairs beautifully with ingredients like avocado, carrot, peanuts, and purple cabbage, and helps make a healthy, satisfying lunch option that you’ll want to make on repeat.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.