This Mango Pico de Gallo is a tropical twist on the beloved Mexican staple that takes everything to love about fresh pico like juicy tomatoes, spicy jalapeño, lime, and fresh cilantro, and adds sweet mango for the best flavor combination! Made with simple fresh ingredients and ready in minutes, it's the kind of recipe that disappears fast every single time. Serve it with tortilla chips as an appetizer, spoon it over shrimp tacos, or pile it on grilled salmon for an instant summer upgrade. 😊
As a dietitian, I love sharing the different ways I add fresh seasonal ingredients to recipes for more flavor and nutrition. And when mango season comes in the summer, this mango pico de gallo is one of the first things I make every year! It's easy, repeatable, and always a favorite no matter who I make it for (unless they hate mango. in that case, I say skip this one). I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 😊
There are so many different ways you can serve this pico once you have a batch made. I recently brought it to taco night with friends and it was devoured. And I've even made it for my parents on a random weeknight with some chips and the whole bowl was gone before dinner even started! Sometimes I turn it into a light lunch by adding a can of chickpeas, chili lime shrimp, or shredded chicken.
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my simple Black Bean & Lime Pico de Gallo, Mango Cucumber Salad, or Easy Homemade Guacamole.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This mango pico de gallo is made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements.
- Mango - ripe mangos add color and sweetness. Fresh mango is best for this recipe, but if it's not in season you can totally use frozen mango instead. I have made it both ways. If using frozen mango, I like to get a bag of diced mango, let it thaw out for a few minutes, and then cut it into smaller pieces.
- Bell Pepper - to add crunch, color, flavor, and vitamin C. You can use any color of bell peppers. I use red bell pepper because it's my favorite and the color blends in nicely with the tomatoes.
- Tomato - the best tomatoes for fresh pico de gallo recipes are Roma tomatoes. They have more meat (meaning they have a lower water content and less juice and seeds) so they hold together better. Campari tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes work too. No matter what type of tomato you use, I highly suggest deseeding the tomato for the best pico. I've made the mistake of not taking the extra 1-2 minutes to do so. It still has great flavor, but it's more watery rather than fresh and chunky like a pico should be.
- Jalapeño Pepper - to add spice. If you like things on the mild side, remove the seeds from jalapeño peppers. If you like more spice, leave in more of the seeds.
- Red Onion - pico de gallo typically uses white onion, but I like using sweeter red onion. Either will work! If you want to cut some of the harsh onion flavor, soak it for 5-10 minutes in cold water before adding it to the pico.
- Fresh Cilantro - classic pico ingredient for added fresh flavor.
- Lime Juice - zest and juice from fresh limes brightens this salsa fresca. You can substitute with lemon juice if you prefer.
- Garlic Powder - I like to add garlic powder for more flavor.
- Kosher Salt - a little bit of salt ties the flavors together.
How to Make Fresh Mango Pico de Gallo
Below are the directions for how to make this easy recipe with photos that I hope are helpful! Check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1: Start by chopping the ingredients. For the mangos, since it'll be diced into small pieces, I find it's easiest to peel it first. Then slice the flesh away from the pit and dice it into small bite sized pieces. About ¼ inch is ideal for pico so you get a little mango in every bite.
Step 2: For the tomatoes, cut them in half first and remove the seeds. I do this my using my finger to get most of the seeds and gel- like liquid around them out. Then dice the tomatoes.
Step 3: For the jalapeno, remove the pulp and seeds and dice it. If you like more spice, leave the seeds in. Dice the red onion and red bell pepper and chop the cilantro. In a mixing bowl, combine everything and add the fresh lime zest and juice, garlic powder, and salt.
Step 4: Toss to combine. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then add more salt to taste.
Hint: Let it sit for at least 5 minutes before you add more salt. It will take a little time for the flavors to soak in so it's better to add salt to taste slowly.
Dietitian tip
This mango pico de gallo looks impressive and tastes so fresh! But what I love most about it is all the nutrients it provides. Mangos contain over 20 vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and C. Tomato provides lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant. And red pepper adds potassium and folate. The most time-consuming part of the recipe is chopping everything. Make it fun by designating a "chopping power hour". Turn on your favorite playlist, audio book, or podcast or spend time catching up with a friend and enjoy time away from your phone. Take a minute to appreciate the colors and smells of all the fresh ingredients!
