Why you’ll love this tropical mango salad
- This healthy dressing is creamy, tangy and a little sweet, which is perfect for a light summery salad.
- Thanks to the crunchy, colorful vegetables and creamy avocado, this salad will leave you satisfied with its balanced textures.
- Load it up with your favorite protein for added staying power. I like to serve mine with pan seared chicken breast seasoned with a Cajun spice blend or this crispy tofu.
Ingredients:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
- Mango – For the salad itself, I recommend fresh mango, but you can totally make the dressing with frozen mango if you have it.
- Agave nectar – This sweetens the dressing and brings out the flavors. If you don’t have it, you can substitute honey.
- Champagne vinegar – I really like the flavor of champagne vinegar in dressings, but it can be hard to find. Feel free to swap white wine or red wine vinegar in its place.
Melissa’s tips for recipe success:
- BAG YOUR LETTUCE – It’s not always economical, but pre-washed lettuce can be a major time saver, and the smaller bags mean you’re less likely to waste uneaten lettuce.
- PREP THE VEGGIES – I recommend prepping your salad ingredients and keeping them separate until you’re ready to serve, and don’t slice your avocado until the very last minute since it browns so easily.
- HOLD THE DRESSING – Don’t add your dressing until you’re ready to serve, or you’ll end up with a soggy, wilted salad. Keep your dressing in the fridge and add it when you’re ready to eat.
Frequently asked questions
More dairy free salad dressing:
More salads recipes you’ll love:
This tropical mango salad features a blend of colorful vegetables and fresh mango served on a bed of crisp green lettuce, tossed with a vibrant, mango salad dressing. Garnish with fresh cilantro and toasted macadamia nuts for extra crunch. This bright summer salad is perfect for a filling lunch and the start of a light summer dinner.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 mangos - chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves - not chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
For the salad:
- 1 head green lettuce - washed and torn
- 1/2 English cucumber - seeded and sliced
- 1 medium carrot - shredded
- 1/2 red bell pepper - thinly sliced
- 1/4 large red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 mango - cubed
For garnish:
- macadamia nuts, chopped
- fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Blend the ingredients. Put your ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You may need to scrape the sides and blend again to get any remaining chunks.Store until ready to use. Transfer the dressing to a mason jar or air tight container. Serve immediately or refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
- Prep the lettuce. If you need to wash and chop your salad, do it. I like to buy bagged lettuce because it makes things so much easier, but I recommend a mix of green lettuce and/or romaine for this salad
- Add your toppings. You can choose your toppings, but I like to use a little more mango, cucumber, red bell pepper, shredded carrots and red onion.I also like to add avocado, but I always wait until right before serving to add it to the salad.
- Toss with dressing. Add about 1/2 cup of the dressing and toss the salad. Add more dressing if you want, and toss again.
- Garnish and serve. Before serving, top your salad with extra fresh cilantro leaves and some chopped macadamia nuts for added crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 270kcal Carbohydrates: 36g Protein: 3g Fat: 14g Sodium: 320mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 30g Vitamin C: 83mg
