Make the Most of Mango Season with These Marvelous Recipes (2024)

Mangoes are sweet and sensational when eaten straight out of hand, but their flavor and creamy texture take well to all kinds of recipes—you can enjoy them ini everything from smoothies and parfaits for breakfast to savory salads, sauces, and other embellishments that dress up lunch and dinner dishes. Mangoes have a lovely creaminess when blended or frozen for co*cktails, too.

Though they're available in supermarkets and grocery stores all year long, mangoes are at their best from spring to early summer. There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for mangoes: First, pick one up and give it a gentle squeeze; it should give slightly, not feel rock hard. (Like avocados and peaches, a mango will continue to ripen on the countertop at room temperature for a few days.) Give it a whiff, too—a ripe mango will smell sweetly fragrant, but not overly so. Store ripe mangoes in the refrigerator, which will slow down the ripeness a bit, and eat them within a couple of days of bringing them home. Overripe mangoes can be frozen to use in smoothies and co*cktails; just be sure to scoop out the flesh first.

If you've never prepped a mango, the only tricky part comes when cutting it. Mangoes have a long, flat pit that follows the curve of the fruit. Start by placing the fruit stem-side up on a cutting board, then slice downward and around it, to produce two "cheeks." Then, cut each cheek into cubes; use the tip of a knife to cut a cross-hatch pattern into the flesh, stopping just short of the peel. To remove the cubes, press your thumb against the skin side and slice off the cubes. Refrigerate or freeze the cubes in an airtight container, then add them into smoothies and more, which is an easy and tasty way to increase your intake of vitamins (they are especially high in C, and a great source of D) and dietary fiber. Another option? Use them in the recipes ahead.

Bircher Chia Parfait

Up your morning meal game with a layered yogurt and chia seed parfait. This one is topped with mango, raspberries, and almonds. You can swap unsweetened muesli in for the oats or add other fruits or nuts to the chia base.

Mango-Mozzarella Salad

Here's a fresh new take on the beloved summer staple, the Caprese salad. Mango wedges stand in for the sliced tomato, and mixed garden lettuces replace the basil. The super simple dressing—olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper—allows the other flavors to shine extra bright.

Three-Ingredient Mango Sorbet

Here's a quick take on a favorite store-bought sorbet flavor, easily and quickly made at home without an ice cream maker or a long ingredient list. We call that a win-win-win.

Frozen Mango Margarita

Frozen margaritas make any party more festive. These co*cktails are made especially crowd-pleasing with a sweet, creamy mango base and a spicy rim of Tajin, the ubiquitous Mexican seasoning made of ground chiles and salt.

Turmeric-Mango Smoothie

Start off the day in a super healthy way with this dairy-free smoothie. The flavor of mango pairs beautifully with turmeric and black pepper, both of which boast antioxidant properties. Ultra-hydrating coconut water is an excellent source of electrolytes.

Avocado, Mango, and Toasted Seed Salad

Toss together a simple, nutrient-rich salad for one at lunchtime, or scale it up to serve a few more for dinner. Thanks to the avocado, kale, romaine, peas, edamame, and mango, it also makes a hearty, heart-healthy, meatless dinner.

Mango-Key Lime Tart

You may think that there's no way to improve upon the flavor of Key lime pie, with its combination of graham crackers, lime, and two types of cream (sweetened condensed milk in the filling and whipped cream on top), but you'd be wrong. Topping each slice of this Key lime tart with diced mango takes the beloved dessert to a whole new level.

Salmon with Spicy Mango Barbecue Sauce

Sweet, juicy mango helps cool the heat of even the hottest chile peppers, like the Scotch bonnets (or habaneros) in the barbecue sauce used to glaze quick broiled salmon. Make the sauce up to a week ahead of serving (it keeps even longer in the freezer).

Pineapple, Mango, and Meyer Lemon Salad

A fruit salad that looks—and tastes—like a bright burst of sunshine, this tropical treat doubles as a fantastic topping for yogurt or an accompaniment to grilled swordfish or tuna.

Creamy Mango Pops

Making your own frozen fruit pops has multiple benefits. You can avoid extra sweeteners and additives in store-bought options and make them just the way you like them (and likely save money in the process, too). These mango treats are dairy-free, thanks to the light coconut milk, and have only about one teaspoon of honey per pop.

Mango Mojito

Cool off and chill with a pitcher of Caribbean-style mojitos. The co*cktail's signature flavors of mint, lime juice, and rum, are joined by frozen chunks of mango in a blended base that gets topped with club soda just before serving.

Tomato and Mango Salad with Chiles and Tomato Essence

Sliced mango can easily stand in for tomato (another fruit, not a vegetable) in salads and sandwiches, but the two also play very nicely together in the same dish. Here, they're paired with spicy chiles and cooling cucumber and served in a bowl of tomato water for an appetizer that's the essence of summer simplicity.

Tropical-Fruit Salad with Coconut Crunch

Mango, papaya, and strawberries are sliced and neatly arranged on a platter in this striking composed fruit salad. The real star, however, is the baked coconut and poppy seed crunch that's served alongside for sprinkling over or dipping into.

Thai Grilled-Chicken Baguettes

Consider this an inspired take on the stodgy chicken salad tea sandwiches beloved by the country club set. Rather than being poached, shredded, tossed with curry mayo, and tucked into crustless white bread, the chicken is rubbed with curry paste and grilled. It's topped with fresh herbs and co*cktail peanuts, and served open faced on crusty baguette, with lime wedges and sweet mango slices along for the ride.

Cotija and Corn Tacos with Lime and Mango

Everyone loves Mexican-style corn topped with cotija cheese, chile powder, and lime. It's known as elotes when eaten off the cob, and esquites in salad form. Here, those same flavors make a tasty taco filling, made all the more irresistible with mango spears tossed into the tortillas.

Puff Pastry Tarts

Keeping a box of frozen puff pastry on hand means you're well on your way to making your own bakery-style fresh fruit tarts any time of year. Macerate chunks of mango (chopped into whatever size or shape you like) with lime juice and sugar. Layer fruit over freshly whipped cream in the pastry shell, then garnish each single-serving tart with finely grated lime zest—perfect after a spicy meal.