Mango Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This Mango Fruit Salad is a delicious and refreshing recipe that combines sweet mangoes, berries, grapes, and avocado to create a sweet and tangy medley. The fruit salad is drizzled with a zesty honey lime dressing and is a great way to get your daily dose of fruits.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Refreshing Flavor: Mangoes have a sweet and tropical flavor that adds a burst of freshness to any fruit salad. Their juicy texture and vibrant color make a refreshing option.
• Nutritional Benefits: Mangoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate which can help support immune function and healthy skin.
• Easy to Customize: You can add a wide range of other fruits to this salad. There are so many possibilities. Whether combined with berries, citrus fruits, tropical fruits, or even savory ingredients like cucumber and avocado, there are so many options.
• Texture: Mangoes add a different texture to fruit salads, with their soft and juicy flesh contrasting nicely with firmer fruits like apples or grapes.

What Type of Mango to Use

Fresh or frozen mango will work. Frozen mango is easy to find and is typically cheaper. Defrost it first and drain any excess water. For the fruits in the salad, you can also use frozen fruit if you wish. Keep in mind frozen fruit is often softer than fresh and may go bad quicker.

How to Shop for Fresh Mango

• Smell: It should have a sweet, fruity aroma coming from the stem end. If there is no aroma, the mango may not be fully ripe.
• Touch: Give the mango a gentle squeeze. if it’s somewhat firm with some give, it’s ripe. If it’s too soft, it may be overripe, and if it’s rock hard, it’s not yet ripe.
• Color: Look for a uniform, deep yellow or orange color. If the mango has a green tinge, it’s not yet ripe.
• Stem: Check the stem end of the mango. If it’s slightly indented, it’s a sign that the mango is ripe.
• Weight: Pick up the mango and see if it feels heavy for its size. A heavy mango is usually a sign of juicy, sweet fruit.

How to Cut

1. Start by slicing off both ends of the mango to expose the pit in the center.
2. Place the mango upright on a cutting board and slice down along the sides of the pit, being careful not to cut through it. Repeat this process on the other side of the pit.
3. You should now have two mango halves, each with a pit in the center. Hold one of the halves in your hand and make a criss-cross pattern on the flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin. Repeat this step with the other half.
4. Hold the mango half in your hand, with the skin facing out, and use a spoon to gently scoop out the diced mango. Repeat with the other half.
5. If you want to slice the mango, cut the flesh from the skin of each half and then slice as desired.

Key Ingredients for the Salad

• Mangos
• Berries (I used raspberries and blueberries)
• Grapes
• Avocado

How to Prep the Fruit

Wash and prep the fruit by cutting it into small bite-sized pieces.

Salad Dressing

I make this using my Honey Lime Dressing. It’s made with honey, lime juice, olive oil, and salt. It is a light and refreshing dressing that pairs well. Here are more options:

• Raspberry Vinaigrette: This dressing is made with raspberries, vinegar, olive oil, and sugar. It is a sweet and tangy dressing that pairs well with the sweetness of the salad.
• Greek Yogurt Dressing: Light and refreshing flavor that pairs well; it also adds a boost of protein.
• Poppy seed dressing: Sweet and tangy; works well with fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and mandarins.
• Mint dressing: Made with fresh mint leaves and super refreshing.

How to Make Mango Fruit Salad

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Add all of the fruit to a large bowl.
2. Combine the dressing in a separate bowl. Taste the dressing repeatedly and make adjustments as necessary. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit.
3. Serve immediately or chilled for 30 minutes

Chilling

I recommend chilling the salad before serving because it will help to enhance the flavor and texture of the ingredients and make it more refreshing to eat, especially during warm weather. You can chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

How to Prevent Browning

When salads turn brown it’s due to oxidation, which occurs when the surface of the fruit is exposed to air. Here are some tips to prevent it:

• Cut the mangoes just before you are ready to use them. The longer they are exposed to air, the more likely they are to brown.
• Toss the mangoes with some lemon juice or lime juice (This is why I use my Honey Lime Dressing). The acid in the citrus juice helps to slow down the oxidation process and prevent browning.
• Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. This will help to slow down the oxidation process.

How to Store/How Long it Will Last

It is best to eat it within 24 hours of making it.

If you store the salad in an airtight container with paper towels, it will last longer. Avoid leaving the salad at room temperature for more than two hours, as bacteria can grow rapidly at warm temperatures.

Keep in mind some fruits, such as bananas and apples, tend to brown quickly when cut and exposed to air. Because the fruit is served with dressing, the longer you take to eat it, the more risk you have the fruit will get soggy.

I like to drain excess dressing for this reason. Once you coat the fruit in dressing and refrigerate for 30 minutes, it will soak up the honey lime flavor.

Other Topping Ideas and Substitutions

• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Fresh Mint
• Arugula
• Spinach
• Cantaloupe
• Honeydew
• Tomatoes
• Grilled Shrimp
• Chicken
• Halloumi Cheese
• Pine Nuts
• Traeger Smoked Corn

Pair With These Recipes

Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
Watermelon Salad with Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette
How to Grill Chicken Wings
How to Grill the Best Burgers
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
Traeger Smoked Salmon
Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast
Au Gratin Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

More Mango Recipes

Mango Salad Dressing
Pineapple Mango Salsa
Mango Habanero Wings
Grilled Mango
Mango Habanero Sauce