If you love Mexican-inspired flavors with a tropical twist, this corn and mango salsa is about to become your new go-to. It's a bit sweet, a bit spicy, fresh, beachy, and perfect for a party.
As many of you know, I love tropical flavors and have a whole guide to tropical vegan recipes. This unique tropical salsa unites perfectly charred sweet corn, juicy mango, creamy avocado, spicy jalapenos, tart lime, and fresh cilantro for a combination you'll want to come back to again and again. It feels summery because of the mango, but works beautifully year-round thanks to the delicate char on the corn.
There are so many ways to enjoy this corn and mango salsa! Try serving it at a summer gathering, a Cinco de Mayo party, or even a picnic. You'll also love it as a topping for nachos, dolloped into a taco, or as a garnish on a taco salad. Although the salsa tastes complex, this healthy summer appetizer is easy and fast to make, so it also works well for a casual evening at home.
This tropical corn and mango salsa features a variety of colorful, flavorful ingredients. As I developed this recipe, I wanted the different tastes to feel perfectly balanced. I love fruit in salsa, and I even have a comprehensive fruit salsa guide. But in order to make sure this salsa doesn't feel too sweet, I've balanced the mango with spicy, savory, tart, and even charred flavors.
To bring in some complexity, you'll delicately caramelize the corn before adding it to the salsa (more details on this below). You'll also incorporate some avocado for richness, jalapenos for heat, and cilantro for freshness. A squeeze of lime juice brings it all together, as well as a few generous pinches of flaky sea salt.
Given all the components in this summer salsa, you'll want to taste it and adjust the flavors to your own palate. Feel free to tweak the heat, salt, lime, and herbs based on your own preferences.
Whether you love heat or you need a no-heat version for kids, you can easily tweak the peppers in this recipe to get a corn salsa that works for you. As written, I've suggested using two very finely diced jalapenos with the ribs and seeds removed, yielding a salsa that is nicely zesty but not hot. If you want more heat, leave the ribs and seeds in the peppers or use an additional jalapeno or two. You could also stir in a generous sprinkle of cayenne for a different kind of heat. If you want a less-spicy version, try using a poblano pepper instead, which you could grill or roast beforehand. For a no-heat version, omit the hot peppers entirely.
This tropical salsa is simple to make, although there is one cooking step: charring the corn. It takes a few extra minutes, but packs this fruit salsa with flavor. The recipe card contains instructions for using frozen corn, but see the section below if you have fresh corn in season.
To make this salsa, you'll start by lightly caramelizing the corn in a skillet, just until it has started to brown. Cool the corn, then stir in diced mango, diced red bell pepper, very finely diced jalapenos, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt. Don't forget to taste and adjust to your own palate. Finally, I like to wait until the very end, after all the other ingredients have been mixed, to add the avocado so that it holds its shape.
Is it corn season as you're reading this? If so, you're in luck! You can easily adapt this recipe to be a fresh corn salsa. You'll want to have about 3 cups of corn in the end, so about 4-6 ears depending on the size. If you have an outdoor grill, you'll get the most flavor if you grill local sweet corn outdoors and then cut the kernels from the cobs. Otherwise, cut the kernels from the cobs before cooking and follow the skillet directions in the recipe card.
If you're looking for stress-free entertaining or even easy meal-prep, this salsa works well as a make-ahead dish as long as you leave the avocado out. Just follow the directions as written, omitting the avocado, and store the salsa in a sealed container in the refrigerator overnight. Add the avocado right before serving to avoid browning.
Here's what you'll need for this corn and mango salsa recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
I know you're going to love this corn and mango salsa. It's a versatile party appetizer that everyone seems to love. The contrast between sweet, spicy, savory, and salty flavors is fresh and fun. Thanks to the combination of Mexican and tropical ingredients, this summer dip can pair with a wide variety of other dishes. Unlike other appetizers, this one is vegan, healthy, and friendly for most diets.
Whether you're throwing a summer party, having a margarita night, or just looking for a simple weekend snack, I'm confident this tropical salsa will become a favorite.
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
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This corn and mango salsa is sweet, spicy, fresh, and colorful. It's perfect for summer parties, taco nights, BBQs, and tropical-inspired dinners.
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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