Mango Avocado Salad

With sweet mango, rich avocado, and a bit of sharpness from shallot (or red onion) and lemon, this makes a great side dish. You can punch up the acidity with a bit of vinegar too. More on that, and other substitutions, below.

A nice cold-weather salad, this is a bright point in root vegetable season for us. It’s a light, fresh side, but still using seasonal ingredients – even if they are imported from a little further away than the food we usually have.

As I’ve mentioned before, I used to never eat avocados, until they became available to buy from within Europe. I buy them now in bulk, a few kilos once or twice a year, directly from the farmer rather than getting imported ones all the way from South America. The mangoes and lemons are also bought in bulk, using the same system.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

Just as quick and easy as any salad, it’s nice to mix things up with a bit of fruit. These might be unexpected flavours in the winter, but a little colour goes a long way when you’re surrounded by nordic blue!

• A one-bowl recipe: everything is mixed in the same bowl, including the dressing.
• It’ll keep for an extra day: mix really well to coat the avocado in anti-browning lemon, and the salad will be just as good on day two.
• It’s sweet and spicy: if you’re a fan of strong flavour combinations (think sweet chili) this is perfect for you.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Parsley: I use parsley because it lives through the winter, while cilantro has usually gotten too cold to continue by this time of year. You can sub cilantro if you prefer the taste.
• Shallot: very finely diced red onion can be used in place of shallot. If you’re sensitive to raw onion, shallot may be a better choice.
• Lemon: if you prefer, substitute lime juice for the lemon.
• Avocado: if you have the option to get some early avocados, with a much thinner skin, I encourage you to try them. The taste is essentially equal but they’re much easier to ripen at home as you can tell really easily when they’re ready.

Step by Step

1. Dice the mango and avocado into approximately equally-sized pieces.
2. Add to a mixing bowl the the parsley, shallot, and spices.

3. Add the olive oil and lemon juice.
4. Mix to coat evenly in the dressing and serve.

Recipe Notes

While the mango is cut with the skin on here, it’s purely for the decorative element and it’s not the most practical way. To get the most fruit, peel with a sharp knife or peeler, then cut the fruit as closely to the pit as possible before dicing.

A splash of white wine vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar, can be added if you prefer a more acidic dish. I’ll usually do this when my mangos are a bit over-ripe and too sweet.

Salad like this would typically be served with something like fish or other seafood, but for a vegetarian meal we like it alongside refried beans or potato tacos.

How to Store

Storage: if very well mixed, and especially if a bit of vinegar is added, the salad can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator overnight. Any longer storage isn’t recommended.

Freezing: this salad can’t be frozen. If you have a lot of mangos or avocados and aren’t sure what to do with them, though, both can be peeled, cut into pieces, and frozen. Use in recipes like an avocado milkshake or mango lassi.

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Expert Tips

• Refrigerate your avocados: once they’re ripe, avocados can be refrigerated for about a week to preserve that perfect spot a while longer. Let them ripen on the counter, then place in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.
• Don’t add the stems: as this is an otherwise soft-textured salad, parsley stems are a nasty surprise. Keep them for vegetable broth instead.
• Let it rest: the shallots will be milder if the salad has rested for at least half an hour before serving.
• Season to taste: reduce or omit the hot pepper if needed, and add salt and black pepper to your personal taste.

More Winter Salads

Quinoa Carrot Salad
Vegan Coleslaw
Lentil, Orange, and Pomegranate Salad
Pumpkin Salad

If you make this Mango Avocado Salad or any other vegetarian sides on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.