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    Home » All Recipes » Sauces, Dressings & Dips

    Mango Habanero Salsa

    Published: Mar 22, 2022 · Modified: Jun 26, 2023 by Katie Roux

    Jump to Recipe How-To-Photos Watch the Video

    Combining juicy mango with spicy habanero peppers, this homemade mango habanero salsa recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Whether you're topping your favorite tacos or using it as a dip for nachos, this salsa recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

    big bowl of chunky mango habanero salsa.

    This habanero mango salsa recipe is the chunky version of my Roasted Mango Habanero Sauce. It's bursting with flavor, thanks to the combination of sweet mango, fiery habanero peppers, and fresh cilantro. A drizzle of fresh lime juice adds an extra layer of freshness and brightness, making it the perfect addition to any dish.

    Similar to my Homemade Tomato Salsa, this hot salsa is perfect as a topping on my Loaded Veggie Nachos, Birria Tacos or TVP Tacos, on fish tacos or simply as an additional salsa at your Cinco de Mayo celebration!

    For more dips and homemade salsa recipes check out Guacamole without onion or Cucumber Pico de Gallo.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients & substitution notes
    • How to make mango habanero salsa
    • Katie's tips
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing
    • FAQs
    • More recipes to try
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
    • It's super versatile- perfect as a dipping salsa or on fish or tacos.
    • It includes only a handful of ingredients.
    • It only requires a couple of minutes!
    • It's made from wholesome, fresh ingredients.
    • It's vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and oil-free.

    Ingredients & substitution notes

    all ingredients for mango habanero salsa.
    • Mango: One of the two main ingredients. For best results I recommend using using fresh mangoes but frozen mango also works. If you use frozen mango, let thaw completely before using it. The texture of this salsa will be a bit different when using frozen one. So I recommend using fresh mango when possible. Also make sure to use ripe mangoes for a most flavorful salsa! Check out this guide on how to pick a ripe mango.
    • Habanero: Habanero chilies are responsible for the heat in this spicy salsa recipe. You can usually find these spicy peppers in most bigger grocery stores. Could be replaced with scotch bonnet peppers, jalapeño peppers or serrano chiles. You can modify the heat of the pepper by reducing or removing the seeds. I highly recommend wearing gloves when removing the seeds to avoid burning your fingers.
    • Red Bell Pepper: Adds some additional sweet flavor and texture. Could be replaced with yellow bell peppers.
    • Onion: I prefer using red onion but this recipe also works with white onion.
    • Fresh Cilantro: Using fresh ingredients makes all the difference! I don't recommend using dried cilantro because the flavors won't be the same.
    • Lime Juice: Is essential for the fresh taste in this delicious salsa. We used fresh lime juice, not store-bought one. Could be replaced with lemon juice.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    How to make mango habanero salsa

    This chunky mango habanero salsa recipe requires only 2 simple steps and minimal equipment. You'll only need a knife and a cutting board. There's no extra equipment such as a food processor needed and it's ready within minutes!

    all ingredients for chunky mango habanero salsa in a big bowl.

    STEP 1: Cut veggies. Cut the peeled mango, onion and pre-washed bell pepper into small pieces. Finely mince the onion and cilantro. I recommend wearing gloves for cutting the habaneros.

    all ingredients for chunky mango habanero salsa in a big bowl, thoroughly mixed together.

    STEP 2: Add all the diced ingredients to a large bowl. Add salt and fresh lime juice and toss to combine.

    Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

    Katie's tips

    • !Gloves!: I highly recommend wearing gloves while handling the habanero peppers. The seeds are the part which store the most heat. Wear gloves while deseeding the peppers to avoid skin burn.
    • Adjust heat: Remove the seeds for a milder salsa or keep them for a hot salsa. You could also remove only parts of it to reduce the spice level a bit. Removing the seeds completely will result in very mild heat. I highly recommend wearing gloves while removing the seeds! For some extra spiciness, add more habaneros (or other type of chilis) 
    • Ripe mangoes: Opt for mangoes that are slightly soft to the touch and have a sweet aroma.
    • Dice ingredients uniformly: Ensure your mango, peppers and other are diced into similar sizes.
    • Adjust texture: Cut all the veggies into small chunks for a smoother salsa or keep them bigger for a chunkier salsa. 

    Variations

    This fresh mango habanero salsa is super versatile. Below you'll find some variations that might help to modify the recipe to personal preference.

