This mango habanero salsa strikes the perfect balance between sweet and spicy! Ripe, juicy mangoes create the perfect base for this fun and flavorful salsa. This easy dip requires just 5 ingredients and takes only a few minutes to throw together. Prep a double (or heck, a triple!) batch of this mango habanero salsa for your next party as an exciting new recipe everyone will love – beware of double-dippers!

Mango habanero salsa in a bowl with a spoon, surrounded by cilantro, habanero peppers, limes, and chips.

The Story Behind This Recipe

I honestly only discovered mango salsa last year. Like I knew it existed, but never bothered to try it. To me, salsa had to always consist of mainly some type of tomato. And not to say that a tomato-based salsa isn’t still incredible, but this mango salsa is truly something else! It’s that perfect sweet and salty combo that makes my tastebuds dance. And to top it all off, we add just a hint of spice in there. Let me tell you, the only thing better than sweet and salty is sweet, SPICY, and salty! It’s a total game changer.

In this mango habanero salsa we get that delicious sweetness from juicy, ripe mangos, then add in the savory with some lime, cilantro, and lemon juice, THEN round it all out with a spicy kick from finely chopped habaneros. The fun thing about this salsa is that you can totally customize it to your taste and spice level. I use just half of a habanero to give this salsa that spicy almost smokey flavor without lighting my mouth on fire ?. But if you enjoy that burning sensation (RESPECT) go ahead and dice up an entire habanero. Though on the other end of things, if you reach for the “mild” salsa jar at the store then you can simply use just a quarter of a habanero in this mango habanero salsa!

What You Need To Make Mango Habanero Salsa

Mango – To know if your mangoes are ripe enough for this salsa, give it a gentle squeeze. If the mango is slightly soft, but not too squishy then it’s ready to go in this mango habanero salsa! You’re free to dice your mangoes however big or small you’d like for this recipe. And if you want a more pureed-style salsa, throw the diced mango in a few processor and give it a few pulses before mixing in the other ingredients.

Habanero – These teeny tiny little orange peppers pack a MAJOR punch. Be very careful when handling these peppers, avoid touching your face and especially your eyes during and after chopping. It’s also important that you finely chop the habaneros for this mango habanero salsa. Finely chopped peppers will be more evenly dispersed creating a perfectly subtle flavor rather than overwhelming your tastebuds by biting into larger pieces.

Adjust This Mango Habanero Salsa to Your Spice Level

Mild – Use 1/4 of a habanero pepper and be sure to dice it extra fine for your salsa.

Medium – Use 1/2 of a habanero pepper in your salsa, give it a taste then add more habanero as desired.

Hot – Go ahead, throw that entire habanero in your salsa, I admire your braveness!