Juicy, sweet and packed with tropical flavor, mangos are a quintessential summer fruit. This season, mango imports are projected to increase nearly 20% over last year. This surge makes World Mango Day on July 22 the perfect time to stock up and get inspired with mango recipes.
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A starring ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes, the mango is celebrated for its versatility. Use mango in everything from salads to salsas and sides to dessert. With these recipe ideas, the refreshing flavor of mangos will make them the hero of your summer cooking and baking.
Celebrating history and culture on World Mango Day
Now popular in cuisines around the world, the mango has origins in Ancient India, where Buddhist monks recorded cultivating mangos as early as 4,000 B.C. Honoring centuries of tradition, the mango is now the national fruit of India, symbolizing love, and giving a basket of mangos is considered a gesture of friendship.
Mangos spread to the rest of the world beginning in the fourth or fifth century A.D., where they flourished in tropical climates. In the United States, mango imports reach their peak in late spring and summer, just in time to cool off with ripe, refreshing mango.
This season, mango imports are seeing notable growth. Nicaragua leads with an 87% year-over-year surge, followed by Guatemala with approximately 23% and Mexico with about 8%. This promises an abundance for World Mango Day. Whether simply snacking on fresh fruit or celebrating international dishes, here’s how to celebrate.
Mango sides for summertime dishes
On hot days or at backyard barbecues, lighter sides balance out main dishes. Make mango salad with cubed mangos, bell peppers, red onions and cucumbers. A pinch of red pepper flakes and grated ginger lends extra vibrancy to this colorful salad.
A fresh mango salsa is also ideal for entertaining or as a snack to keep on hand. Mangos with cilantro, onion, jalapeño peppers and lime juice can substitute for tomato salsa as a chip dip or taco topping. You can also serve it atop fish, chicken, grain bowls or even scrambled eggs.
Both salads and salsas provide space to experiment with mango. Mix in other fruits, vegetables, spices and flavorings like lemon juice or vinegar for new combinations all summer long.
Sweet and spicy: Pairing mango with spice
The natural richness of mangos makes them ideal for pairing with bold spices. A touch can bring out the layers of flavor of a mango and temper the sweetness. Try mixing sambal oelek, a Southeast Asian chili paste, into the dressing for your mango salad. Add a sprinkle of Mexican Tajín chili seasoning to cut-up mangos for a sweet and spicy snack. Likewise, a chamoyada is a popular Mexican drink made with mango sorbet, chamoy sauce, lime juice and Tajín.
Mangos as the ultimate dessert
A mango is sweet enough to be a dessert all by itself. When ripe, a mango is a delicious after-dinner treat. You can also add sliced or cubed mangos to your favorite pies, cobblers or even cakes.
Mango sticky rice, a popular dessert in South Asian countries such as Thailand, combines rice with lightly salted coconut milk and slices of mango. The fruit brightens the pudding-like rice for a refreshing dessert. A mango lassi, a yogurt-based drink originating in India, is another creamy treat to cool down with on a hot afternoon.
For a quick mango sorbet, you can freeze chunks of mangoes ahead of time. When you’re ready for dessert, blend the chunks with a splash of lime or lemon juice for a velvety, sugar-free treat in minutes.
International dishes: Mango recipes from around the world
Mango thrives in tropical climates in India, the Philippines, Mexico, Peru and the Caribbean, where it has become a staple in local dishes. In India, mango shrikhand blends yogurt, mango and sugar into a refreshing dessert, while mango chutney is a tangy and sweet component of an Indian meal.
Amba, a Jewish-Iraqi pickled mango sauce made with unripe mangos, vinegar, fenugreek and cumin, makes for a funky condiment. In the Philippines, mango royale, also known as mango float, is an icebox cake with mango, cream, graham crackers and sweetened condensed milk.
Choosing, storing and preparing mangos
The color and texture will depend on the variety of mango. The Tommy Atkins mangoes are fibrous and ruby red, while honey mangoes are bright yellow with a balanced sweet and sour flavor. Both Kent and Keitt mangos have a green skin even when ripe.
For this reason, you should rely on touch when choosing mangos. The ripest ones will be slightly soft. If you have somewhat under-ripe mangos, store them out of the counter for a few days to soften. Once ripe, move them to the fridge to preserve freshness.
To cut up a mango, slice it in half around the pit. Score the flesh in a grid pattern, stopping about half an inch short of slicing through the skin. You can then scoop out the cubes. Alternatively, you can skin and cut the mango for use in any recipe.
Get inspired with mango recipes on World Mango Day
With mango at peak flavor on July 22, World Mango Day is the time to get creative. Whether you want to try a mango salad at your next cookout, add a little heat to a mango salsa or transform dessert with international mango recipes, explore this versatile fruit and bring more sunshine to your summer cooking.
Kristen Wood is an award-winning photographer, food writer, recipe developer and certified functional nutrition expert. She is also the creator of MOON and spoon and yum, a vegetarian food blog, and the author of “Vegetarian Family Cookbook,” “Fermented Hot Sauce Cookbook” and “Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners.” Her work has appeared in various online and print publications, including NBC, Seattle Times, Elle, New York Daily News, Forbes, Chicago Sun-Times and more.