I love mangoes in salsas, salads, or just as a snack. They are one of the best summer fruits. Below are clear, practical knife skills and tips for selecting and cutting a mango so you get the most fruit with the least waste.
SELECT A RIPE MANGO: Choose mangoes that are plump and slightly rounded—more like a football than flat. Flat or thin mangoes can be stringy. Avoid shriveled or overly wrinkled fruit. A ripe mango often shows deeper colors similar to a ripe peach rather than a yellow-green tone.
Check the area around the stem; if it looks full and rounded, the mango is likely ripe. Turn the mango stem-side up and smell it—ripe mangoes give off a sweet, fruity aroma. When gently squeezed, a ripe mango should yield slightly to pressure, similar to an avocado or peach. A few brown speckles on the skin are normal and usually indicate ripeness.
PREPARE a sturdy cutting board and the knives you prefer—typically a chef’s knife and a paring knife work well.
SLICE the mango lengthwise on both sides of the large, flat seed (center core). Hold the mango steady and run your knife about 1/4 inch from the center to remove each cheek.
TRIM the remaining sides around the center core. You can pare off the fleshy parts left on the seed with a small knife or slice them away carefully so you capture as much fruit as possible.
SCORE the mango cheeks while the peel is still on: make lengthwise and crosswise cuts into the flesh to form a grid, taking care not to cut through the skin.
PUSH the peel outward from underneath so the scored cubes pop up and become easy to access.
Carefully REMOVE the cubes by slicing down between the fruit and the peel, aiming to get as close to the skin as possible without cutting through it. A small paring knife works well for this.
REPEAT the scoring, pushing, and removing steps for the other cheek and any trimmed pieces until all edible fruit is removed from the peel and seed.
Tip: One medium to large mango typically yields about 3/4 to 1 cup of cubed fruit, depending on the variety and how close you cut to the skin.