Mango and Corn Salsa is a perfectly refreshing and delicious dip for a variety of dishes, from fish tacos to grilled chicken or simply crispy tortilla chips. It's bright, juicy, sweet and just a little spicy. You'll want to make a big batch for your next summer cookout or dinner party.
With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can mix up Mango and Corn Salsa in about 10 minutes. This recipe uses a couple fresh mangos, ears of sweet corn, a big handful of cilantro and a simple sweet, tangy and spicy dressing. While this is technically a salsa, chopped fine enough to scoop up with a chip but not so fine it's mushy, you could certainly serve this recipe as a side salad. It's also easy to customize this recipe and add more vegetables, aromatics and heat.
Video: how to make mango and corn salsa
Ingredients that Matter
While this recipe is best with ripe mangos and fresh summer corn, you can certainly make it with frozen if needed. Here's a round-up of the ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Mangos. We always prefer fresh, ripe mango for this recipe (we outline how to pick a ripe mango below). You'll find about six different common varieties of mangos here in standard U.S. grocery stores, though some specialty and ethnic markets may have other varieties as well.
- Corn. Fresh corn cut right off the cob works perfectly for this recipe, especially if you can buy local corn in season. We always advocate for buying local produce when available (and if you can afford it), but that's especially true for corn on the cob. After corn is picked the sugars start to convert to carbohydrates and the longer it sits, the less sweet and more starchy it tastes. That's why that corn you buy from the local farm stand down the road tends to taste sweeter than ones bought at the grocery store. You can, in a pinch, use frozen corn instead. You'll want to use about 1 ½ cups.
- Lime. We use both the zest and the juice from one lime to give the salsa some acidity and floral lime flavor. The acid helps cut through the richness and sweetness of the mangos.
- Jalapeno. This hot pepper gives the salsa some heat and, well, pepper flavor! You can swap in a serrano if you'd prefer, or leave it out all together if heat isn't your thing. Swap in a ¼ cup of finely chopped bell pepper, instead.
- Red Onion. We prefer a sweeter onions like red or white in salsas as yellow onions tend to be overpowering and sharp. If you want to tame the onion flavor even more, soak the minced onion in cold water about 10 minutes then rinse. This helps remove some of the sulfur flavor.
- Chili Powder. Just a pinch of this smoky, spicy ground pepper adds complexity, depth and just a touch of heat to the salsa. Use any chili powder you'd like, ancho, chipotle or just regular chili powder.
- Cilantro. We like a good handful of chopped cilantro in this salsa recipe. The cilantro pairs well with the fruity mango and tangy lime.
- Honey. While this ingredient could be optional if you are watching you sugar intake, we like a bit of honey to enhance the natural sweetness of mango. It's almost like an insurance policy on the mango, in case it's not sweet enough. Plus the honey flavor balances the heat and tang from the other ingredients.
What to know about Mangos
This tropical stone fruit is available all year in American, though it's often thought of as a summer fruit. According to Mango.org, there are six common verities available in American: Honey, Francis, Haden, Keitt, Kent and Tommy Atkins. You may find others in specialty and internatoinal markets, especially Indian verities like Alphonse and Kesar.
So how do you pick a ripe mango? It's actually pretty simple. Just use the same technique you'd use for picking a ripe avocado or a peach. Give mangos the squeeze test, but be gentle! A ripe mango should give just a bit when squeezed while an unripe mango will feel firm. In terms of flavor and sweetness, smell mangos by their stems. You should get a pretty good sense of what the mango will taste like by simply giving it a sniff.
What's the best way to cut a mango? There are a few techniques out there and you may already have one that works for you. It's important to know that mangos have a long, fairly thin seed in the middle and you'll need to work around it (not through it). One option is to slice off the sides, then use a spoon to scoop the the flesh off the peel. But typically our preferred method is to simply use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin then slice planks off the sides and dice those. Then go back and trim off any extra fruit you missed.
What about frozen mango? Yup, frozen mango would work in this recipe, though it may not have as sweet of a mango flavor compared to using fresh. When starting with frozen, be sure to thaw them first. You'll want to chop the thawed chunks finer before assembling your salsa.
How to make Mango and Corn Salsa
Once you get the mango chopped, the rest of the salsa comes together quite easily. Here's how to make mango and corn salsa.
Peel and chop the two mangos into small pieces, about ¼-inch pieces.
Cut the kernels off two ears of corn. If using frozen corn, thaw and use about 1 ½ cups.
Stir together lime zest, lime juice, honey, chili powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the mango, corn, red onion, jalapeno and cilantro to the dressing.
Stir the salsa together and adjust seasoning with more salt.
What to serve with Mango and Corn Salsa
Mango and Corn Salsa is delicious simply as a dip for tortilla chips, but here are some other serving suggestions:
- Fish Tacos
- Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Beef
- Crispy Tofu
- Coconut Rice
- Grilled Bread
- Seared Tuna
Mango and Corn Salsa should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Dips and Sides
Recipe
Mango and Corn Salsa
- Total Time: 10 min.
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
Mango and Corn Salsa is a perfectly refreshing and delicious dip for a variety of dishes, from fish tacos to grilled chicken or simply crispy tortilla chips. It's bright, juicy, sweet and just a little spicy. You'll want to make a big batch for your next summer cookout or dinner party.
Ingredients
- zest from 1 lime
- juice from 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- ¼ tsp. chili powder
- ¼ tsp. table salt
- 2 ripe mangos, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 2 ears of corn, kernels cut off cobs
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 medium jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds removed, if desired)
Instructions
- Stir together lime zest, lime juice, honey, chili powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped mangos, kernels from corn cobs, cilantro, red onion and jalapeno and gently stir until well combined. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
So how do you pick a ripe mango? It's actually pretty simple. Just use the same technique you'd use for picking a ripe avocado or a peach. Give mangos the squeeze test, but be gentle! A ripe mango should give just a bit when squeezed while an unripe mango will feel firm. In terms of flavor and sweetness, smell mangos by their stems. You should get a pretty good sense of what the mango will taste like by simply giving it a sniff.
What's the best way to cut a mango? There are a few techniques out there and you may already have one that works for you. It's important to know that mangos have a long, fairly thin seed in the middle and you'll need to work around it (not through it). One option is to slice off the sides, then use a spoon to scoop the the flesh off the peel. But typically our preferred method is to simply use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin then slice planks off the sides and dice those. Then go back and trim off any extra fruit you missed.
What about frozen mango? Yup, frozen mango would work in this recipe, though it may not have as sweet of a mango flavor compared to using fresh. When starting with frozen, be sure to thaw them first. You'll want to chop the thawed chunks finer before assembling your salsa.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 0 min.
- Category: Dips
- Method: Chopping
- Cuisine: American
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