Black Bean Mango Salsa (Salsa de Manga e Feijão Preto)
You know me as the perfect plate champion, which might as well make me the fork-and-knife queen. I use them for everything, yes, even pizza, like a true Brazilian. Unless it’s a street snack, I don’t love handheld foods, with one very important exception, tacos.
They’re delicious and even more so with this salsa recipe that does most of the heavy lifting with sweet mango, creamy black beans, and roasted corn with just enough char to keep things interesting. It’s bright and citrusy, a little spicy, and the kind of thing you keep “taste-testing” until half the bowl is gone.
Learn more about Perfect Plates here or visit this issue of the Perfect Plate Newsletter to build this whole plate here.
Black Bean Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 ripe mango, diced
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained & rinsed
- 2 ears of corn (or ~1.5 cups kernels)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded & minced (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1–2 limes
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, pepper, and any preferred seasonings (like chili powder or paprika)
Instructions
- First let’s cook the corn. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
- Shuck the corn and remove all husks and silk. Then, brush each ear with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Wrap tightly in foil and bake for for 20–25 minutes.
- For a charred, smokier flavor, unwrap and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes.
- Let cool slightly, then cut the kernels off the cob.
- In a large bowl, combine mango, black beans, roasted corn, bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño.
- Add chopped cilantro.
- Drizzle lime juice and olive oil over the mixture, then gently toss to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let it sit 15–30 minutes before serving for better flavor.
Notes
This is great as a dip, as a side salad, or as a taco topping with grilled fish, shrimp, or chicken.
