This How to Cut a Mango post is sponsored by the National Mango Board. All opinions are my own.
Everything you ever wanted to know about How To cut A Mango, How to Tell if a Mango is Ripe, How to Ripen Mangos, How to Store Mangos and Mango Nutrition
Mangos are a juicy, natural superfruit that can be enjoyed year round but often people shy away because they don’t know How to Cut a Mango. This post will help you conquer your fears and get you giddy about Mangos!
I am SO excited to be partnering with the National Mango Board to share my love of mangos with you! As I state on my About Page, “Some people escape in dreams of sandy beaches and sunny skies, I escape in dreams of mangos, chipotle peppers and bacon,” AKA mangos are my happy place and I hope they will be yours too if they aren’t already!
Mangos are naturally sweet, juicy and just plain delicious! I have used mangos in many of my recipes (see Recipes List below), but not as many as I would like because I know many people are intimidated by choosing and cutting mangos. In fact, while mangos are considered the world’s most popular fruit, a recent survey by the National Mango Board, finds that nearly half of Americans not only don’t know how to cut a fresh, whole mango but they actually consider mangos the toughest fruit to cut. The same survey showed Americans are more confident in hosting a dinner party than they are cutting a fresh, whole mango and less than half of women surveyed felt like pros when it came to cutting mangos.
I’d like to change all of that! I want you to feel confident and excited about mangos because they not only taste divine, but they are also a Super fun, Superfruit. I am going to walk you through everything you need to know about mangos from Mango Nutrition, to How to Tell if a Mango is Ripe, How to Ripen Mangos, How to Store Mangos and How to Cut a Mango. The information I’m going to share comes from the National Mango Board. So, let’s talk mangos!
Mango Nutrition
Mangos are the versatile, juicy superfruit you are going to love. They are guilt free good for you!
- One cup of mangos is just 100 calories, so it’s a satisfyingly sweet treat.
- One cup of mango provides 100% of the daily value for Vitamin C, which plays an important role in immune function.
- One cup of mango is a good source of Vitamin A, which is important for immune function and helps maintain healthy skin.
- Mangos contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals, helping to make them a superfood.
- One cup of mango is rich in folate, which helps maintain cardiovascular function.
- One cup of mango is a good source of fiber, which helps you feel full faster.
- Each serving of mango is fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free.
How to tell if a Mango is Ripe
Mangos are available year-round thanks to the six varieties that have staggered growing seasons in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Guatemala and Haiti so don’t shy away from eating them in the winter too! Right now, you’ll likely find the delicious Honey, Kent and Tommy Atkins mangos available in your supermarket, offering different mango options for any dish, here’s more information about mango varieties.
- To check for ripeness, focus on FEEL not color because every variety is a different color when ripe. For example, red doesn’t necessarily mean ripe.
- Squeeze gently to judge ripeness. A ripe mango will give slightly, indicating soft flesh inside.
- Use your experience with produce such as peaches or avocados, which also become softer as they ripen.
- Ripe mangos will sometimes have a fruity aroma at their stem ends.
How to Ripen Mangos
- Keep unripe mangos at room temperature. Mangos shouldn’t be refrigerated before they are ripe.
- Mangos will continue to ripen at room temperature, becoming sweeter and softer over several days.
- To speed up ripening, place mangos in a paper bag at room temperature, and store for approximately 2 days or until the mangos are ripe.
- Once ripe, mangos can be moved to the refrigerator to slow down ripening for several days.
How to Store Mangos
- Once ripe, mangos should be moved to the refrigerator, which will slow down the ripening process.
- Whole, ripe mangos may be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.
- Mangos can be peeled, cubed and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to six months.
How to Cut a Mango
Learning How to Cut a Mango is easy! There are no real mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you accidentally hit the pit, no biggie. If you hit the pit, then just move your knife further from the center of the mango and cut again. You got this!
- First, the basics. Wash your hands and wash the mango. Always use a clean knife and cutting board to cut a mango.
- Start by locating the stem. Make sure the step is on top. The long, flat seed runs from stem to nose. We want to cut around this pit.
3. Once you locate the stem, make a vertical cut 1/4″ away from this midline then make the same cut on the other side.
4. With the mango stabilized on a flat surface, make vertical slices without cutting through the skin. At this point you can use a large spoon to detach the flesh from the skin and scoop out OR…
5. Slice the flesh the other direction without cutting through the skin to create a grid pattern.
6. Use a large spoon to detach the flesh from the skin and scoop out the cubes.
- Enjoy!
