Black Bean and Mango Salsa is a delicious Salsa Fresca that will liven up any meal. Eat it as an appetizer with some chips, as a side with the meat of your choice or all by itself as a light lunch salad.
What Is Salsa?
The word Salsa literally means "sauce" and is the perfect low calorie condiment that elevates the taste of any meal. As explained by dressings-sauces.org there are various different types of salsas:
- The Salsa Cruda - Made with uncooked ingredients
- Salsa Fresca - Made with fresh ingredients
- Popular Salsa Verde - Made with green tomatillos
- Salsa Rojo - Made with plum tomatoes
Why Eat Black Beans ?
Black Beans are beneficial for many different reasons. Although high in carbohydrates, the beans contain sufficient protein, fiber, iron and potassium to counter that one negative. Add to that the fact that they have only 1 gram of fat and they're one of the most nutritionally dense foods you're likely to find.
Some of the health conditions black beans are known to specifically help with are as listed:
- Bone Health
- Blood Pressure
- Managing Diabetes
- Warding Off Heart Disease
- Preventing Cancer
- Improving Digestion
- Helping With Weight Loss
If all of the above hasn't convinced you to try this recipe, let the taste alone be reason enough!
What To Pair The Black Bean And Mango Salsa With?
My favorite way to eat the salsa is with some chips as a snack, as a side with my breakfast eggs or with my lunch and dinner protein. Toss some chicken in the air fryer or saute some shrimp and serve this recipe as your side!
Some recipes from the blog that you can try pairing this with are:
How To Store The Salsa
Your Salsa can stay fresh in the fridge for upto 5 days. I usually make a large batch and snack off it for a few days. This is a perfect Meal Prep option for those that like to do plan their meals a week at a time.
The Recipe
The basic ingredients in my black bean salsa are the beans, red onion, jalapeno or serrano, cilantro and red bell pepper. If you want your salsa spicier, go for the serranos, otherwise stick to the jalapenos.
A typical black bean salsa has corn in it, but in this recipe I swapped the corn for the mango instead. The result was a slightly sweet and tangy taste that paired well with the Southwest Style Chicken Tenders I served it with.
If you do add corn, you can opt for plain kernels or add roasted ones for slightly more depth of flavor. Avocados are another possible add in but I usually leave mine on the side as they discolor and don't store well.
SInce pomegranates are in season I added some as a garnish. As the seasons change, so can the garnishes and add ins.
I kept my seasoning simple, lots of lime juice, a little salt and some mexican chilies. However, you can add a bit more complexity to this by adding a little smoked paprika or tajin, depending on your preference and availability.
Don't forget to rate, comment and tag on social media if you try the recipe!
Black Bean and Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cans black beans (15 oz each)
- 2 mangoes
- 1 red bell pepper
- ½ red onion
- 2 serrano chilies (SEE NOTE)
- 4 limes
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp new mexico chili (SEE NOTE)
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Wash and rinse the black beans
- Chop the rest of the ingredients
- Add everything together and toss in with the salt and chilies (except the pomegranate seeds)
- Squeeze the limes and mix in the juice
- Garnish with the pomegranate seeds and serve
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