Sweet, tangy, and lightly spicy mango corn salsa is the perfect seasonal side dish that is packed with juicy, colorful summer produce, like mangoes, corn, tomatoes, and red onion. This salsa comes together in just a few minutes and is perfect for topping grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish, piling into tacos, folding into grain bowls, or loading onto tortilla chips.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses seasonal produce, like tomatoes, corn, mangoes, and red onion, which are at peak freshness during the summer.
- Simple side dish that comes together in 15 minutes or less!
- Super versatile recipe that can be used as a chip dip, topping for your favorite protein, mix-in for grain bowls, or folded into your favorite tacos.
- Healthy and nutrient-dense dish that is oil-free, has no added sugars, and is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients
- Mangoes – red or yellow mangoes work equally well. To pick a perfectly ripe mango, look for one that is richer in color (red or yellow, depending on variety) and not green, gives slightly when gently squeezed, gives off a sweet smell at the stem, and is releasing a bit of sticky sap or has “sap burn” (dark discoloration that can be mistaken for rot) near the tip of the mango.
- Corn – we prefer to use sweet corn on the cob, especially during the summer months when it’s in season. Boiling is the quickest method to prepare the corn, but grilling adds a subtle smokiness. If you’re in a pinch you can sub in frozen or canned corn, but we highly recommend using fresh corn if possible!
- Tomato – Roma, vine ripened, or even cherry or grape tomatoes are also at peak ripeness during the summer so choose your favorite variety for deliciously juicy results!
- Onion – red onion adds a little crunch and subtle bite to this salsa without overpowering it.
- Jalapeno – an optional adder for a hint of heat. For a more mild salsa, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno before dicing.
- Lime juice – adds a little sour flavor and helps preserve the freshness of the ingredients.
- Fresh cilantro – for a touch of herbiness. If you’re not a cilantro fan, omit or replace with more mild parsley.
Tips for Making Mango Corn Salsa
- Pick a perfectly ripe mango by checking for a few simple clues, like color, smell, firmness, and sap release. Look for red mangoes that are mostly a rosy red color and yellow mangoes that are a rich golden-yellow (avoid the green mangoes!). Ripe mangoes will also give slightly when gently squeezed, but not be too squishy (over-ripe) or too firm (under-ripe). Also look for sweetly fragrant mangoes that have a bit of sticky sap oozing from the tips or dark spots or lines, called “sap burn,” which indicates that the mango is prime ripeness.
- Use fresh produce for the most flavorful results. Opt for juicy, ripe mangoes over frozen chunks, fresh ears of corn over canned or frozen varieties, and freshly chopped cilantro over dried flakes for the ultimate juicy, vibrant salsa. Trust us, it is well worth the little extra prep time to use fresh ingredients.
- Remove seeds and ribs from the jalapeno (or omit all together) for a more mild salsa. Also, be careful to not touch your eyes or mouth when handling jalapenos to avoid spreading the spicy juices to your skin. Wearing gloves or handling the jalapeno with a wet paper towel during prep can help prevent spreading the juices. If you do start to feel a tingling, burning sensation, just dab a little bit of olive oil onto the skin and rub it in for 30 seconds. Then let the oil sit 1-2 minutes before washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
How to Make Mango Corn Salsa
Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the corn and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the corn is a rich yellow color. Remove the corn and set aside until cool enough to handle. Once cool, use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off of the cob. Transfer the kernels to a medium bowl.
Add the prepared mango, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno to the bowl with the corn. Juice the lime over the salsa ingredients and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with tortilla chips or on top of grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish.
How to Store
Store leftover mango corn salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for to 2-3 days.
Recipe Variations
- Veggies – add poblano or bell peppers for extra crunch or serrano peppers for even more heat.
- Fruit – add pineapple, peaches, or watermelon for a sweet switch-up or avocado for a little creaminess.
- Sweetener – toss the salsa with a touch of honey or agave for even sweeter results. Sweeteners also help tame the heat from the jalapeno if this salsa is a touch too spicy for you.
- Citrus – try lemon juice or a mixture of lemon and lime juice for a little variety. You could even add a splash of orange or grapefruit juice for a unique salsa.
What to Pair With Mango Corn Salsa
- Chips – homemade air fryer tortilla chips, pita chips, or cinnamon chips are great for dipping.
- Protein – slather over grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, or white fish. This pairs beautifully with our cilantro lime chicken and honey lime chicken.
- Bowls – garnish your favorite Tex-Mex power bowl with a helping of salsa. Try in our mango chicken bowls, coconut shrimp bowls, or chipotle shrimp bowls.
- Tacos – we especially love garnishing shrimp, fish, and chicken tacos with this vibrant salsa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Red mangoes are mostly a bright ruby red or rich yellow-orange color with possibly a few patches of green when ripe. Yellow mangoes are a golden yellow color when ripe.
Perfectly ripe mangoes will give slightly when you gently apply pressure with your palms, but should not feel too squishy (over-ripe) or too firm (under-ripe).
If you buy a mostly green mango, it will take 4-5 days to fully ripen. However, you can speed up the ripening process by add the mango to a brown paper bag and folding the bag over to seal it. Mangoes release ethylene gas as they ripen, so a sealed bag will trap those gases and speed up the ripening process to about 2-3 days.
While we recommend using fresh corn on the cob, you can use frozen or canned corn as an easy substitute. Drain and rinse canned corn and thaw and drain frozen corn before adding it to the salsa to prevent watery salsa.
We recommend using fresh mango for the juiciest results, but you can substitute frozen mangoes in this recipe, if desired. Thaw and drain the frozen mango before adding it to the salsa to prevent watery salsa or partially frozen chunks.
Check out our other side dish recipes
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Mango Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
- 1-2 ripe red or yellow mangoes, chopped (about 2 cups chopped)
- 2 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
- ยฝ red onion, finely diced
- ยผ c fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 jalapeno, diced (seeds and ribs removed for more mild salsa)
- 2 limes, juiced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the corn and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the corn is a rich yellow color. Remove the corn and set aside until cool enough to handle. Once cool, use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off of the cob. Transfer the kernels to a medium bowl.
- Add the prepared mango, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno to the bowl with the corn. Juice the lime over the salsa ingredients and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with tortilla chips or on top of grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish.
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