Equal parts tangy and sweet, this salad is perfect for your summer menu. The mango offers a creamy sweetness, while the cucumber adds a fresh crunch. Top it off with rice vinegar, lime juice, crushed red pepper, and cilantro — and you have a nutritious salad that’s bursting with flavor. You can even enjoy it as a salsa with tortilla chips or on top of tacos. Yum!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This
This fresh, tangy, and sweet salad is perfect for brightening up your summer day. It also works wonderfully as a salsa for your favorite Mexican dishes.
But the versatility of this dish is just one reason to love it.
It’s also incredibly easy to throw together. Just chop the fruits and veggies, mix the dressing, and boom, you have a refreshing salad for picnics or lunches, or serve it with chips for a simple yet delicious appetizer.
This salad has a soft and juicy yet satisfyingly crunchy texture with notes of sour and sweet. The red onions and crushed red pepper might be a little much for youngsters, but most older kids tend to love this dish. Of course, you can always add more or less of any ingredients to fit your family’s tastes.
Ingredient Notes
- Mango – The leading ingredient in this dish is definitely mango. Make sure you find a ripe fruit that is slightly soft and highly aromatic. Use one large mango or two smaller varieties.
- Red Onion – The sweet meets zesty flavor pairings in this salad really set it apart. Red onion brings that all-important zesty aspect.
- Fresh Lime Juice – Don’t cut corners here; freshly squeezed lime juice makes all the difference.
- Maple Syrup – To heighten the sweetness of the mango, I add a bit of maple syrup. This sweetener has the perfect mix of flavor and sugariness. But if you’re out, you can always use coconut or raw sugar.
Swaps and Alternatives
- Swap rice vinegar for apple cider – The former has a cleaner finish, but either works well in this recipe.
- Omit the crushed red pepper – If you are sensitive to heat, feel free to leave the red pepper out of the dressing.
How to Make
Step 1: Juice your lime.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine lime juice, rice vinegar, sweetener, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and olive oil. Whisk gently.
Step 3: Add diced mango, cucumber, red onion, and chopped cilantro to a large bowl. (If you don’t know the proper way to cut a mango, check this article out.)
Step 4: Add the dressing and toss to combine. I recommend tasting it and adding more lime juice, vinegar, and/or maple syrup if needed.
Expert Tip
This salad is delicious as is, but to really bring those flavors out, I recommend popping it in the fridge for at least a half hour before serving.
There is nothing more refreshing than this surprising combination of flavors served chilled, especially on a hot summer day.
How to Serve
This salad is great all its own, but it also makes a wonderful garnish and salsa for a number of other dishes.
Some of my favorite dishes to top with this salad include tacos, breakfast burritos, and quesadillas.
You can also mix it with rice or quinoa for a more substantial meal. Or use it as a dressing for your favorite greens mix.
Of course, it also pairs well with chips or crackers as a dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is eating cucumber salad healthy?
Yes, cucumbers are loaded with nutrients and low in calories. Pairing them with high-antioxidant fruits and veggies like mango and red onion makes the salad even healthier.
Can you substitute the mango?
The mango really is key to this recipe. But if you can’t find any mangoes, this cucumber watermelon salad is a great alternative that uses many of the same ingredients.
Storage
Store any leftovers from this salad in the refrigerator. Be sure to place them in an airtight container first.
This salad should last between three and five days if stored this way.
Serving Size
This recipe makes about 4 servings. If you’re eating it as a main salad, it’s generally enough to feed two people. If you use it as a topper or salsa, it will stretch much farther.
Mango Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 mango diced
- 1 cucumber deseeded and diced
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1/2 lime
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, sweetener, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and olive oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the diced mango, cucumber, red onion, and chopped cilantro. Add the dressing, then toss well until combined.
- Give the salad a taste. Add more lime juice, cilantro, sweetener, and/or spices, if necessary. Serve immediately or chilled on its own or as a side. You can also enjoy it with tacos, burritos, rice, leafy greens, or tortilla chips.
Notes
- You can enjoy this salad as a side, topping, or incorporated into a main dish.
- Nutritional information for this recipe is a rough estimate automatically calculated by the Spoonacular food database and does not include optional ingredients.
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I had all the ingredients out to make this and my husband is saying how he doesn’t love mango like I do. I put this together as a side dish with dinner and he was like OMG I could eat this right of the bowl! Then when he finished what was on his plate asked me if I was going to have anymore of the salad. When I said no he said “YES!!!” and finished it all haaaaaa. It’s really delicious and refreshing!
This is the best mango cucumber salad recipe I’ve tried
So yummy. I like lime so I used 2. I used Tajin instead of chilie flakes. It was a hit!! I also used truvia instead of sugar or maple.
So glad you enjoyed it, Nichelle!