How to Cut Mango
How to cut a mango? That’s the million-dollar question when mango season rolls around because, if you are anything like me, once those tropical beauties hit the produce section, they are going to play an essential part in just about every snack and meal of the day!
Servings 1
Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- mango
Instructions
The No-Peel Method
- Hold the mango upright, with the stem side resting on your cutting board.
- Imagine the oblong, thin pit running down the middle, then cut the mango from the top down just alongside the pit.
- Then repeat on the other side of the pit.
- With the leftover middle piece, carefully extract the pit with your knife, and, depending on the size of the mango, you may be able to cut off quite a bit of flesh from around it. (Just don’t forget to remove the peel.)
- For each of the two halves, score the mango’s flesh with your knife, creating long horizontal and vertical lines without cutting the skin. It should look sorta like a grid when you finish.
- Gently flip the peel inside out by pushing upwards with your fingers. The cubes of mango flesh will stick up and become super easy to cut off with your knife.
The Peel Method
- Peel the mango completely using a sharp kitchen knife. Serrated knives work well for this, as do Y-shaped vegetable peelers.
- Cut a little bit off the bottom of the mango to make a flat area so you can stand the mango upright.
- Cut the mango from top to bottom just alongside the pit on the two thicker sides.
- With these larger pieces, you can cut the mango into slices, cubes, or even dice it into smaller chunks – say, to make mango salsa.
- Carefully remove any remaining flesh from around the pit; just be careful not to cut yourself!
Notes
- A ripe mango should be firm but give just slightly when you give it a gentle squeeze. You can also smell the mango near the stem. Ripe mangos give off that classic tropical aroma.
- Store uncut, unripe mangos at room temperature until they ripen, which can take a few days. Don’t store green mangos in the fridge, or they will never ripen.
- Store the cut mango in an airtight container; either a Tupperware-style container with a lid or a Ziplock bag works. Squeeze out any excess air before storing it if you use a bag. The cut pieces will stay good for 3-5 days.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.