Easy Mango Salmon with Avocado Salsa
Salmon is our favorite fish, and this mango salmon is on repeat in the summer months when we’re grilling.
Sweet, smoky, and a little spicy: The marinade uses Tajin, paprika, chili powder, maple syrup, and lime, so the salmon gets a chili-lime crust that’s perfect with sweet mango.
Mango avocado salsa: Juicy mango, creamy avocado, crunchy bell pepper, red onion, and a little jalapeño. Want to skip the avocado? Try this salmon with peach mango salsa.
Grill or bake: Grill it for those summer grill marks, or bake it at 400°F in about 12 to 15 minutes.
Weeknight easy: Marinate the salmon for 20 minutes while you chop the salsa and start the coconut rice. Dinner is ready in 30 minutes, with 34 grams of protein per serving.
Grab These Ingredients
Here’s what you need for this mango salmon. Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
Salmon Ingredients
- Salmon: Salmon fillets are rich in omega-3s, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Use 4-to 6-ounce fillets so they cook evenly. We prefer wild-caught salmon.
- Soy sauce: Or coconut aminos for a gluten-free and soy-free option. Use tamari for just a gluten-free option (contains soy).
- Maple syrup: You can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or any substitute for coconut sugar.
- Olive oil: Avocado oil is a good substitute.
- Spice mixture: Garlic (or garlic powder), kosher salt, Tajin, paprika, and chili powder. No Tajin? Use a pinch of red pepper flakes and lime zest.
Mango Salsa Ingredients
- Avocado: Diced avocado adds a creaminess to the tangy mango salsa.
- Red onion: Adds bright color and a nice crunch.
- Red bell pepper: Any color works. Follow our tips for how to cut a bell pepper.
- Jalapeño: Add to taste depending on the spice level you’re comfortable with.
- Cilantro: Find fresh cilantro in the produce section at the grocery store, the farmers market, or your own herb garden! Not a fan? Use parsley.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice and a little lime zest. You can use bottled lime juice if you don’t have fresh limes at home.
- Mango: Pick a ripe mango that gives slightly when pressed and smells sweet.
How to Make Mango Salmon
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. It’s really easy, and you can grill or bake it.
Note: the recipe card below includes instructions to bake or grill the salmon. You could also make blackened salmon with this mango salsa.
Marinate the salmon: In a large bowl, whisk the soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt, Tajin, paprika and chili powder. Add the salmon and toss to cat. Marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight.
Make the mango salsa: In a medium bowl, combine mango salsa ingredients together. Place it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Grill the salmon: You can either bake, grill, or blacken the salmon. We love grilled salmon, especially in the summer months. Clean the grill grates, heat to medium-high, and brush the grates with oil. Grill skin-side down for 7 to 9 minutes, flipping halfway.
Or bake the salmon: Bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Serve: Spoon the mango avocado salsa over the salmon and serve with coconut rice, or build it into a rice bowl.
Cooking the Salmon: Baked, Grilled, or Blackened
How long to grill salmon: This recipe calls for 4- to 6-ounce salmon fillets. Grill them for 7 to 9 minutes over medium-high heat, flipping halfway. Or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F using a meat thermometer and you get nice grill marks. Pull it off the grill and let it sit until it rises to a target temp of 145 degrees F.
Oven: If you’re cooking salmon in the oven, place it on a baking sheet (salmon skin side down) with parchment paper in the preheated oven at 400 degrees F. Bake salmon for 12 – 15 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F using a meat thermometer. Allow it to rest until it reaches a target temp of 145 degrees F.
Blackened: We have a really delicious blackened salmon recipe you can follow. You will add the blackening seasoning then sear the salmon until cooked through.
Video: Watch How to Make Salmon with Mango Salsa
Expert Recipe Tips
- Wild-caught Alaskan salmon is always my first choice of salmon. It usually means it’s farm-raised if it says “Atlantic salmon.” If you have the option between wild-caught salmon and Atlantic go with wild-caught!
- We like to order ours from Sitka Salmon Shares, which is a great supplier of salmon and ships directly to your door.
- Get salmon filets that are all the same size. Getting uniform salmon filets means they will all cook at the same pace, so you aren’t left with one perfectly cooked filet and one overcooked.
