Mango Habanero Salsa Recipe

Name: Mango Habanero Salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 3 medium size tomatoes; 2-3 habanero peppers; 2 jalapeno peppers; 1 medium/large mango (diced); 1/2 red onion; 2 cloves garlic; 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro; 1 tbsp avocado oil; salt (to taste)

This sweet and spicy mango habanero salsa is full of fresh flavor that will make your taste buds sing.

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This mango habanero salsa recipe only takes 10 minutes to prep and is bursting with the bold flavor of oven-baked, char roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes, plus fresh mango. If you like sweet and spicy, this medium heat salsa is the perfect mix of both.

Table of Contents

Serve habanero mango salsa with tortilla chips as an appetizer at your next gathering and everyone will be asking for the recipe. It’s also a delicious topping for Mexican dishes like Grilled Chipotle Chicken Kebabs, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas or Crock Pot Chipotle Chicken Tacos for a surprising sweet twist that will make your taste buds sing.

Chip dipping into mango habanero salsa bowl.

If you love salsa, be sure to also give Stef’s mango avocado salsa a try.

WHAT IS MANGO HABANERO SALSA?

Mango habanero salsa is a classic combination of sweet and spicy. Onions, tomatoes and peppers are oven baked to a char and then blended together with lime and spices into a finely diced mixture. Then fresh, juicy mango chunks are added, offering a sweet counter balance to this medium hot salsa.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS FRESH SALSA RECIPE

✔️ Only 10 minutes to prep, uses simple ingredients

✔️ It’s vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free

✔️ A zesty and sweet crowd pleaser, perfect for your next gathering

✔️ Crowd-pleasing appetizer or topping for Mexican dishes

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for mango habanero salsa, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of the ingredients for mango salsa in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Tomatoes: Medium to large size tomatoes
Peppers: Habanero peppers and jalapeno peppers
Mango: Medium to large size, diced.
Red Onion
Garlic
Cilantro
Oil: Use avocado oil or another high heat oil
Salt

VARIATIONS

More Heat: The salsa is medium-hot as written but add a few more habaneros for more heat.

Less Heat: Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers for a milder salsa. (Wear gloves to avoid getting “hot” hands.)

More Sweet: For more mango flavor, add a second mango. Or, add fresh white or yellow corn. (This will also make it chunkier.)

Try Other Fruits: If you don’t have mango or are allergic, you can use pineapple or peaches as a substitute. If you want two fruits, substitute half of the mango for another fruit.

Smooth Salsa: If you want smoother salsa, include the mango (or other fruit) with the veggies when you pulse it in the food processor.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook mango habanero salsa, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREP: Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash, halve and core tomatoes, halve peppers and onion. Do not remove pepper seeds. Lay them on the baking sheet, skin side up. Brush all with high heat oil (canola oil, avocado oil).

🔴 TIP: Avoid “hot hands.” Avoid touching the seeds and ribs of the peppers, or the oils may irritate your hands. Wear gloves if needed. This is helpful if you opt to remove the seeds and ribs for a less spicy salsa.

Oil brushed on tomatoes, jalapeños, habaneros and onions on baking sheet.

BROIL: Set the rack in the top ⅓ of the oven and broil for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them. Do not leave unattended. When beginning to char, turn off oven and remove from oven.

🔴 TIP: Low on time? You can skip the broiling. The salsa will have a different flavor but still be very good.

BLEND: Put roasted vegetables, garlic and fresh cilantro into a food processor. Pulse a few times until you get the chunky consistency you want. Add the diced mango and pulse a couple times to blend.

SERVE: Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for about 4 hours to chill and allow flavors to blend.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

Food Processor – This recipe requires a food processor to finely dice all the ingredients. If you don’t have a food processor, you may be able to use a blender designed to handle solid food, like a Ninja, Blendtec or Vitamix blender. If you find that the ingredients get stuck to the sides of the container, use a spatula to scrape them back down near the blades periodically in order to get everything diced in uniform size.

TIPS FOR THE BEST MANGO HABANERO SALSA

Follow these tips to make the best (one of the keywords).

✔️ Use fresh vegetables and mango, not canned or frozen.

✔️ Look for char. Roast vegetables long enough to get a little char.

✔️ Need more heat? Add more habaneros! This makes a medium/hot salsa. If you want very hot add a few more habaneros.

✔️ Save the mangos for last? Do not add mangoes to the food processor when you add the other ingredients. The mangoes will pulverize very quickly.

✔️ Keep it cool. Refrigerate before eating.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: You can store mango salsa up 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Be aware that mangos will get increasingly softer over time, which may change the texture of the salsa.

Freeze: You can freeze mango salsa but doing so will change the texture and consistency. The fruit and veggies may not be as firm, and it will be more watery once it is brought back to room temperature.

Defrosting: Thaw on the counter until the salsa reaches room temperate.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH HOMEMADE SALSA

This spicy mango habanero salsa is the perfect prelude to any Mexican meal, including our Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup or Grilled Chipotle Chicken Kebabs. Or use it as a tasty topping for Chicken Chipotle Burrito Bowl, Instant Pot Carnitas or Instant Pot Black Beans and Cilantro Lime Rice.

MORE SPICY RECIPES

If you love love hot salsa you’ll enjoy our Air Fryer Chipotle Chicken Wings, Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking (one of the keywords).

What does mango habanero take like?

This is a spicy and sweet combination with familiar Mexican spices, and the robust flavor of charred onions and peppers. The juicy mango flavor complements the heat of the habanero. Its sweetness balances the spice so it’s less pronounced.

What do you eat with habanero salsa?

This salsa is the perfect prelude to a delicious Mexican meal. Serve it with chips on its own and it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. You can also incorporate it into your entrees, chilis, casseroles or salads for an unexpected sweet and spicy kick.

Are habanero peppers considered hot?

Habanero peppers are considered extra spicy. Just like all chili peppers, habaneros get their heat from a pungent oil called capsaicin. If you’re concerned about having too much heat in your salsa, you can reduce the heat by carefully cutting away all or part of the pepper’s ribs and removing the seeds, which hold most of the capsaicin. Be sure to avoid touching the ribs and seeds with your bare fingers (use kitchen gloves) or the capsaicin oil might create a burning sensation on your hands.

Is mango habanero salsa spicy?

This is a medium heat spicy salsa. Habaneros add heat while the mango balances the heat of the peppers with a bit of sweetness. You can increase the heat by adding more peppers.