    • Adjust heat: Remove the seeds for a milder salsa or keep them for a hot salsa. You could also remove only parts of it to reduce the spice level a bit. Removing the seeds completely will result in very mild heat. I highly recommend wearing gloves while removing the seeds! For some extra spiciness, add more habaneros (or other type of chilis) 
    • Other Types of Peppers: If you can't find habanero peppers you could use scotch bonnet peppers, jalapeno peppers or serrano chiles. Ultimately, they will all do the same thing: add some spiciness to the fruity mango mix.
    • Ground Spices: Feel free to add more spices such as ground cumin, ground coriander, red pepper flakes or chili flakes.
    • More Heat: I used 2 habanero peppers in each recipe but you could use as many as you like for an extra spicy salsa.
    • Other Types of Fruit: You could easily swap the mango for other types of fruits or add more. I recommend sticking to sweet, more tropical fruits. For a peach mango habanero salsa replace half of the mango chunks with diced peach. Or create a pineapple mango salsa add another replace half of the diced mango with pineapple pieces. The options are endless so feel free to experiment here.
    bowl of mango habanero salsa. next to it some nachos, fresh cilantro and lime.

    Serving suggestions

    • Easy appetizer: Enjoy this homemade salsa as dip with your favorite tortilla chips (store-bought or homemade), some veggie sticks or bread sticks.
    • Tacos & Burritos: This fresh mango salsa tastes amazing as a topping in tacos such as Vegan TVP Tacos or Jackfruit Birria Tacos or burritos.
    • Burger: Add it to your favorite burger for a Mexican flavored Burger recipe.
    • vegan tvp tacos in a baking tray.
      Vegan TVP Tacos
    • close up of 1 vegan birria taco filled with jackfruit, guacamole, fresh greens and cheese.
      Jackfruit Birria Tacos (vegan)
    • loaded veggie nachos on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
      Loaded Veggie Nachos

    Storing

    • This salsa recipe taste best when served immediately. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

    FAQs

    What flavor is mango habanero?

    It's a combination of sweet (from mango and red bell peppers), spicy (from habaneros) and juicy (from mangoes and fresh lime juice). So if you're into sweet and spicy flavor combinations, then this recipe is for you!

    Can I use frozen mango?

    Yes, but I recommend letting it thaw on the counter overnight. For best results however, I would recommend using a fresh, ripe mango.

    What about canned mango?

    Also possible, but I personally prefer the taste of fresh mangoes in this salsa recipe.

    Is mango habanero spicy? Can I adjust the heat level?

    Yes, it's supposed to be spicy but you can easily modify the spice level. Reducing or even fully removing the habanero seeds (wear gloves!) will result in a milder salsa.

    How do I fix watery salsa?

    Try to leave as much water behind as possible when scooping the roasted veggies from the baking tray into your food processor.

    More recipes to try

    • big bowl of guacamole with nachos
      Easy Guacamole Without Onion
    • bowl of cucumber pico de gallo with some nachos next to it.
      Cucumber Pico de Gallo
    • a nacho chip topped with tomato salsa over a jug of fresh homemade salsa.
      Homemade Salsa (with Canned Tomatoes)

    If you tried this or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! SIGN UP for the WSK newsletter and get the newest recipes delivered right to your inbox!

    📖 Recipe

    big bowl of chunky mango habanero salsa.

    Mango Habanero Salsa

    Author: Katie Roux
    This fresh chunky salsa is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy flavors. Tastes great as a dip or topping and easily customizable.
    If you love this recipe as much as we do, click on the 5-stars below!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 2 -4 people

    Equipment

    • 1 cutting board
    • 1 kitchen knife
    • 1 bowl
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups (300 g) (~10,5 oz) diced fresh mango *cubed
    • 1 red bell pepper *sliced into strips & deseeded
    • ½ red onion *sliced into strips & deseeded
    • 2 habanero peppers *minced & deseeded (for less heat)
    • 1 handful of fresh cilantro *minced
    • 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (~ ½ a lime)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    You can find detailed step-by step-photos above the recipe card.

    Instructions

    • I highly recommend using gloves when deseeding and cutting the habaneros!
    • Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl & stir until well combined.
    • Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

    Video

    Notes

    • Word of caution: Remember to exercise caution and follow proper food handling guidelines when working with spicy ingredients like habanero peppers. I highly recommend using gloves when deseeding and cutting the habaneros to avoid skin burn! If you didn't use gloves, wash your hands thoroughly!
    • Adjust heat: You can easily adjust the heat of this salsa by adding more habanero chiles for some extra spiciness or remove the seeds and membrane for a milder salsa.
    • Ripe mangoes: Opt for mangoes that are slightly soft to the touch and have a sweet aroma.
    • Other Types of Peppers: If you can't find habanero peppers you could use scotch bonnet peppers, jalapeno peppers or serrano chiles. 
    • Other Types of Fruit: You could easily swap the mango for other types of fruits or add more. I recommend sticking to sweet, more tropical fruits (pineapple, peach...)
    • Storing: This salsa recipe taste best when served immediately. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1. | Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 1169mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 3339IU | Vitamin C: 142mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a rating and comment telling us how you liked it! Or tag @wholefoodsoulfood__kitchen on Instagram so we can admire your creations!

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    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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