MY MANGO RECIPES
I love mangos so much I have used them in sauces, stir fries, salad dressings, dips, chimichurri, smoothies, salads and even desserts. I hope you enjoy these recipes thanks to the versatile, ever delicious mango!
- Mango Salsa
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Mango Salsa
- Chicken in Coconut Mango Verde Sauce
- Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad with Mangoes and Tomatillo Avocado Ranch
- Aloha Tropical Smoothie
- BBQ Chipotle Chicken Sandwiches with Mango Guacamole
- Honey Lemon Chicken Asparagus Mango Stir Fry
- Poppy Seed Chicken Fruit Salad Lettuce Wraps
- Fiesta Ranch Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Red Curry Beef Tacos with Coconut Crema
- Southwest Orzo Salad with Chipotle Honey Lime Vinaigrette
- Cashew Coconut Chicken Tenders with Mango Honey Dip
- Baja Tuna Melt Cups with Mango Broccoli Slaw
- Chipotle Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Mango Dressing
- Mango Honey Jalapeno Chimichurri
- Coconut Honey Lime Shrimp with Sriracha Mango Dip
- Chipotle Chicken, Mango and Black Bean Enchiladas
- Mango Black Bean Chipotle Chili
- Tropical Cashew Chicken Salad (with Mangos)
- Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwiches
- Shrimp Avocado Salad with Caribbean Vinaigrette
- Mango Coconut Oreo Fudge Creme Ice Box Cake
Want to remember how to cut a mango?
PIN it TO YOUR HOW TO BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!
FIND ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES! I AM ALWAYS PINNING :)!
©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com
Marcia says
Loved the part about people preferring to put on a dinner party than cut a mango! Hilarious, but also kind of sad in that it tells you how intimidating even basic culinary/kitchen skills can be to many people, which in turn keeps them from learning the joys of cooking. And, as you show here, such an easy fix! Your post is very likely more helpful than you know. I love mangoes so I learned how to cut them long ago (after a lot of disasters…) but I learned a lot from the info you included here. Great post — thanks Jen!
Jen says
You are so welcome Marcia, thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I thought the part about the stats about the dinner party were crazy too! I don’t post as many recipes with mangos as I like because I know people are afraid of them so hopefully this will solve that!
Tara says
I lived in India for 5 years in the early 2000s and was amazed when I first saw them cutting mangoes!! A skill everyone over there seems to know from childhood. They also flip the skin inside out after cutting the grid so the squares just pop and then you can very easily cut them off. It is pure genius. Even my kids can cut mangoes with such a great technique!
Jen says
What an adventure to have lived in India! Thank you for the tip about flipping the skin inside out – love that! – I am definitely trying that next time! Thanks Tara!
Loretta says
Thank You So much Jen. I have so much to learn about fruits and how to save them for a extended period for smoothies and juicing. I already lost some other fruits not realizing how fast they would go bad. Then I never even thought about there might be special ways of cutting certain fruits until I bought a pineapple. So, you have helped me so much. Thank you. I hope you are successful in all your future endeavors. May.God Bless. Loretta
Jen says
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment Loretta! I am so happy you found this post useful. I hope it opens up the world of delicious mangos to you!
joe johnson says
You answered all my questions, thanks so much. I ate my first mango a few weeks ago and I haven’t stopped. I have at least one a day. I’m 65 and rue the fact that I waited so long. I have tasted “mango” flavored drinks and dressings but nothing can compare to that real mango taste on your tongue.
Jen says
You are so welcome Joe! I agree, nothing is quite like a juicy mango! It sounds like you are going to enjoy making up for lost time with lots of mangos!
Judy Stabler says
Chicken chicken chicken! More ideas for vegetarians? Thanks for pictures!
Jen says
Hi Judy, I am not a vegetarian so I don’t focus on vegetarian meals – but you can definitely adapt recipes to suite your needs.
Brooke says
Thanks for this!! Going to get mangos tomorrow. Wish you had more vegetarian options:)
Jen says
You’re so welcome! You can make any of my meals vegetarian 😉
S. Fletcher says
I love mangos and am happy to find out how to get them to ripen. I have 3 very hard ones from the market that have red and green color.
I have a big mango tree that has grown from a seed put in the ground. My mangos are yellow and grow large enough to be cut up. It took a number of years to bear but very worth the waiting.
