Nourishing Mango-Avocado Salad

This beautiful chopped mango avocado salad recipe is healthy and incredibly satisfying. It's a perfect lunch option on its own, or serve it with chips or tacos as a mango avocado salsa.

You can easily sub in whatever mix of proteins you have on hand, and voila, dinner is served! A nutritious-packed salad that is full of healthy, fresh ingredients and bursts with deliciously balanced flavors!

During warmer seasons and whenever mangos are on sale, this mango-avocado salad recipe plays on repeat in my kitchen. It's a go-to dish that is ready in 15 minutes, with an abundance of fresh, mouthwatering fruits and vegetables. Plus, it's such a versatile dish.

Different ways to enjoy this salad

Enjoy as a quick lunch

It's a perfect lunch idea that quickly comes together, and you can pair it with items you probably already have in your pantry.

• This beautiful salad bowl pairs well with protein-packed Black or Pinto beans if you wish to keep it vegan.
• I have also served it a few times with canned tuna or sardines in olive oil on the side (Paleo-friendly).
• Even crumbled boiled eggs work well in this creamy veggie bowl, which you can quickly boil in the amount of time you make this mango avocado salad (vegetarian and Paleo-friendly).
• With a little prep and some suitable storage containers, the next day, leftovers can be your lunch at the office with extra nuts (I recommend walnuts) tossed in or shredded chicken.

Serve it with (leftover) salmon

An easy dinner idea would be a salmon mango avocado salad. Bake this buttery salmon with baby broccolini while you're prepping the salad's vegetables or work in some cold baked salmon leftovers.

Make it a quinoa mango salad recipe

Tossing in cooked quinoa is another great gluten-free and protein-rich nutrient-dense option to make it a more substantial meal. And those teeny-tiny seeds will deliciously take on the flavors of the simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing.

Serve it as a mango salsa with your favorite chips, tacos, or tortillas

I always have organic sprouted corn or gluten-free rice tortillas from Food for Life in the freezer. They quickly warm up over the stove in some olive oil and taste incredibly satisfying when paired with a refreshing salad like this one.

It's also a nourishing and kid-friendly side dish

My daughter loves this, sans the hot peppers.

Make it for picnics or backyard entertaining

Turkey, or beef burgers or any baked, or sautéed white Fish or chicken breasts are delicious pairing options you might want to consider.

It is going to satisfy your taste buds

• The sweet mangos are juicy and sweet, while a small red chile or jalapeno—optional—adds a perfect amount of spiciness.
• Ripe avocados and extra virgin olive oil give the salad a beautiful, creamy texture.
• Sunflower seeds, red bell pepper, and green onions add some crunchiness at the end of each bite.
• It uses simple spices so that the lovely flavors of each ingredient can shine in this dish

Sweet, salty, with a touch of heat, and citrusy flavors all come together in this colorful Mango Avocado Salsa Salad with a creamy and, at the same time, slightly crunchy texture. It's mouthwatering!

A few tips for selecting the ingredients

Use semi-ripe to ripe mangos in this salad

You want the fruit to have sweet flavors with a soft and juicy texture but still firm enough to dice them easily. You can determine their ripeness by gently squeezing the outer skin. It should make a small dent only, giving you the feeling that there is soft flesh inside. Some mangoes might even have a sweet and fruity aroma when you smell the stem ends.

Choose ripe avocados

To get that delicious creamy texture from the avocados, choose ripe ones. I like to pick avocados with dark green skin color, and when gently squeezed, they are only slightly soft. Avoid the ones with blemishes on the skin or almost black spots because they are a little too mushy.

Don't forget to add roasted, salted, or unsalted sunflower kernels

They have that beautiful crunchy texture with a nutty flavor without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. I love them in this salad.

Use all of the green onions

I use both the green and the white parts and usually toss in two whole green onions, finely chopped. The white part has the most intense flavor, so always taste test to see how much you want to add.

Extra virgin olive oil

Nothing gives more aromatic flavor to this nourishing bowl than extra virgin olive oil. It is a must-have ingredient here.

Add some heat (optional)

The red chili pepper is optional and can be left out if serving it to kids or people who don't like spicy food. Otherwise, I recommend adding that touch of spice that will beautifully contrast with the other flavors!

Note: If you use dried red chili peppers—I recommend chili de Arbol, similar to crushed red pepper flakes—remove the stems and crumble into flakes with your fingers or use a knife and cut up on a chopping board if you have sensitive skin. Then toss into the mango avocado salad. It is best to let the salad rest for 10 minutes allowing the flavors to come together.

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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(Note: this post was initially published in November 2018. This post has been updated to include new info and photos)