- Cook time will vary depending on how thick the salmon is so use an instant-read thermometer over cooking times.
- You’ll know salmon is done just before the internal temperature reaches 145°F (135-140° is ideal).
- Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the salmon for the most accurate reading.
- The salmon should be firm to the touch and the fish flakes should come apart easily as you cut.
- Don’t marinate past overnight. The lime juice and soy sauce start to break down the salmon after about 24 hours, making it soft instead of flaky.
- Add the avocado last. If you’re making the salsa ahead, chop everything else and stir in the avocado right before serving so it stays green.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The sweet, juicy mango balances salmon’s rich flavor, and lime, jalapeño, and red onion add brightness and a little heat. It’s the same idea as pairing salmon with citrus.
A ripe mango will have a little give when you add pressure to them and will have a pleasant, fruity aroma. Avoid mangos with wrinkled or shriveled skin, as they may be past their prime.
Hold the mango upright with one hand on a cutting board, positioning it so the narrower side faces you. Cut vertically along one side of the flat, oblong pit then repeat for the other side. Score the mango flesh in a crisscross pattern and push it in the center to invert each mango half, causing the cubes to pop out. Repeat for the other mango half.
Mango salsa adds a sweet and tangy flavor to grilled protein like grilled chicken breast, grilled pork chops, or grilled chicken thighs. It makes an excellent topping for pork tenderloin tacos and a great addition to a salmon rice bowl.
Storage Instructions
Store this dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm up the salmon in the air fryer or place it all on the same baking tray in the oven until heated through. Allow the spicy mango salsa to come to room temperature. The avocado will brown a bit in the fridge, so the salsa is best within a day.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Tasty Salmon Recipes
These air fryer salmon bites are coated in a sweet and spicy sauce and cooked in the air fryer (for 8 minutes!) until the outside is crispy and the inside is tender and flaky.
If you enjoy the coconut rice, try it with this honey garlic salmon rice bowl or easy teriyaki glazed salmon next.
Try our blackened salmon over a bed of lettuce and vegetables with the cilantro lime dressing from this BBQ chicken salad.
Mango Salmon with Avocado Salsa
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Ingredients
Salmon
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice about 1 lime
- 2 cloves crushed garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Tajin (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 4-6-ounce salmon filets (Note 2)
Mango Salsa
- 1 large ripe avocado pitted and diced
- 1 large mango diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced small
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 1/2 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, maple syrup, lime juice, garlic, and spices. Add the salmon filets and toss to coat the salmon in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight. (No longer than a day.)
- If you’re serving it with coconut rice, start making it while the salmon is marinating.
- While it’s marinating, dice and chop the avocado, mango, pepper, cilantro, jalapeño, and red onion. Squeeze the lime juice on top and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat, taste, and add more lime juice and salt as needed.
- When you’re ready to cook the salmon, clean grill grates and brush them with an oiled kitchen towel or paper towels. Heat grill to medium high heat (400-450°F). See recipe notes below for baked salmon or blackened salmon.
Grill Salmon
- Remove the salmon from the marinade and shake off any excess marinade. Excess marinade can cause flare ups on the grill. Discard leftover marinade.
- Place the salmon on the grill skin-side-down and grill the salmon for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway through. If the grill marks are becoming too dark before the center is done, flip the salmon back over to the skin-side. Cook times will vary depending on the grill and temperature, so use the internal temperature of the salmon for best results. Remove the salmon from the heat when it reaches 135-140°F so it reaches the target temperatures of 145°F for medium-rare salmon while it rests.
- Serve immediately with prepared mango salsa and coconut rice, if using.
Bake Salmon
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the salmon from the marinade and discard the leftovers. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12 – 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140°F.
Notes
Video
Equipment
- Indoor or outdoor grill or oven for baked salmon
- Large and medium mixing bowls
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Just wondering why not to marinate longer than overnight?
Hi Penny! Great question – I don’t recommend marinating longer than overnight because the lime juice and soy sauce in the marinade start to change the texture of the salmon. After about 24 hours, the acid can begin to “cook” the fish, making it softer or even a little mushy instead of flaky. Overnight gives it plenty of flavor without affecting the texture. Hope that helps!