How to Cut a Mango

Learn the effortless way to cut a mango and avoid the mess. The easiest way to cut a mango involves cutting off the slides, scoring the flesh, and using a spoon to scoop out the chunks. In this easy to follow guide, we show you how to cut open a mango for those slices and cubes without turning it all into mush. All you will need is a ripe mango, a small, sharp knife, and cutting board. Let’s get slicing!

Recipe Navigation

• How to tell if a mango is ripe
• How to cut mango step by step instructions
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Mango Recipes
• How to cut a Mango (slices & cubes)

Mangoes are my absolute favorite fruit. Back in India, during the mango season, I started my day with a mango milkshake, then relished some after lunch and then again after dinner. I love Mangoes so much. I used to miss the Indian variety of Mangoes here in the US, but now a lot of varieties of Indian mangoes are imported.

So let me show you how to cut a mango.

How to tell if a mango is ripe

• Feel the mango - Gentle squeeze the mango, light pressure. If the mango is firm, it is still not ripe. When mangoes are not yet ripe, they have a firm texture. When you give the mango a gentle squeeze, and its soft, it's ripe. If it's mushy its over ripe.
• Smell the stem end - If the mango emits a sweet aroma, then it's ready.
• Check the skin - if a mango shows wrinkle, it's ripe. However do not go by the green color of the mango. I have proven myself wrong several times only to cut the mango and figure out it is ripe. Especially the Indian varieties like Kesar and Alphonso.

While picking mangoes at the store, you may want to consider when you plan to use them. Just like Avocados, if you want them that evening, then look for ones that are already ripe. If you want them for a few days from now, pick some unripe mangoes.

How to cut mango step by step instructions

• First cut the “cheeks” off the mango. To do this, position the mango on its bottom and slice about ⅓ in on both the left and right side.
• Once each “cheek” is removed, use your knife to score the flesh from top to bottom with a small knife, being careful to not cut through the skin. Each cut should be about a half inch from the next, though you can make the slices as thin or thick as you like.
• After scoring, use a spoon to carefully scrap each slice away from the peel.
• Once you get the cheek’s flesh, you can slice off the remaining two thin strips on the mango. If you want slices you will stop here and using a spoon remove the flesh.
• If you want cubes, You can then use your knife to cut the slices into cubes and use your spoon to remove the flesh.
• Finally, discard the center or core.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake	Result	Solution
you cut through the skin of the cheeks	You won't be able to invert the cheet	To avoid cutting the skin score the flesh gently
Using a dull knife	No fineness and uneven cuts	Use a sharp knife
Not placing the mango correctly on the cutting board	Unable to cut neatly	Make sure the stem end is upright and the cheeks are to your left and right
Discarding the pit to soon	Wastage of flesh	Trim around the pit for any remaining flesh

Now that you have learnt how to cut a mango correctly, below are some of my favorite mango recipes for you to try.

Mango Recipes

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