This creamy mango salad dressing has the perfect balance of tangy, sweet and spicy flavors, and is a great way to add extra healthy goodness to your salads.
The homemade dressing is vegan, gluten free and dairy free, making it a great choice for those with dietary restrictions.
Making a delicious salad has never been easier!
Making a salad dressing at home from scratch isn't that difficult- it just needs a handful of ingredients and a few minutes to make.
I'm proud to say that all my experimentation has led to amazing results, and I actually feel so good about adding flavor to my salads without all the harmful additives and preservatives you'd usually find in packaged salad dressing.
Just like my favorite creamy avocado ranch sauce, this mango dressing hits the right spots when it comes to flavors, and is so healthy at the same time.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
I like to make the most of mango season, and I'm kinda guilty about stocking up on more than needed.
This mango salad dressing recipe uses up some of those mangos beautifully, and adds tons of flavor to an otherwise sad tasting green salad.
You can make it in a batch and refrigerate it for later too! You'll love how versatile this dressing is, and how quickly it comes together once you have all your ingredients ready.
Ingredients
Mango: You can use almost any kind of mangos for this recipe. Just remember to choose ripe mangos, since they'll be much sweeter and will have the perfect balance of flavors.
Balsamic vinegar: I opted out of using white wine vinegar, and opted for the savory deliciousness of balsamic vinegar instead.
Ginger: I've used fresh ginger for this recipe. It adds a nice earthy flavor to the dressing, and lends a bit of a spicy kick too.
Red pepper flakes: Crushed red pepper flakes add that bit of heat to the dressing. You can skip this one if you prefer a sweeter dressing.
Cilantro: Chopped cilantro adds some extra freshness to the salad. The bright green color it lends to the dressing is another plus.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds some extra tanginess to the dressing. You can skip this one if you want to.
Olive oil: Healthy fats are an absolute must for any good salad dressing, and so it is for this one too! I would recommend using extra virgin olive oil.
Agave: Agave brings some more sweetness to the creamy mango dressing. You can use honey if you don't have agave.
Seasonings: I've used salt and pepper to season the dressing. You can try out other seasonings too if you want to.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make the Creamy Mango Salad Dressing
Using a blender or food processor, combine the mango flesh chunks along with the other ingredients and blend until smooth.
Transfer the dressing into a glass jar or a clean container and refrigerate for 30 minutes before you drizzle it over your salads.
Substitutions & Variations
- f you don't have balsamic vinegar, you can stick to using apple cider vinegar or even just regular vinegar.
- You can go beyond the salt and pepper and try adding some more seasonings like chipotle, smoked paprika or any kind of chili pepper of your choice.
- Jalapenos can also be a great addition, especially if you're looking to make a spicy mango dressing.
Equipment
How to Store the Leftover Creamy Mango Salad Dressing
Just like most other homemade salad dressings, this creamy mango dressing can last in the fridge for up to 7 days. Remember to use a clean container, ideally an airtight jar when you store in the fridge.
If you want the dressing to last longer, you can freeze it too! Just use a freezer safe or airtight container to store it, and it should stay good for up to 3 months.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- While mangos are the star of the show when it comes to this dressing, you can also experiment and try teaming it up with other fresh fruits of your choice.
- Pineapples, guavas and peaches are all great choices, and you can team them up with the mangos if you want to.
- You can use almost any kind of mangos for this recipe. Red mangos and Ataulfo are two great options.
- Like most other delicious salad dressings, you can add in some more seasonings to this one too! I love adding a dash of Chipotle chili powder to it to just bring some extra fiery punch to the dressing.
- Curry powder can also be an excellent unique addition to this creamy mango salad dressing.
- Roasted bell peppers, fresh avocados, tomatoes, garlic and red onions can all be added in too.
- If you prefer a chunky look to the dressing, you can choose to blend only the mango chunks and the seasonings, leaving out the cilantro to be finely chopped and added in towards the end.
How to Serve the Creamy Mango Salad Dressing
Apart from being a great salad dressing, there are several ways to put this creamy mango concoction to use. Here are a few good ideas.
On a Pasta Salad
There's nothing better than a fresh salad with mango dressing, but you don't only have to team up this dressing with a summer salad. It can also work wonderfully when drizzled over pasta salads, grain bowls and noodle bowls.
It can be a great way to enjoy salad for dinner while still taking your taste buds on a ride.
With Tacos
With the fruity, tangy flavors of mango and the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, this delicious dressing can also be served with some tacos, enchiladas or even tortillas.
As a Dip
This tangy and flavorful dressing can be put together as a refreshing dip with some spring rolls, fried chicken, French fries or almost any other fried food of your choice.
As a Side
This flavorful dressing can also double up as a nice side dish to serve at your BBQ parties. The vibrant flavors of this dressing work wonderfully with any grilled meat, especially grilled chicken.
FAQs
You sure can! While using fresh mango is ideal, you can also use frozen mango if that's what you have at hand. Just remember to defrost the mango before you put it to use for this recipe though.
If you like a thinner dressing, you can add some orange juice to it and give it a good mix. Fresh lime juice is also a great option, but orange juice is better, because it has a more subtle flavor, which can be perfect for your mango vinaigrette.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Creamy Mango Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 pound diced mangoes 2-3 fresh large mangoes
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Using a blender or food processor, combine the mango flesh chunks along with the other ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the dressing into a glass jar or a clean container and refrigerate for 30 minutes before you drizzle it over your salads.