Jen says
That is AMAZING you have your own mango tree – I’m so excited for you! I hope you enjoy exploring all of my mango recipes!
Lori says
Finally someone that knows how to cut a mango! Thank you for sharing! As a child I grew up in Hawaii. Mango is plentiful there. I have fond memories of walking to school and picking the tree ripened fruit to eat as a snack before and after school. Picture it, front yards littered with fallen tree ripened fruit, with their owners welcoming anyone wanting to take them. Rotted mango is a mess to clean from one’s yard! Walking the neighborhood was like walking thru a neighborhood sized bowl of tropical fruit salad! Mango, Bananas, and Guava! YUM!
Jen says
I love the picture you’ve painted – walking through yards of ripened mangos sounds like my kind of heaven! Thanks for sharing Lori!
Chris says
Well I went to the right place to find out how to cut up a mango. Bought 1 on a whim yesterday. I live in the Midwest so they weren’t a staple. My wife asked me how I knew when they were ripe and I told her I bought the reddest 1 they had. Glad you straightened me out.
Jen says
Awesome Chris, I’m so happy you found my mango post helpful! I hope this is just the beginning of eating lots of mangos!
rohit aggarwal says
thank you carlsbadcravings for giving me wonderful information
Jen says
Thank you so much Rohit, I’m pleased you found it helpful!
Lala says
Im alergic to poison ivy and the mango is a close relative. I am not allergic to the fruit but the skin, so i need to wear gloves when handling the mango or have someone else remove the skin and wash the fruit to remove any residue. But I really like the taste so it is worth the effort.
Jen says
That is fascinating! I had no idea mangos and poison ivy were related! I’m happy you’re still able to enjoy the fruit!
Meredith says
Great info! But you forgot about all of the fruit that’s left after cutting the two halves off. I like to peel the peel around that middle pit part back with a knife, or if super ripe just with my fingers, and either try to cut some flesh around the pit with a knife or just go for it with my teeth 🙂 With the price of mango never too cheap, it’s worth getting all the fruit you can!! 🙂
Jen says
Absolutely! I just bite into it myself!
Elizabeth says
The first time I went ape over mangoes, a friend had dropped off a full box of them as a gift. They were so perfect, I started in on them and finished each off by scraping my bottom teeth off the skin to get every drop of juicy fruit. The next morning I woke up with bleeding cuts at the corners of my mouth. Yikes! After some research, I found out that the skins can be very corrosive to skin. It didn’t spoil me for mangoes though and I still adore that juicy sweetness. My favorites are the Ataulfo and Keitt because the flesh isn’t fibrous. Thanks for the great mango info!
Jen says
I love hearing that someone loves mangos as much as me! Thanks for the info on the mango skins – I had no idea! I hope you enjoy trying some of my mango recipes!
John says
I currently live and work in Sierra Leone (West Africa) and am fortunate to have several mango trees around me. Problem is the trees are so tall, once the mangoes fall and hit the ground they smash open 🙁
Today I made a net to help me ‘catch’ mangoes 🙂 I now have 5 mangoes and until now had no idea what to do with them. This post has taught me a lot about mangoes, I’m now waiting for the mangoes to ripen so I can start enjoying them 🙂
Thank you so much for this very useful insight!
Jen says
Thank you so much for your comment John! That is amazing you are surrounded by mango trees! I am SO excited for you to get to enjoy all of those delicious mangos!
James Geschwender says
I’m a 57 year old man and I feel like an idiot because I didn’t know how to cut a mango until today. This is why women live longer lol.
Jen says
LOL! At least it’s never too late to learn!
Ramesh Kilaru says
Wow it’s amazing reading these stories. I grew up in India and summer is nothing but mango days. We used to fight for the pit as it is the best part and go at it till the last drop of juice.
Jen says
I love the thought of “mango days” yum! What a delicious memory of summer!
kiandra says
i am so glad i looked up how to cut a mango i am 13 and my mom bought me a mango yesterday and i didnt know what do do with it also very glad i read the other comments otherwise i probably would’ve eaten the skin thx so much everyone
Jen says
Thank you for taking the time to comment Kiandra! You are so resourceful to look up how to cut a mango! I hope this is just the first of many mangos in your future!
Lorraine says
I already refrigerated my mangos. After a couple of weeks I tried to use them and they are still very hard so I searched how to ripen and found your info that said do not refrigerate until ripe. Is it possible to still be able to ripen these mangos?? Help!!
