This Mango and Avocado Salad recipe is delightful with fresh ingredients, beautiful with textures and awesome in flavor. Buttery avocado, tropical mango enhanced by a lime honey dressing, toasted pepita seeds and blue cheese. Read on to see what all the fuss is about.
About This Recipe and Why It Works
This is a Rick Bayless salad recipe that I’ve been making for years.
It’s a beautiful Mexican themed salad that pairs well with about any entree.
The flavors of mango and avocado are enhanced by the addition of jalapeno pepper, salt and lime, which is the foundation of the dressing.
The savory aroma of garlic and a hint of sweetness from honey combined with salty bacon makes this a very compelling salad and one you must try.
Picking Out A Good Mango
I adore mangos on so many levels. Puree’d as a base for a Jamaican themed Mango Dressing, or simply sliced over cottage cheese for a healthy snack. I rarely walk by those huge bins of this tropical fruit without picking up a couple. And if you don’t, you should. You simply don’t know what you’re missing.
And make sure you’re picking a ripe one.
Mangoes are best when they’re ripe. That is unless you’re looking to make this Green Mango Salad, where the tart flavor is the star of the dish.
Some mangoes change color when they’re ripe, but the most common mango found in our markets is the Tommy Adkins which keeps its green and red coloring throughout its shelf life. It’s ripe if it’s somewhat flexible with a gentle squeeze and has a sweet smell at the stem end.
And to peel and slice that mango? What a job! But it’s worth every single curse word muttered. First of all, don’t peel the mango before you try to slice it. The flesh is too slimy to handle. And then follow these instruction on Mango.org.
Me? I purchased a Mango slicer that works very well. And I’ve hardly mangled a mango since.
And Choose the right Avocado for a Salad
Ripeness is best determined by pressure not the color of the avocado.
Press down on the avocado with your thumb. A good one will have a little give rather than feeling like you’re pressing against a wall. But don’t make the mistake of thinking more give equals more goodness. If your thumbprint stays indented or the flesh feels squishy, skip it, as it’s likely overripe.
Overripe avocados simply won’t slice well for a salad. Save them to make guacamole.
Cold air is an avocado’s best friend. Store avocados in the refrigerator to keep them from further ripening. However, If you have a harder underripe avocado, leave it at on the counter at room temperature to ripen.
How to Make This Mango and Avocado Salad
This is the type of salad I can never get enough of. Fresh, vibrant and just eating it makes me feel healthy and energetic.
The dressing is light and bright. Made with olive oil and beautifully seasoned with honey, lime juice, garlic and jalapeno. It’s a fresh topping for the tender butter leaf lettuce and a perfect flavor for mango and avocado.
The salad is topped with the crunch of toasted pepita seeds, salty bacon and chunks of bold tangy blue cheese. It all comes together for an exciting set of flavors and textures that you’ll not forget.
What to serve with this beautiful Mexican Mango Salad
- Perfect for any Traditional Mexican Entree, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, etc.
- Ideal for a Mexican themed dinner party.
- It shines when served next to grilled chicken, seafood, pork or beef.
- And don’t forget those burgers.
- Top this salad with slices of grilled chicken breast to make it an entree.
Recipe for Mango And Avocado Salad
I hope you give this avocado mango salad recipe a try and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. I love hearing opinions from my readers.
And if you have a favorite avocado mango salad recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Variations for this Salad
- Bacon can be replaced with flaked smoked salmon or trout.
- Leave out the bacon to make the salad vegetarian, or replace it with pan-grilled onion slices.
- The luscious texture of mango works well with avocado, but so would ripe peach or nectarine.
- The jalapeno could be replaced by hot ground red chile (like New Mexico Chimayo Chile)—sprinkle it over the salad rather than blending it with the dressing.
- Crumbled goat cheese is a good stand-in for Mexican queso fresco.
- Over-the-Top Crab-Avocado-Mango Salad: Sprinkle a generous portion of crab over the avocado and mango before drizzling with dressing.
More Recipes Using Mango
- Mango Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast An absolutely perfect make aheae stuffed french toast recipe for Mother’s Day Brunch
- Avocado Shrimp Salad with Mango Dressing a Jamaican roadside stand inspired dish with sweet shrimp simmered in a peppery broth.
And if you’re salad fans like us, don’t miss my post on 9 Secrets To A Remarkable Tossed Salad. A step by step guide on how to make the best tossed salad ever.
Mango and Avocado Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup hulled pumpkin pepita seeds
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- small jalapeno stemmed, seeded, sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt
- 1 large head Boston, bibb or butterhead lettuce leaves separated
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 2 ripe mangoes
- 3/4 cup Queso Fresco Gorgonzola is great here
Instructions
- Arrange the bacon slices between a double layer of paper towels on a microwavable plate. Microwave on high for 2 ½ to 3 ½ minutes, until crispy.
- Pour the pumpkin seeds into a small skillet and set over medium heat. Once the first one pops, stir constantly until all have popped from flat to round, about 5 minutes. Scoop about 1/3 of them into a blender jar and add the lime juice. Pour the remainder seeds into a small dish.
- Return the skillet to medium heat and measure in the oil. Add the garlic and jalapeno chile. Cook, stirring regularly, until the garlic is soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Scrape the oil, garlic and jalapeno into the blender or food processor. Add the honey and ½ teaspoon salt. Process until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if you think necessary. (It should be highly seasoned.)
- Divide the lettuce between 4 dinner plates. Pit and the avocados, scoop flesh from the skin and cut it into slices. Cut the flesh of the mango from the pit. Peel, and slice to match the avocado pieces.
- Arrange the avocado and mango in the center of the lettuce. Drizzle everything with the dressing, then sprinkle with the cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds. Crumble the bacon over the top, and the salad is ready.
Notes
Nutrition
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I’ll save this recipe for when it is mango season here in Florida. Love the flavors and textures going on in this salad.
I think it’s a texture thing, but I’m not a fan of Mangos but Bev and Cindy would be all over this salad
Mango are a little on the slimy side aren’t they – but sure are tasty.
I made this salad last week for a ladies. luncheon I had to use diced Papaya instead of Mango as I could not find the Mango, it turned out great & had compliments about the dressing. I served it along with stacked enchiladas & refried beans. Great luncheon for 15 friends.
Fabulous, and thanks for letting me know. Great thinking about that papaya. And easier to cut. 🙂