How to Cut a Mango

It's mango season! I don't know about you, but I love fresh, ripe mangoes - in salads, salsa, juice, chutneys or jams, on ice cream, or just eating out of hand.  But cutting mangoes can be tricky.  Mangoes are stone fruits and have a hard stone pit in the middle.  Because of this pit, it's not as simple as cutting the flesh off in slices.  Here is our favorite way to cut a mango:

  1. Cut the two fleshiest sides off the mango as close to the pit as you can (if you feel resistance to your knife, you may be cutting too close to the pit).
  2. Place one of the sides you just cut skin side down on a cutting board and cut into the flesh (but not all the way through the skin), creating vertical lines.
  3. Then, using the same cutting method, cut lines cross-wise across the flesh.
  4. Push up from underneath (skin side) to pop the mango half inside out, and you'll be presented with cubed mango you can easily slice off the skin.
  5. Repeat with the other half of the mango.
  6. For the remaining fruit still attached to the pit, cut the sides off the pit as close as possible.
  7. Take one, and with the skin side down, cut into the flesh in the middle of the slice (but not all the way through the skin).  Cut away from you along the inner side of the skin to cut off the flesh.  Turn the slice around and repeat with the remaining flesh.
  8. Repeat step 7 with the remaining mango slice.
  9. Gnaw any remaining flesh off the pit!

Check out this video of Gaelen, Produce Shift Lead, demonstrating how to cut a mango:

Wondering how to choose a ripe mango?  Look for a mango that is a bit soft or has a bit of give when you lighly squeeze it.  Also, ripe mangoes tend to feel slightly heavier than unripe mangoes and may have a slight mango scent at the stem end.

That's all there is to it!  We hope you enjoy these winter treats, and if you need some recipe ideas, we suggest:

Mango Zinger Salsa
Mango Beet Salad
Mango Bean Salad
Roast Pork with Mango Chutney
Zucchini Noodles with Mango-Mint Dressing

Do you cut mangoes a different way? Let us know on the City Market Facebook page!

Seasonal Fruit
How-To