Video of How to Make Mango Pico de Gallo
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful.
Variations for Mango Pico de Gallo
The great thing about this recipe is you can customize it to your taste! Below are some ideas.
- Spicy - replace jalapeño peppers with serrano pepper or even habanero peppers to amp up the spice. Toss some paprika or crushed red pepper on top. Serranos and habaneros are much higher on the scoville scale which measures peppers by heat level.
- Deluxe - throw in even more veggies to amp up the flavor and nutrition. I've had it with diced cucumbers added to it and it's delicious. Jicama would make a great addition too.
- High Fiber - add a can of chickpeas if you want to turn it into an easy plant-based lunch.
How to Serve Mango Pico de Gallo
- On Top of Tacos - My favorite way to use this pico is as a flavorful topping for Shrimp Tacos with honey chili lime shrimp. It goes great with fish tacos too. Or add it to a tortilla with slow cooker shredded chicken and a simple avocado mash.
- In Mexican-Inspired Bowls - add flavor and a touch of sweetness to a Southwest chicken burrito bowl or Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl.
- As an appetizer - use it as a tasty dip for tortilla chips, crispy raw veggies, or jicama.
- As a Side Dish - this mango pico goes great with smoked paprika salmon or air fryer salmon bites and cilantro lime rice or oven-baked chicken breast and roasted diced sweet potatoes.
Storage for Mango Pico de Gallo
- Refrigerator - store leftover pico de gallo in a tightly sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Expert Tips
- Chop the vegetables into relatively even sized pieces so you get the flavor of everything in each bite.
- Scoop out most of the seeds from the tomato. This will make it taste better and stay fresh longer.
- If you're making this in advance, wait to add the cilantro right before serving.
- Let it rest for around 15 minutes in the fridge before serving it.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this recipe is a nutrient-rich option. It uses several fresh ingredients, each of which provides nutrients. For example, mango provides vitamins C and A, tomatoes provide lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, and red bell peppers provide potassium, folate, and vitamin K. It is also a relatively low calorie option and is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free. It contains no added sugars, no saturated fat, and no cholesterol.
Absolutely! Fresh is best but I have made this recipe using either frozen mango or fresh and it's delicious either way.
According to the National Mango Board, don't look so much at the color of mango to determine if it's ripe and ready. Instead, feel the mango by giving it a gentle squeeze. If it has a little give, it's ready for use! If it's hard, it still has some ripening to do and it won't be as sweet.
Working around the large seed in the middle of a mango can be difficult, but once you learn it, it's easy. I like to cut the mango cheeks off and then use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh of the fruit and then dice it. According to the National Mango Board, there are many ways to cut a mango.
The main difference between pico and salsa is that pico is made from diced fresh ingredients whereas in salsa the ingredients are typically blended. You can think of pico de gallo as a version of chunky salsa or a salsa cruda which means it's a raw sauce.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Mango Pico de Gallo
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Mango Pico de Gallo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 mango (about 1 cup chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- ¼ red onion (about ½ cup chopped)
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- ½ cup cilantro
- 2 small limes, juice of both and zest of 1 (about ¼ cup juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
Instructions
- Start by chopping the ingredients. For the mangos, since it'll be diced into small pieces, I find it's easiest to peel it first. Then slice the flesh away from the pit and dice it into small bite sized pieces. About ¼ inch is ideal for pico so you get a little mango in every bite.
- For the tomatoes, cut them in half first and remove the seeds. I do this my using my finger to get most of the seeds and gel-like liquid around them out. Then dice the tomatoes.
- For the jalapeno, remove the pulp and seeds and dice it. If you like more spice, leave the seeds in. Dice the red onion and red bell pepper and chop the cilantro.
- In a mixing bowl, combine everything and add the fresh lime zest and juice, garlic powder, and salt.
- Toss to combine. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then add more salt to taste.
Video
Notes
- Chop the vegetables into relatively even sized pieces so you get the flavor of everything in each bite.
- Scoop out most of the seeds from the tomato. This will make it taste better and stay fresh longer.
- If you're making this in advance, wait to add the cilantro right before serving.
- Let it rest for around 15 minutes in the fridge before serving it.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in a tightly sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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