Mango Salsa: Your Questions, Answered

Let’s talk about mango salsa. It’s one of the best things to happen in the salsa world, like, ever. Some form of mango salsa has been around for years, but if you’re still trying to wrap your head around the whole fruit + salsa combo or aren’t sure how to use mango salsa (dip? sauce? marinade?), we’re answering your burning questions today. First, if you haven’t tried it or if you think of it as a novelty item, think again. Mango salsa is meant to be eaten—by you! Bring a jar to your next barbeque to blow your guests’ minds (and bring this hot mango salsa if you want to blow their palettes, too).

What is mango salsa?

Mango salsa is fresh salsa made with the usual suspects (tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers), plus mango chunks or puree. It’s a sweet, spicy, and totally crave-worthy condiment that gives way to the dessert-first mentality. 

What is mango salsa made of?

The main ingredients in mango salsa are tomatoes, mangos, vinegar, onions, garlic, jalapeno peppers, and spices/seasonings. Depending on the heat level you choose, hot mango salsa may include additional habaneros or other spicy peppers. If you really want to spike the temp on mango salsa, add a few dashes of a medium, hot, or extreme hot sauce to your dish…and handle with care. 

What can you eat mango salsa with?

Swap mango salsa for regular salsa in all of your favorite recipes and snacks. There are no rules, really, but here are some of our favorite ways to use mango salsa: 

• Mexican: Fruit salsa is an easy way to give Mexican dishes a tropical vibe and unexpected (but totally welcome) sweet and spicy twist. 
• Breakfast: Make yourself a balanced breakfast (aka balance your meat-to-fruit ratio) by pouring mango salsa on your eggs or breakfast hash. It’s a huge step up from that dried-out orange wedge garnish. 
• Fish: Because of the acidity in fresh mango, it is an excellent topper for fish high in Omega-3s, like salmon and tuna.
• Chips: A dip for chips of any kind–it’ll even make a mediocre snack cracker pop.
• Veggies: Strong health game? Don’t forget the salsa. Mix it with some light sour cream or yogurt and make a totally crave-worthy—and healthy—dip.  

Can you marinate with mango salsa?

Yes, you can use mango salsa as a marinade! Mango salsa contains enzymes, acid, and seasonings–all components of a good marinade.

• Enzymes: The enzymes in fruit are natural meat tenderizers that help soften lean meats and improve their texture. 
• Acid (vinegar): Our mango salsa has vinegar in it, and this acidic component is key to getting the meat to absorb the seasonings and flavor from the marinade.
• Seasonings: The onions, garlic, and spices in our mango salsa soak into the meat to gently season it with sweet, flavorful heat.

If you aren’t a grill master (yet), you’ll find that marinating your meat is a great way to hide overcooking and under-seasoning, and if you are a grill master, marinades just make your job easier. Let your lean meat sit a while in a generous amount of mango salsa before throwing it on the grill. Trust us, this trick will impress your guests, and if you’re feeling spicy, give your creation a fancy name like, “mango a’la pork” (you can do better, we’re sure). 

Psst. Other sauces with vinegar in them, like a quality BBQ sauce or hot sauce, are also great meat marinades. If you’re sticking with the fruit theme, but need something a little thicker, shop a fruit BBQ sauce. 

What meat does mango go with?

If you can grill it, mango salsa can top it. We mean this. But if you want to get technical, mango goes well with chicken, pork, and fish for a totally tropical taste. The best part is that the bold flavor stands up to any cooking method, whether you want to grill it, fry it, sear it, blacken it—you name it! Pair your mango-topped meat with a simple salad and you have yourself a meal.

What can I substitute for mango salsa?

In a pinch, you can substitute mango salsa with a different fruit salsa, a fruit BBQ sauce, or Caribbean-inspired seasonings. Here’s how:

• Fruit Salsa: Fruit salsa for fruit salsa is a no-brainer swap. Choose pineapple salsa to stay in the tropics or go for peach to keep it sweet. Pineapple salsa tastes a little more tropical while peach tastes a bit more…peachy. All have a great sweet-meets-heat vibe, making them excellent condiments for pulled pork, grilled meats, and fish.  
• Fruit BBQ Sauce: Reach for its BBQ counterpart or dive into one of our more adventurous fruit BBQ creations. Our Watermelon BBQ sauce blends sweet fruit and tangy tomato for slathering ribs or chicken, while our hickory and black pepper berry-inspired Blueberry sauce is the perfect addition to pulled pork.

I’m meat-free, what can I put mango salsa on?

Ooh, this is where it gets fun. While meat is our usual go-to, we love experimenting with other meat-free foods to complement our mango salsa. Some vegetarian dishes that pair perfectly with mango salsa include:  

• Baked Potato: We love a loaded potato, so why not a mango-loaded spud? 
• Tofu: Grilled, fried, baked. Season it and top it with our top-notch salsa. 
• Jackfruit: Prepared in a pulled-pork style, this fruit-on-fruit combo pleases any palette.
• Grilled Corn: Think Mexican-street-corn-meets-mango-salsa.
• Ice Cream/Yogurt: Drop a dollop of fruity sweet-heat on vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or fro-yo for your new favorite summertime dessert. 

Now you’re ready to drop knowledge (and mango salsa) on your next barbeque. We couldn’t name all the things it’s good on, like pizza (ooh, pizza), but we know you won’t mind doing your own independent research or putting your own spin on saucy recipes. You’ll see this magnificently unique condiment is not a fad and definitely deserves all the hype.