Mango guacamole. Don’t judge. Not until you’ve tasted just the sweet heat that comes from adding tropical fruit and habanero to classic guacamole.
Mango guacamole may, at first, sound like sacrilege. Don’t diss it until you try it. It’s just the classic mashed avocado and onion and cilantro and lime spiked with habanero chile and rounded out with sweet mango. Your guacamole game just moved to a whole new level.
Mango Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3 ripe avocados pitted and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 habanero chile stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- 1/2 mango peeled and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) pieces
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, use a fork to mash 1 avocado with cilantro, habanero, onion, lime juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cumin, if using, until mostly smooth. Gently fold in mango and remaining 2 diced avocados. Add salt to taste and serve. (Guacamole can be refrigerated, with plastic wrap pressed directly to its surface to prevent browning, for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature and stir to recombine before serving.)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
We loved this mango guacamole. My daughter thought that we could have added all the mango and she’d have been happy. I liked the way the habanero was actually not that hot or overwhelming in flavor.
“Perfect.” That was the first word out of my daughter’s mouth after she took a bite of this mango guacamole. So I could end this review right there. But then she said it was the best guac she’s ever had. Even better. But why? It’s the wonderful combination of the very spicy habanero with the sweet, cool mango. It really is a perfect mix. From a textural standpoint, this recipe also gets high marks. You have the creaminess from the blended avocados with the chunks from the other avocados and the mango. This guacamole might not be the simplest ever but it is very worth the effort.
I tend to like my guacamole fairly well mashed up, but this mango guacamole is a good compromise. The minced habanero tended to fall to the bottom, which meant that the heat varied unless the guac was recombined. Generally, though, the sweet and hot, buttery and sharp balance well in this dip or spread. I used a Champagne mango, which is small enough that it would have taken at least the entire mango to round out this guacamole in proportion. You need half of a large mango for this. I added it to some fish tacos I made with leftover fish. Excellent.
I am pretty set in my ways when it comes to guacamole. It’s a staple at every potluck, barbecue, and picnic I attend. I’ve developed and honed my recipe over the years and am very happy with the results. I wasn’t sure how I would feel with tinkering with success. I’m so glad that I tried this mango guacamole recipe. It amps up mine and takes it to the next level. The addition of the habanero and mango is what first attracted me to this recipe. These are two elements that I often add to salsa. I loved how the spiciness of the habanero played against the sweetness of the mango. The addition of fresh minced garlic added a nice bite. I love that all of the elements in this recipe can be controlled for personal taste. I took this guacamole to a barbecue where I knew that all those in attendance were a huge fan of spice. The bite of the garlic was noticed immediately and the habanero left a slow burn. Depending on your audience, you might want to use only 1/2 chile. I like the texture contrast and flavor that the onion imparts. After initially tasting the guacamole, I added two more tablespoons. Likewise, I increased the amount of cilantro to 1/2 cup and lime juice to 3 tablespoons. If you are not a fan of cilantro, don’t use it. Don’t like spice? Use less or substitute a jalapeño chile for the habanero. I must admit that I have found a new favorite guacamole recipe!
Originally published July 1, 2017
