There are two different ways that I cut fresh mango for my family: mango cubes and mango slices. The initial step is the same for both ways.
Prepping Your Mango
Wash your mango before you cut into it so you don’t get dirt or germs on the flesh of the fruit. There is an oblong seed inside of the mango. Cut the flesh of the fruit off from both long sides of the mango seed. You might be able to see part of the seed once you cut the off the fruit. That’s okay.
Method One: Mango Cubes
More often than not we cut mango into cubes to eat as is or in fruit salads. Cubes are also easy to use in smoothies or to blend for desserts. If you are blessed with more mango than you can eat in a week, you can freeze the mango cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to use later.
Take one half of the fruit and hold it in your hand. With your knife in your other hand, make cuts into the fruit with the tip of your knife as close to the skin as you can about 1″ apart. Repeat this by making cuts across the first set of cuts you made to make square shapes. Put your knife down, use both hands to push the back of the mango on the skin toward you and the fruit will pop up for easy slicing off the skin. Watch the first part of the video below to see how!
You can cut off the short sides of the mango as well, slice off the skin and cut the sliver of mango into cubes also. Just know that you won’t get as much fruit from it.
Mango cubes are great for pureeing, fruit salads, or for freezing. They are great for making desserts such as Healthier Mango Oat Bars.
Method Two: Mango Slices
The other way that I cut a mango is by cutting the skin off the half of the mango you cut away from the pit. Lay the fruit on the cutting board with the flat side down. Then slice with your knife into slices as thick or as thin as you need for your recipe. The second half of the video below shows one way to cut the skin off and slice the fruit.
Mango slices are great for making decorative desserts such as Mango Coconut Sticky Rice. You can also use mango slices as edible flower petals for decorating cakes such as done on this easy, delicious, and beautiful Mango Cake Recipe that we tried from Natasha’s Kitchen. Such a show stopper!
