This sweet and spicy Mango Dressing brings bright flavor to your favorite green and grain salads.
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Why Make This Recipe
- Straight Up Delicious: Mild sweet mango flavor with a hint of chile and ginger makes the tastiest dressing around.
- So Many Uses: Dress a salad with this spicy mango dressing, of course, but also serve it as a sauce for grilled chicken or shrimp. More ideas in Expert Tips!
- Special Diet-Friendly: This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and has no added sugar, making this a keeper for people with all kinds of dietary restrictions.
🥗 Ingredients
- Mango: Any kind of mango will work for this recipe. Champagne (Ataulfo) mangoes are particularly nice, as they can be less fibrous than other mangoes and sometimes sweeter as well. You can also use frozen mango cubes—just defrost first and pat dry before using.
- Ancho Chili Powder: This is one of my favorite types of chili powder, as it’s spicy and warming without being super hot. But you can replace this with a different kind of chili powder as well. Chipotle chili powder would work well, or replace with smoked paprika for a different flavor.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is recommended here. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t have it.
- Orange Juice: I always recommend fresh squeezed juice. This recipe will use the juice from about 1 navel orange half.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is a mild vinegar that doesn’t overpower the other flavors in this mango vinaigrette. For a substitute, I’d try red wine vinegar, or replace with lemon or lime juice.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Cut each lobe off a mango lengthwise, avoiding the pit in the center. Take one lobe, and push the edge of a tall glass in between the mango flesh and peel.
Push down until mango flesh has detached from the peel and fallen into the glass.
Repeat with second lobe. Cut mango flesh into cubes (you should have about ½ cup).
Put mango cubes into a blender and add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger, and ⅛ teaspoon chili powder.
Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. With blender running, pour ¼ cup olive oil into the top opening of the blender. Blend until combined.
Unless you are using your dressing for a dip, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to loosen up dressing (up to 3 tablespoons).
If your mango is too fibrous, put dressing through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on any mango solids.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Mango Dressing
Yes, this dressing will freeze well. Freeze in a ziplock freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months. Note that dressing might separate when defrosted. If that happens, either pour into a bowl and whisk vigorously, or pop it back into the blender and blend until it comes together.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Mangoes become sweeter as they ripen, and this mango dressing recipe is actually perfect for when you have a mango that ripens past its peak. That said, if your mango is not quite ripe, or just isn’t very sweet, you may need to add a little sweetness to your dressing. Try a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or honey.
This recipe is quite versatile, as you can flavor it in many different ways. Try curry powder instead of chili powder. Or add extra heat with red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeños or habanero (if you’re brave!).
You can also make a more citrusy version by replacing the vinegar with lemon or lime juice, and adding zest as well. You can add herbs as well like fresh basil or cilantro. For a creamier version, try blending in some yogurt (obviously it will no longer be vegan if you do that).
There are so many delicious uses for this spicy mango salad dressing. I love it to jazz up a grain salad, like this Quinoa Grain Bowl or this Vegan Buddha Bowl. It also makes a terrific sauce for grilled chicken or pork tenderloin. And, it goes with seafood too. Think mango dressing for salmon or shrimp, or use it as a sauce for fish tacos.
You can use it for a green salad too, of course—I especially love it with avocado! You can also try it as a dip for carrot sticks and celery sticks. An upgrade from your standard crudité! Mango also plays nice with all sorts of fruit, so try drizzling it on a fruit salad with apples, blackberries, blueberries, pineapple, or cherries.
Depending on how you use it, you may also find that you want your dressing to be more or less thick. If you want to drizzle it, you can loosen it up by adding more orange juice or water. Or keep it thick if you want to use it as a dip.
Want to do more with mango? Make these Sweet Mango Crêpes or this no-bake Vegan Mango Cheesecake. Try this Mango Pineapple Smoothie. Or, take it in a savory direction with this Mango Avocado Salsa.
Other Delicious Salad Dressings
If you follow me at all, you know I love a good salad dressing. If you do too, please check out some of my other favorite dressings, like these healthy versions of Honey Mustard Dressing and Ranch Dressing. All are gluten-free, and some are vegan too!
If you try this creamy mango dressing recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I'd love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
📖 Recipe
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Mango Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 whole mango or ½ cup chopped mango flesh
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut each lobe off the mango lengthwise, avoiding the pit in the center.
- Take one lobe, and push the edge of a tall glass in between the mango flesh and peel. Push down until mango flesh has detached from the peel and fallen into the glass.
- Repeat with second lobe.
- Cut mango flesh into cubes (you should have about ½ cup).
- Put mango cubes into a blender and add rice vinegar, orange juice, ginger, and chili powder.
- Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
- With blender running, pour olive oil into the top opening of the blender. Blend until combined.
- Unless you are using your dressing for a dip, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to loosen up dressing (up to 3 tablespoons).
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I'd love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Mimi Rippee says
I love this! And I like the idea of using cayenne. Or even chipotle. Wonderful!
Chef Molly says
Yes, the combo of mango plus a little spice is just so delicious!
Sara Jelinek says
This sounds delicious! I'm going to buy a mango so I can try this recipe.
Chef Molly says
So glad to hear that, Sara. If you like mangoes, you'll love the flavor on this one!