I’ve been fantasizing about this summer side dish since the May issue of Bon Appétit landed in my mailbox over a month ago. Adding fruit to salads can be controversial—at least here in the foodie world—but I for one can’t imagine a better way to get more vitamins and antioxidants while filling up on the best of summer flavors.
No offense to the classic melon + berry fruit salad combo that I grew up eating but this summer, I’m craving something a little bit different. I want crunchy texture, a little heat, and an explosion of tropical fruit flavor. Yet again, the pages of Bon Appétit have come to my rescue. 
I kept my fruit and veggie salad recipe pretty close to BA’s Mango and Cucumber Chow. (Why mess with perfection?) Per usual, though, I can’t follow any recipe exactly to a T. For one, I added jicama to give my salad some extra crunchy texture. I also left out the shallot and the garlic to keep things simple—feel free to toss either/both in if you have them on hand. 
This bright and cheery summer dish will look great on your party table and acts as the perfect accompaniment to whatever you’re serving up from the grill. There’s no reason for the party to end come Monday either. This Mango Cucumber Salad is so quick and easy to put together that it makes a colorful and convenient weeknight side dish too! 
Serve with crispy avocado tacos, tempeh tostadas, and matcha margaritas for an ideal Mexican-inspired warm-weather feast. Your go-to summer fruit salad is about to get a major upgrade!
- 2 ripe mangoes peeled and cut into ½-inch spears
- 1 cucumber halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and thinly sliced horizontally
- 1 cup sliced jicama spears
- 1 sliced jalapeño pepper seeds and membrane removed if less heat desired
- 1 lime zest and juice
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
- Combine ingredients in a large bowl, toss until mixed, and enjoy! Best enjoyed within 1-2 days.
Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit May 2017
Fruit in salads: yay or nay?
YUM! love the addition of jicama.
Rebecca recently posted…3 Ingredient Almond Butter
Thanks, Rebecca! Can’t get enough of that jicama crunch! ????
Do you cook the Jicama first? I have never had it before but want to try it.
Hi CiCi! I used raw jicama for this recipe. Super easy—let me know how you like it!
hi, made this last night. all I can say is…WOW!!!! very fresh, delicious and easy.
Yay, so glad you liked it. Thanks, Ali! 😀
Would you recommend using frozen mango when the fruit is out of season? Or suggest a substitute?
Hi Linda! I haven’t tried it, but frozen mango could work. You’ll probably want to drain and thaw the fruit really well before adding it to the salad. (You may even want to cook it on a grill pan first). I’ve also used dry mango in salads-you can search “mango forbidden rice” for another idea. Would love to hear how it turns out if you try it!