When it comes to mangos, the possibilities of what you can make are almost endless!
Whether you are wanting to make Frozen Mango Margaritas or some Mango Salsa, cutting up a ripe mango is a useful skill to have, and we’ll show you a hack for the easiest way to get it done!
With this method, you can control the size of the cube you want so you can make finer cubes for something like salsa, larger cubes for a kabob, or to freeze for smoothies.
Got a fresh mango? Use it in one of these recipes!
- Mango Ice Cream (Dairy-Free)
- Orange Mango Margarita
- Spicy Mango Michelada
- Mango Mai Tai
- Mango Sweet Tea Cocktail
How can you tell if a mango is ripe?
- While a lot of people look at the color of a mango because some varieties start to turn red when ripe, a reddish color doesn’t automatically mean that it’s ripe. So, you’ll also want to give it the squeeze and smell test.
- Give the mango a little squeeze and it should be lightly soft like a ripe peach or avocado would be.
- A mango won’t smell like anything when unripe but should give off a sweet aroma if you smell near the stem when ripe (an overripe one will smell fermented or sour).
What if I want a mango to be ripe a few days from now?
- If you want a mango to be ripe in a few days instead of now, choose one that is more firm and let it sit out on the counter.
- If you want to ripen the mango faster, you can put them in a paper bag on the counter and the ethylene gas they release while in the bag will be trapped and help speed up the process.
- You can also store them beside apples or pears as they give off the ripening ethylene gas as well!
Should you put mangos in the refrigerator?
Do not put your unripe mango in the refrigerator as this will stop it from ripening, but once it is ripe you can put it in the fridge if you aren’t ready to use it and extend the shelf life by up to 4-5 days.
Do you need to peel a mango before cutting it?
Nope! There are two main methods to cutting a mango. One does involve peeling off the skin first with a peeler or small knife and then separating the sides and dicing up the fruit sections.
But you can also leave the skin on as we show you and section then remove the fruit without peeling the skin off first (and that makes it a little less slippery to handle as well).
How to cut a mango:
Step One: Wash the mango and stand it upright on its stem on a cutting board. Mango have an oblong shaped pit, so align it so the tallest side is facing up and down rather than side to side.
Step Two: Slice down one side of the mango with a large knife, about 1/4″ past the middle point so you miss cutting into the large seed. If you do feel the seed with your knife, adjust the angle slightly out so you can keep cutting down.
Looking for a good knife set? We love this one!
Repeat with the other side of the mango.
Step Three: Place a double folded tea towel under one of the mango slices and hold it in the palm of your hand.
Being careful not to cut through the bottom skin of the mango, use a small knife to make horizontal and vertical incisions into the mango so that you create a grid of cubes.
Depending on what you want to make, you can do finer cubes for something like salsa, larger cubes for a kabob, or to freeze for smoothies. Or, just do vertical cuts and skip the horizontal cuts to make long strips of mango if you don’t want cubes.
Step Four: Turn the mango skin outward so the cubes pop out and use the small knife to cut the cubes free from the skin (you can also scoop them off with a spoon).
Step Five: Lay the remaining slice of mango with the seed flat and cut away the two moon shaped pieces on either side of the seed. Cut off the skin edge and dice the mango fruit into pieces.
Can I store cut mango in the refrigerator?
Yes! Put your cut mango into an airtight container (we love these containers and reusable stasher bags) and it should keep for up to five days. If you want to keep it longer, then freeze it!
How do you freeze fresh mango?
Once the mango is cut, spread it out onto some parchment paper on a cooking sheet or large plate in the freezer. Freezing them spread out first will keep them from all forming one large frozen clump of mango.
Once it’s frozen, add them to an airtight freezer bag to use for smoothies or Frozen Mango Margaritas!
There you go! An easy hack for cutting or dicing up a ripe mango and keeping the peel on also helps make a little less of a mess.
Looking for more kitchen tips and hacks? Check out:
- How to Cut a Pineapple (Step-By-Step with Video)
- 40 Easy 30-Minute Dinner Ideas
- The Best Non-Toxic Cookware (Comparison Guide + Reviews!)
- Our Best Cake Recipes & Decorating Tips
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Ingredients
- 1 mango (ripe)
Equipment
- 1 small knife
- 1 large knife
- 1 cutting board
Instructions
- Wash the mango and stand it upright on its stem on a cutting board. Mango have an oblong shaped pit, so align it so the tallest side is facing up and down rather than side to side.
- Slice down one side of the mango, about 1/4″ past the middle point so you miss cutting into the large seed (if you do feel the seed with your knife, just adjust the angle slightly out so you can keep cutting down).Repeat with the other side.
- Place a double folded tea towel under one of the mango slices and hold it in the palm of your hand. Being careful not to cut through the bottom skin of the mango, use a small knife to make horizontal and vertical incisions into the mango so that you create a grid of cubes.With this method you can control the size of the cube you want so you can do finer cubes for something like salsa or larger cubes for a kabob or to freeze for smoothies.
- Turn the mango skin outward so the cubes pop out and use the small knife to cut the cubes free from the skin (you can also scoop them off with a spoon).
- Lay the remaining slice of mango with the seed flat and cut away the two moon shaped pieces on either side of the seed. Cut off the skin edge and dice the mango fruit into pieces.
Notes
How can you tell if a mango is ripe?
- While a lot of people look at the color of a mango because some varieties start to turn red when ripe, a reddish color doesn’t automatically mean that it’s ripe. So, you’ll also want to give it the squeeze and smell test.
- Give the mango a little squeeze and it should be lightly soft like a ripe peach or avocado would be.
- A mango won’t smell like anything when unripe but should give off a sweet aroma if you smell near the stem when ripe (an overripe one will smell fermented or sour).
Best way to cut up a mango!
Whenever I chop up a mango I then take the pit and put it in a large jar, let it set for a couple of hours, and then you have a delicious and refreshing mango water drink.
This is a great idea. I’ll try that today.
That’s such a great idea! Thanks for the tip!
Easy way to cut a mango!