Filipino Mango Salad (Ensaladang Mangga) Recipe & Tips

This Filipino mango salad, known as Ensaladang Mangga, balances sweet, tart, and savory notes using mangoes, tomatoes, onions, freshly squeezed lime juice, and bagoong (sauteed shrimp paste). Light and refreshing, it makes an excellent side for grilled meats and seafood during warm months.

Philippine mangoes are celebrated for their exceptional sweetness and flavor. If you’ve ever tried dried mangoes from many grocery stores, there’s a good chance they were made from Philippine fruit. While dried mangoes are a convenient taste of the real thing, nothing compares to freshly harvested, juicy mangoes straight from the tree.

The mango is the national fruit of the Philippines, and many households grew up with a mango tree in the yard. I remember harvesting fruit as a child using a long bamboo pole with a cutting blade and a basket to catch the falling mangoes. Those ripe pieces made perfect afternoon snacks and are fond memories of island life.

Beyond ripe mangoes, Filipinos also love green, tart, crunchy mangoes. Street vendors frequently sell sliced green mangoes served with bagoong on the side. The combination of tangy mango and salty fermented shrimp paste is a beloved snack across the country.

That contrast of flavors—sweet or tart mangoes against salty bagoong—also inspired Ensaladang Mangga, a popular Filipino salad served most often in summer and during grilling season when mangoes are plentiful.

At first the idea of combining mango with fermented shrimp paste may seem unusual, but the result is a lively blend of sweet, sour, and salty flavors that many find irresistible. If you prefer, serve the bagoong on the side so diners can add it to taste.

Notes on Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this vibrant salad. Bagoong alamang (sauteed shrimp paste) is ideal for authentic flavor and can be found in stores that carry Filipino or Southeast Asian products. If you’d rather skip it, serve it on the side or replace it with a splash of fish sauce or soy sauce for a salty element.

Main ingredients:

• Mangoes – use green, semi-ripe, ripe, or a combination (one semi-ripe and one sweet ripe works well).
• Plum tomatoes – seeded and diced.
• Red onion – diced (yellow or white onion can also work).
• Bagoong alamang – sauteed shrimp paste, optional or served on the side.
• Lime – freshly squeezed (calamansi is traditional if available).
• Cilantro – chopped, optional for garnish.
• Scallions/green onions – thinly sliced, optional for garnish.

Those five core ingredients are all you need, though cilantro and scallions add freshness and color. Combine everything in a serving bowl, toss with lime juice, and serve right away or chill briefly so the flavors meld. This salad pairs beautifully with rice, grilled meats, and seafood.