Mango Salad with Basil is a simple combination of a few seasonal ingredients that combine to create an amazing flavor and a gorgeous plate. It's a lovely light summer lunch or first course for dinner.
This mango salad celebrates the extraordinary tropical fruit at the peak of its season.
The variety of flavors and textures of the main ingredients in this summer recipe are fresh, sweet and spicy -- all at once!
And it can be put together in just minutes.
You can arrange the ingredients artfully, or just throw them together in a bowl. Your call. 🙂
Ingredients for Mango Salad
- mango
- basil
- manchego
- Spanish paprika
- sherry vinegar
- sugar, salt, pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
How to Make it
- In a very small bowl, combine the paprika, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil and set this aside.
- Arrange the mango, basil and Manchego on plates. Then drizzle them with the dressing.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Sometimes it's fun to artfully arrange the ingredients on a plate -- and sometimes it's preferable to save time! 😉 If that's the case, cut the mango and cheese into bite-sized pieces, roughly chop the basil and toss everything with the dressing.
- Mangoes are best for salads when they're ripe but firm. They should not be hard and have some give when gently pressed with your finger.
- You can use any mango variety you like. (I used a Tommy Atkins mango in this recipe.) Can check out tons of mango varieties and their availability here.
- Use any basil variety you like as well.
- The nut-like salty flavor of the Manchego cheese is an excellent balance to the sweet fruit. Parmesan is a great substitute for this mango salad.
- Spanish paprika is made with smoked peppers so it has a smoky flavor. Any smoked paprika will be delicious. You can substitute with any paprika you like if you don't have it.
I hope you love this summer recipe!
More delicious mango recipes:
- Mango Salsa
- Mango Avocado Pesto Stack
- Coconut Mango Baked Chicken
- Sweet and Spicy Tomato-Mango Appetizer
- Smoky Chipotle Mango Quesadilla Recipe
Mango Salad with Basil Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon Spanish paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- pinch sea salt
- a few turns freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large firm but ripe mango, sliced thinly (Click here for How to Cut a Mango)
- about 1½ dozen large basil leaves, washed and dried
- 2 ounces Manchego cheese, shaved
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a very small dish, combine the paprika, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil and set this aside.
- Assemble. Arrange the mango, basil and Manchego on one or two serving plates. Then drizzle with the dressing. (For a more casual, quicker prep time, you can also mix everything together in a serving bowl.)
NOTES
NUTRITION
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The Duo Dishes
Mango-Manchango. It rolls off the tongue so easily! Manchego is such a beautiful, salty cheese. It's hard not to eat it straight from the block with a cheese slicer. Great salad pairing!
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
We most often have a salad with protein for dinner. This tasty option is just what we crave, seasonal and bursting with irresistible flavor.
Coco in the Kitchen
What a gorgeous way to bid farewell to Summer.
Our sweet basil plants are starting to go to seed. I'd better grab some leaves quick!
valentina
Yes, grab your basil! My mom used to make big batches of pesto at the end of each summer. She'd freeze it and eat it all year. 🙂
David
Until reading your post today, my favorite mango salad was simply slices of mango and avocado with lime juice. I think that just change… This sounds fantastic, Valentina.
valentina
Well now I'm going to have to have it your way. I do love lime with those two fruits. Delicious. 🙂