With fresh ingredients and a little spiciness this East Africa Mango Cucumber Salad is delicious on its own or as a side dish to complement grilled meats.
Just look at all the pretty colors!
Did you know that people eat more when there is a lot of color on their plates? I don’t know why I felt the need to share that random fact with you, but there it is.
Sooo remember on Wednesday when I promised to share a special East African salad recipe with you?
I bet you weren’t expecting a salad like this, were you? (Ahem, if you missed my East African Braised Chicken recipe you should probably go check it out)
I adapted this African cucumber mango salad recipe from one I found in my all time favorite cookbook, Cooking Light’s Global Kitchen. I mean… international recipes that won’t make me fat? Yes, please.
It also doesn’t hurt that my very, very favorite most-loved-of-all-time fruit is in this recipe. Oh, mangoes. You just get me.
This Mango and Cucumber Salad is as easy at cutting up some produce, adding some spices, and mixing it all together.
If you have trouble pitting/peeling/cutting mangoes, you can pick up this handy tool and check out my advice in this post.
East African Mango and Cucumber Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber - thinly sliced
- 1/2 small red onion - finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 garlic clove - minced
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil
- 2 cups chopped seeded tomato
- 1 red or green jalapeno - seeded and minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Dash of cinnamon
- 2 champagne mangoes - pitted and diced
- 3 Tablespoons chopped - unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Toss together the cucumber, onion, salt, and garlic in a colander. Let stand 20 minutes to drain.
- Meanwhile, toss together peanut oil, tomato, jalapeno, cumin, cinnamon, and mango in a large bowl.
- Add the cucumber mixture to the bowl and toss to combine. Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and lime juice.
NOTES
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
This has been a favorite for years. I am hosting a backyard bbq for Eid and this is what accompanies my meats whenever I grill . It’s also the first thing to go. Always a big hit and a crowd pleaser. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!
How many does this serve? What is the preparation time?
Great questions! I’d say it makes about 6 cups, so about 6 servings. Altogether it should take about 30-35 minutes to make (because of the 20 minute drain time).
This is great for school! I can just make a big batch at the beginning of the week and take some each day! I do the same thing with your Greek salad; I now have that recipe memorized by heart!
That’s so awesome, Emily! I’m so glad to have you here 🙂
You are absolutely right about color. That has always been my take on it too. I know I appreciate color and variety in textures. This is a lovely example of those principles. Plus what a refreshingly light, but zippy flavor wise salad.
Thanks, Carol!!
I believe it, the more color the more it draws the eye in and makes you hungry. Like looking at this photo for instance… hungry! 🙂 Sounds amazing girl, love the photos!
Thanks, Krista! I love to see just how man different colors I can fit on a plate 🙂
I love mangos, my husband loves cucumbers so this is a perfect salad for us!
Nice! Sounds like you need to whip it up sometime soon 🙂