Mango Black Bean Salsa - easy, make ahead recipe (2024)

Mango Black Bean Salsa is a vibrant, flavorful, and easy salsa. This vegan, gluten-free dip is excellent as an appetizer, snack, or for topping cooked chicken, eggs, or fish.

About Black Bean Mango Salsa

While I know not everyone loves fruit in savory dishes, mango makes this vibrant, fresh salsa delightful.

It's definitely worth trying!

While salsa is commonly made with tomatoes, this salsa without tomatoes has red onions, red bell pepper, and mangos.

The great thing about salsa is that it is mainly made of vegetables (and some fruit in this case).

So it's a delicious and easy way to increase how much produce you eat in your day.

Plus, making homemade salsa can be beneficial if you are trying to reduce your sodium intake since most store-bought salsas are high in sodium.

This black bean mango salsa tastes great with chips, of course, as well as served with chicken, shrimp, salmon, and over scrambled eggs.

It's good on basically anything.

Ingredients

Onion: Red onion is the preferred onion in this mango and black bean salsa. Soaking it in hot water for a few minutes helps take the bite out of the fresh onion.

Mango: The star of the salsa, I use fresh mango. Look for mangos that slightly give when pressed on the skin - not too squishy and not too hard. Frozen mango would also be fine.

Black beans: A can of black beans is easiest, but you can also use cooked black beans. Make sure they are whole black beans and not mashed.

If sodium is a concern for you, use no-salt-added black beans and/or rinse the beans well before adding them to the salsa.

Bell pepper: Red bell pepper is my preferred bell pepper choice to give this extra color. Plus, it's slightly sweet to balance the jalapeño. An alternative is to use orange or yellow bell pepper. Green bell pepper would be fine but it isn't as sweet.

Cilantro: While cilantro isn't everyone's favorite herb, I think it's perfect in salsa. Use fresh cilantro. However, if you aren't a fan of cilantro, substitute it with fresh parsley, or you can omit it.

Lime: Lime juice gives your salsa the added vibrance and tanginess to balance the flavors. Lemon juice would also work well, and you can use bottled lime or lemon juice if needed.

Jalapeño: Highly suggest adding jalapeño for a little heat in this mango salsa with black beans. Red pepper flakes can be substituted in a pinch. Or leave it out if you want a very mild salsa.

Garlic: Fresh garlic is best. You could use refrigerated minced garlic (the same amount called for in the recipe: 2 teaspoons). I wouldn't recommend garlic powder, but if you have no other choice, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder could work.

Salt: A pinch of salt is helpful for enhancing the flavors of this vegan mango salsa. Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.

Recipe Cost

• red onion 1 small: $0.48
• mangos 2: $1
• black beans 15-ounce can: $0.87
• red bell pepper 1 medium: $1.38
• cilantro 3 tablespoons: $0.24
• lime juice 1 lime: $0.44
• jalapeño 1 small: $0.20
• garlic 2 cloves: $0.12
• salt ⅛ teaspoon: $0.01

TOTAL COST: $4.74 or $0.59/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2023)

Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.

How to Make Mango Black Bean Salsa

Recipe Tips

Variations

Ingredient Options

Onion: Sweet onion, Vidalia onion, yellow onion, white onion, or green onion would be fine substitutes. Use equal amounts.

Jalapeño: Use ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper in place of jalapeño if desired, or omit it for a mild salsa.

Mango: Use 2 cups frozen diced mango, thawed if you can't find fresh mangos.

Flavor Substitutions

Less spicy: leave out the jalapeño or use less of it.

Lime juice: use lemon juice or red wine vinegar in place of lime juice.

How to Make Allergy Friendly

This mango black bean salsa is already vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and soy-free.

How to Fix a Mistake

Too spicy: Add another mango or can of drained black beans.

Lacking flavor: Add a few teaspoons of lime juice, a pinch of salt, a minced clove of garlic, or a teaspoon of minced jalapeno. Allow the flavors to combine for at least 30 minutes before adding more seasoning.

Make Ahead Ideas

Salsa is best made in advance, and this mango black bean salsa is no exception. I recommend making it at least one hour in advance.

Storage Suggestions

Keep the salsa in an airtight glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

I don't recommend freezing it as the texture will change unfavorably when defrosted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Benefits

This black bean and mango salsa has 4 grams of fiber per serving which aids in digestion and can help lower cholesterol and manage blood sugar levels.

Plus, it is an excellent source of Vitamin C with 57% RDA and Vitamin A with 22% RDA.

Mango is a good source of Vitamins A, E, and B6, plus folate and copper. And it is an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Thanks to the beans, you also get 4 grams of protein per ½ cup.

And if you use no-salt-added beans, it only has 43mg of sodium which is quite low, especially for salsa.

What to Serve with Mango Black Bean Salsa

Serve this delicious mango salsa with tortilla chips for a snack or appetizer.

It also pairs well with cooked chicken, fish, shrimp, and scrambled eggs as a topping.

I made a pita with some left-over broiled salmon, baby spinach leaves, and black bean and mango salsa. It was so good!

Final thoughts:

Like most salsas, Mango Black Bean Salsa is a well-rounded addition to your meals and snacks.

Plus, enjoying this salsa is a tasty way to get in some extra fruits and veggies.

Additionally, this recipe makes a large amount of salsa, so you can make it once to enjoy for the whole week.

MORE SALSA RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

• Easy Homemade Salsa
• Edamame Feta Salsa
• Pineapple Salsa
• Roasted Vegetable Salsa

Meme

This post was originally published on February 18, 2012. The text, recipe, and photos have been updated

Mango Black Bean Salsa Nutrition Facts