Recipes / Mango Habanero Salsa
Mango Habanero Salsa
This pairing works because a habanero is not just hot — underneath the heat it is floral and apricot-like, which is why it belongs with mango rather than fighting it.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced small
- 1 habanero, seeded, deveined and minced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey, only if the mangoes are underripe
Instructions
- Wear gloves for the habanero. Halve it, remove seeds and the white pith — most of the heat lives in that pith, not the seeds — and mince very finely.
- Combine mango, habanero, onion, bell pepper and cilantro.
- Add lime juice and salt, stirring gently so the mango keeps its shape.
- Taste and adjust. More lime for brightness, more salt for depth, honey only if needed.
- Rest at least thirty minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate. It is better on day two.
Notes
Prep 15 minutes · Rest 30 minutes · Makes about 3 cups
Start with half a habanero if you are unsure. Heat varies significantly between lots — a hot, dry growing season pushes it up — so taste before you commit the whole pepper.
Serves well with grilled fish and shrimp, jerk chicken, pork, fish tacos, or simply with chips. Holds three to four days refrigerated; the mango softens after that.
