Step by step visual guide on how to cut a mango into cubes or strips. Plus, all your questions about mangoes answered plenty of ways to use them!
How To Cut a Mango: Scooping Method (NO Peeler!)
Step One: Choose a Ripe Mango
First things first, it is important that you select a good mango.
How do you know if a mango is ripe?
- While it’s VERY tempting to focus on color, don’t. It is not the best indicator of ripeness.
- ALWAYS judge by feel! Squeeze the mango gently; a ripe mango will give slightly (overripe will squish down).
- Ripe mangos will sometimes have a fruity aroma at the stem end.
Step Two: cut off the stem
To ensure the mango won’t be sliding or moving around while you cut it (and ensure you don’t get cut!), first lay the mango on its side and cut off the stem. Cut so the bottom of the mango is now an even surface and can stand up on your cutting board without shifting.
Stand the mango upright where the stem used to be. Mangoes have a flat-ish long pit in the center. Your objective will be to cut around that pit to get 2 large pieces and 2 small pieces of fruit.
Step Three: cut off the two wider, flat sides
Make two cuts along the sides of the pit to get your 2 large pieces of mango
Step Four: cut off the two smaller remaining sides (cook’s snack!)
Remove the fruit that remains on the two narrow sides. Sometimes you’ll get a lot and sometimes not very much. If it’s enough to use, add to your recipe, otherwise, it’s your snack for doing the hard work 😉 
Step Five: make vertical cuts down the mango
Without cutting through the skin of the mango, gently make vertical cuts down the mango. The width of your cuts will depend on how big you need your chunks or slices to be. (If you want mango strips, not chunks, skip step 5.)
Step Six: make horizontal cuts across the mango
Again, without cutting through the skin of the mango, now make horizontal cuts down the mango. Again, the width of your horizontal cuts depends on the size you want the chunks to be.
Step Seven: scoop out the chunks
Using the sharp side of a spoon, run it along the mango where the skin meets the fruit. Gently scoop out the chunks of mango. (If your mango isn’t ripe, you may need a knife to cut out the chunks).
Step Eight: eat!
Eat the mango as is or add to a delicious recipe (lots of ideas at the bottom of this post).
How To Cut a Mango: Peeling Method
In case you don’t have a perfectly ripe mango or feel more comfortable with peeling a mango first, here are the steps to cutting a mango AFTER peeling:
Step One: cut off the stem
Lay the mango on its side and cut off the stem. Cut so the bottom of the mango is now an even surface and can stand up on your cutting board without shifting. Stand the mango upright where the stem used to be.
Step Two: peel the mango
Using either a knife or vegetable peeler, cut off the peel of the mango (as close to the fruit as possible)
Step Three: cut off the two flat, wider sides
Make two cuts along the sides of the pit to get your 2 large pieces of mango
Step Four: cut off the two smaller remaining sides
Remove the fruit that remains on the two narrow sides. Sometimes you’ll get a lot and sometimes not very much. If it’s enough to use, add to your recipe, otherwise, it’s your snack for doing the hard work 😉
Step Five: cut the wide sides into strips
Lay the sides down (flat side to the cutting board) and slice into strips (as wide or thin as desired/needed for a recipe)
Step Six: cut strips into chunks
Cut the strips into chunks if desired.
5 ways to use perfectly cut mangoes:
- Mango Salsa: Serve the mango salsa with chips OR alongside grilled chicken, in shrimp tacos, or chicken tacos.
- Fruit Salad: add to a fruit salad or serve with a couple other tropical fruits as a fruit side dish
- Frozen Treat: add to an acai bowl, blend in a smoothie, or try blending diced mangos with orange juice and freezing it in ice trays for a delicious cold treat.
- Parfait: layer vanilla yogurt, plenty of homemade granola, and fresh mango
- Kebabs: grill some mango and chicken on skewers for a refreshingly healthy meal.
Our favorite recipes to use up mango:
(from left to right)
The BEST Mango Salsa
How to cut a mango: help section
A good ripe mango is always best the same day it is cut. However, mangos can be peeled, sliced, or cubed and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to six months.
Ripening Mangoes
To speed up ripening, place mangos in a brown paper bag at room temperature.
Once ripe, mangos can be moved to the fridge which will slow down their ripening process. Ripe (uncut) mangoes can be stored for 3-5 days in the fridge before needing to be used.
Cutting a Mango
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