Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa

This easy roasted mango habanero salsa bursts with amazing flavors and makes for the best dip or garnish for Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more. 100% vegan, gluten-free and super healthy!

If you love chunky salsa or pico de gallo, then I have a few already on my blog that I hope you will check out: cucumber pico de gallo, spicy peach salsa and pineapple pico de gallo. They are all very quick to make and made completely raw, which is amazing in the summer.

But this time, I wanted to experiment with other ways to make a salsa and I think I found a new favorite: spicy and chunky mango habanero salsa. What makes this salsa so unique? The vegetables, meaning the onion, garlic, tomatoes and habanero peppers, are first roasted in the oven until charred and bubbly and almost creamy. 

Wow, the result is outstanding. Roasting them first tenderizes them, but also, it caramelizes the vegetables to enhance their flavor and natural sweetness even more.

Then, blend with sweet mangoes, lime juice and cilantro and you will have the BEST spicy mango salsa you will ever have ✌️. It is colorful, vibrant and so full of freshness. 

Plus, it is so easy to make: roast and blend, that's it! The extra oven time really is worth it and I love how it gives the salsa a creamier and smoother consistency compared to a pico de gallo.

The punch of flavor from this salsa is remarkable, especially given how simple the ingredients and cooking steps are. Making this recipe during the summer when the veggies are fresh and in season makes it even better.

Make this salsa ahead to let the flavors intensify and to chill the sauce and then, serve over vegan fish tacos, black bean and rice burritos, black bean toast, Mexican buddha bowls or loaded vegan nachos. We actually love it best simply with tortilla chips!

Let me know if you gave this recipe a try! ❤️

Highlights of this recipe

• Uses very simple and fresh ingredients, which keeps the flavors focused on the produce.
• Nice spicy kick to it, although you can easily adjust the spiciness to your taste.
• Great snacking dip to serve for game night, Cinco de Mayo or with a watermelon mojito mocktail on the patio on a hot summer day.
• Healthy recipe loaded with fiber, antioxidants and vitamins from the fruits and vegetables.
• Low-calorie and low-in-fat dip, if this is something you are looking for.
• Perfect combination of savory and sweet flavor.
• Great for meal prep.
• Naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients you'll need

(See below in the recipe card for the measurements)

• Mango: Look for super sweet and nicely ripe mangoes for best results. I used 2 large regular red mangoes, but you could also use the Ataulfo mangoes when they start showing up in grocery stores. They are sweeter and super flavorful.
• Tomatoes: you will need 2 medium-large tomatoes to make this recipe. You can also use Roma tomatoes, although you might need 3-4 if they are on the smaller side or a large handful of cherry tomatoes works too.
• Habanero peppers: orange habanero peppers are hotter than green ones, so choose accordingly depending on how much heat you can handle. I used 2 seeded orange habanero peppers and it provided just the right amount of spicy kick for us. You can also use other spicy peppers, such as jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers.
• Onion: use a yellow, sweet, red or white onion for this recipe.
• Garlic: 2 large cloves of garlic will add so much flavor to this salsa. Add more for a more garlicky salsa!
• Fresh lime juice: added at the end to brighten the whole recipe. If you only have lemon juice, then use this instead, it will work too.
• Fresh cilantro: if you don't like cilantro, then omit it!
• Salt: add to taste!

How to make the best mango habanero salsa

(See below in the recipe card for the full recipe)

Pre-heat the oven to 450º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Roast the vegetables

Clean and chop the tomatoes + onion in large chunks. Also, slice the spicy habaneros in half and either remove or keep the seeds (for a more or less spicy recipe). 

Transfer the vegetables over the prepared baking sheet and spray some oil (optional) and sprinkle some salt over. Add the cloves of garlic (unpeeled), and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are bubbly and slightly charred. Let them cool down for a few minutes.

Process

Remove the cloves of garlic from the baking sheet and squeeze the garlic in a food processor while removing their peels. Also, transfer all the roasted vegetables to the food processor. Top with the chopped mangoes, cilantro, lime juice and some salt. 

Process until mostly smooth, but still with some chunky texture. 

Adjust flavor and chill

Taste and adjust salt and lime juice to your taste. You can process the ingredients for as long or as little as you want depending on the consistency you are looking for. 

Then, transfer the salsa to a sealed container and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before enjoying.

Helpful tips

• Carefully manipulate the spicy habanero peppers. You could wear kitchen gloves while prepping them, but I usually don't (I simply clean my hands and cutting board with lots of soap right after).
• Adjust the texture of the salsa to your liking, depending if you like a chunkier salsa or a smooth salsa. Also, taste and add more lime juice and salt if needed. 

Variations

• Spiciness: feel free to adjust the spice level of this fruit salsa by adding 1-2 extra habanero peppers. You could also keep the seeds for an extra kick. I found that using 2 orange habaneros without the seeds was giving me a medium salsa. For a milder version, then use green habanero without their seeds (or swap for jalapeño peppers).
• Garlic: if you love stronger garlic flavors, then add a clove of crushed raw garlic to the food processor on top of the garlic cloves that were roasted (those will only bring a milder garlic taste).
• Spices: to add more Mexican flavor, you could also add a dash of ground cumin or chili powder to the salsa.
• More vegetables: you could also roast more veggies to include in the salsa, especially a red bell pepper. It would add a sweeter taste that would work great, plus it would boost the salsa with even more nutrition and sneak some extra veggie goodness.
• Fruits: you can also swap the fruits depending on what you have: try making a pineapple mango habanero salsa or a peach mango habanero salsa by using only one mango + about 1 cup of chopped pineapple or peach.

Storage

Simply keep the fresh salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

The flavor enhances over time, so I highly recommend preparing the salsa the day before you need it. 

Serving suggestions

We love this salsa simply with our favorite tortilla chips as a late-night snack. It feels like a treat, perfect for movie night, but it is actually super healthy!

But this salsa also is perfect to drizzle over tacos, especially these vegan fish tacos or these vegan baked black bean tacos. Also include some in these black bean burritos or to garnish these chickpea oat burgers. Another easy way to use the leftover salsa is to top grain bowls such as this vegan Mexican buddha bowl or this savory breakfast bowl.

This salsa would boost a dish made simply with roasted tofu or use it to garnish black bean toast. You can also open an avocado, remove the pit and fill the holes with this salsa. Then, simply eat it with a spoon, what a fun filling snack!

FAQs

Can I use frozen mangoes?

Yes you can, but I would recommend letting them thaw first.

Can I roast the mangoes before blending?

You can, but only roast for about half of the time.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! It includes only fresh produce plus some salt, which means that this recipe is naturally gluten-free!

Can I make this recipe raw?

I believe you can, although I haven't tried it yet. You may want to start with only 1 habanero pepper and maybe a little less onion. Also, use only one clove of garlic to start. Skipping on roasting the veggies first will make them stronger in flavor!

Is this recipe kid-friendly?

I guess it depends on how much your kids can handle the heat, but in general, I think this salsa is a little too spicy for kids. Something to keep in mind if planning to serve it during a family-friendly gathering, you might want to get a milder salsa as well for the little hands.

More Mexican dip recipes you might like

• Pineapple pico de gallo
• Vegan avocado lime crema
• Cucumber pico de gallo
• Vegan chipotle mayo
• Spicy peach salsa
• Vegan white queso
• Protein guacamole
• Mango corn salsa

I hope you like this mango habanero salsa recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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