Jen says
Hi Lorraine, I honestly haven’t tried ripening mangos after refrigerating but you can certainly try. My guess is they will still ripen at room temperature just fine – please let me know!
Lorraine says
Jen, after taking the Mangos out of the refrigerator (where they had been for 3 weeks) I put them in a lunch size brown bag and left on counter at room temp. It took at least 4-5 days for them to ripen. The skin was barely giving but I cut them anyway and good thing I did because they were ready. Refrigeration definitely works to prolong shelf life but they must have been really green when I bought them.
Jen says
Good to know Lorraine, so interesting! I’m glad it all worked out!
Anne says
Jen
Thank you ! I bought my first mango yesterday. I have not cut it open but after reading how now I won’t be intimidated. I can’t wait to try it and maybe try it in a recipe ( yeah I’m scared) . I’ve never had mango anything and am looking forward to trying it !
Jen says
I am so excited for you to fall in love with mangos! I hope this is the star of a new favorite fruit!
j says
I detest Mexican food. How about some ideas for mangos that aren’t tacosetc?
Jen says
I have quite a few, just search “mangos” on my site.
https://carlsbadcravings.com/mango-chicken/
https://carlsbadcravings.com/cajun-salmon/
https://carlsbadcravings.com/bbq-chipotle-chicken-sandwiches-with-mango-guacamole/
https://carlsbadcravings.com/light-honey-lemon-chicken-asparagus-mango-stir-fry-30-minutes-recipe/
Fred Denno says
Everything you said helped me a lot
We have a large tree on the side of the house and the squirrels problem is driving me crazy
Had to relocate 26 so far
They take 2 bites and run away
Jen says
That is crazy, I hope you can find a solution! I’m glad though that my post was helpful. Best!
Robin DeGroff says
Thank you so much on the tutorial for cutting the mango still working on it didn’t do that bad. I cut about 6 ripe ones oh my God they were so good that I actually had to suck the seed I hate to admit it. Living Central Florida so they grow here like crazy a friend of mine gave me half ripe half not ripe so I made the salsa it was delicious looking forward to more.
Jen says
You’re so welcome Robin! I’m so glad you loved your mangos – now there is no going back!
WENDY PARTINGTON says
can I substitute wild rice for the orzo?
Jen says
Hi Wendy, which recipe are you referring to?
Scott says
CLEAN hands. Then bust out your peeler and peel the entire mango. It’s very easy as the skin of mangoes is idea for a sharp peeler. Then drop the peeler and grab a sharp knife. You know where the pit is, so cutting the same two oblong sides is simple and getting the remaining flesh off the pit is pretty easy too.
You waste nothing, it’s fast and you’ve got to wash your hands again anyway.
Jen says
Thanks for the tips Scott!
Squigggle says
You don’t mention what to do with the remaining flesh on the stone. I gnaw at it. Please don’t waste this bit. So many recipe creators waste so much food. Many thanks
Brenda says
I love mangos. They are delicious and so good for you. I’ve eaten mango salsa but I can’t wait to make my own. I’m sure it won’t last long.
Diana Cook says
These are truely lovely recipes and I love Mango. I hope to see more of your recipes!
Jen says
Thanks so much Diana, I hope you love trying them!
Bettye says
Can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
PS We live Virginia but have immediate family in Carlsbad.
Jen says
Welcome to my site Bettye, such a small world! I hope you discover many new favorites here!
Angel says
I love Mango’s and I would love to eat them in different ways besides in a fruit salad I make . But I can’t have or eat spicy food. Is there any recipes for Mango’s that you can recommend? I would love & appreciate it if you could help me with this
Thank You
Jen says
Hi Angel, there are a lot of suggestions at the bottom of the post or you can search “mango” on the website and lots of recipes will come up. Enjoy!
Antonette Villafuerte says
You should try Philippines Ripe and unripe mangoes. Honestly it is the best for me.I am just not sure if you are anywhere near a place who sells them. However, I used to live in Daly City just outside San Francisco and there are asian markets who sell them when it is in the season to which is usually mid-March to May in the Philippines because it is summer here that time. You should also try the mango Ice cream of Mitchel’s they are located in San Francisco. They have the best Philippine tasting mango ice cream.
Jen says
Hi Antonette! Sounds delicious – I’ll have to look out for those!