[Photographs: Jennifer Olvera, Lauren Weisenthal, Max Falkowitz, Elana Lepkowski]
I grew up eating mango, but not really thinking of it as an ingredient. My dad sometimes made avocado-mango salad, but mostly I ate the tangy, stringy tropical fruit out of hand, carefully cutting off the sides and spooning out the flesh and (my favorite part) gnawing on the pit to get every last bite.
And don't get me wrong—that's still a pretty great way to eat mangoes. But since then, I've grown to realize that they have a world of uses in the kitchen. With their intense sweetness and melting texture, mangoes are especially well suited to blended drinks and creamy desserts, but can be right at home in savory dishes, too. Whether in a mezcal cocktail, a rich lassi, or a frosty sorbet, mango can lend any dish a refreshing and exotic touch.
Mains and Sides
Fruity Black Rice Salad With Cilantro, Avocado, and Pepitas in Chili-Orange Vinaigrette
[Photograph: Jennifer Olvera]
Grain salads are often dismissed as boring health foods, and, sadly, some of them are. But there's no reason they can't be delicious. This black rice salad is packed with summer flavors and colors and contrasting textures—avocado, mango, and orange segments make it sweet and creamy, while cilantro and red onion provide freshness and balance.
Coconut Rice Porridge
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
This simple, filling brunch dish is inspired by a type of porridge popular in the Caribbean. Naturally vegan, it's rich with coconut milk, while cardamom gives it spicy, floral notes and cubed mango lightens it up.
Get the recipe for Coconut Rice Porridge »
Guacamole With Jicama and Mango
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Just because we love a simple, traditional guacamole doesn't mean we're strict purists. Avocado is a natural backdrop for all sorts of flavors and textures, and it pairs especially well with mango and crunchy jicama.
Get the recipe for Guacamole With Jicama and Mango »
Drinks
Jewel of Oaxaca
[Photograph: Elana Lepkowski]
Fresh mango can be a little tart if it's not quite ripe, but throwing it on the grill caramelizes and brings out its natural sugars. The mix of charred and sweet flavors perfectly balances a spicy ancho chili syrup and smoky mezcal in this earthy cocktail.
Get the recipe for Jewel of Oaxaca »
Mango-Ginger Cocktail With Cilantro
[Photograph: Rabi Abonour]
If a slightly green mango can be a little too tangy, an overripe one might get cloyingly sweet. In this drink, the fruit's sugar is tamed with spicy ginger, tart lemon, and bright cilantro. You can use blanco tequila, but it's even better with reposado—we love the spirit's oaky flavor when paired with mango.
Get the recipe for Mango-Ginger Cocktail With Cilantro »
Vegan Kumquat Creamsicle Smoothie
[Photograph: Autumn Giles]
The secret to making a creamy smoothie without using dairy is cashews. Here, they serve as a base for a vegan Creamsicle smoothie—a grown-up Orange Julius, if you will, where the oranges are replaced with puckeringly tart kumquats. The result is a complex citrus flavor that's offset by sweet frozen mango.
Get the recipe for Vegan Kumquat Creamsicle Smoothie »
Avocado, Mango, and Pineapple Smoothie
[Photograph: Lauren Rothman]
Avocados are another great option for adding creaminess to a dairy-free smoothie, which is why you may notice blended avocado concoctions on the drinks menu at Vietnamese restaurants. We like the subtle flavor of a plain avocado smoothie, but it also works wonders as a base for a tropical mango- and pineapple-infused drink.
Get the recipe for Avocado, Mango, and Pineapple Smoothie »
Here, Lassi!
[Photograph: Liz Clayman]
Though no Indian meal is complete without a mango lassi, this classic drink is plenty good enough to enjoy on its own. Adding tamarind concentrate gives it a little tartness to complement the mango's sweetness.
Get the recipe for Here, Lassi! »
Easy Mango-Blackberry Smoothie
[Photograph: Maggie Hoffman]
Smoothies are generally a quick route to a nutritious breakfast, but this three-ingredient version is particularly fast and easy—all you need is tangy kefir, ripe mango, and frozen blackberries.
Get the recipe for Easy Mango-Blackberry Smoothie »
Tropical Green Juice
[Photograph: Carolyn Cope]
A refreshing blend of tropical flavors, this simple green juice can both cool you off and mentally transport you to climes more pleasant than that of your currently sweltering city. The sweet-tart mix of pineapple, mango, and lime more than offsets the fresh spinach that makes this drink a nutritional powerhouse.
Get the recipe for Tropical Green Juice »
Desserts
Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
Real frozen yogurt bears almost no resemblance to the stuff you'll find at trendy chains—it's rich, tart, and absolutely delicious. Mango lassi served as the inspiration for this recipe, but we add lime juice and zest to perk it up. Try a sprinkle of cardamom, too, for extra sophistication.
Get the recipe for Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt »
Mango Sorbet
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
Literally all you need to make this delightful and dairy-free mango sorbet is mango puree, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Mix it all together and chill it thoroughly, then give it a ride in the ice cream maker. When it's done, its texture will be rich and creamy enough to verge on ice cream territory.
Get the recipe for Mango Sorbet »
Mango Mousse Pie
[Photograph: Lauren Weisenthal]
Seedless and low on pulp, mangoes yield ultra-smooth purees that are perfect for making mousse. The flavor of the egg whites typically used to make mousse doesn't always play well with fruit, so this recipe ditches them. Instead, the pie's lightness comes from whipped cream, with gelatin added for stability.
Get the recipe for Mango Mousse Pie »
Thai-Inspired Coconut-Pandan Rice Pudding With Fresh Mango
[Photograph: Leela Punyaratabandhu]
Thai-style sweet coconut sticky rice, while delicious, is a pain to make at home using traditional methods. Here, we've simplified the process by replacing fussy, glutinous long-grain rice with a jasmine variety and incorporating a stovetop technique. The resulting texture is more like that of a Western rice pudding, but the flavors of coconut, Ataulfo mango, and fragrant pandan are pure Thai.
Get the recipe for Thai-Inspired Coconut-Pandan Rice Pudding With Fresh Mango »
Lime Possets With Mint and Mango Fruit Salad
[Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]
Usually eggs, gelatin, or starch is called for to thicken a pudding; possets, however, are thickened with nothing but citrus juice. Using lime juice gives your possets a tropical brightness that pairs perfectly with a simple fruit salad of mango and mint.
Get the recipe for Lime Possets With Mint and Mango Fruit Salad »
Tropical Pineapple, Mango, and Coconut Fools
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
A classic British fool consists of stewed fruit combined with a creamy custard. Whipped cream fortified with Greek yogurt is a lighter alternative that makes it a great dessert for a hot summer day, especially when the fruit involved is a mix of fresh pineapple and mango.
Get the recipe for Tropical Pineapple, Mango, and Coconut Fools »
Coconut Mango Upside Down Cake
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
Upside down cakes are most closely associated with pineapple, but that's hardly the only fruit that works in them. Drenched in butter and brown sugar, mango caramelizes beautifully when baked into an upside down cake.
Get the recipe for Coconut Mango Upside Down Cake »
Mango Icebox Cake
[Photograph: María del Mar Sacasa]
This no-bake cake combines retro inspirations with modern flair. Mango, both diced and pureed, is incorporated into an Italian meringue enriched with mascarpone cheese. Cardamom and lime juice add a pleasant kick.
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