Whether you need a mango substitute for a recipe or just want to switch things up, there are plenty of other fruits and ingredients that can stand in for mango.
Love mangoes but can’t locate them in your grocery store? Do you have a mango allergy that prevents you from eating this luscious fruit?
If mango is unavailable, I’ve found great replacements for this versatile fruit for smoothies, salsa, and snacks.
Read on to discover some surprising fruits that taste like mango!
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What makes mango special?
Mango is a tropical fruit with delicious flesh. It is cultivated in South America, Africa, and the Caribbean, although it originated in South Asia.
Mangoes vary in size, flavor, texture, and color. Haden, Kent, and Ataulfo mangoes are popular kinds with different tastes and appearances.
Mangoes are distinguished by their rich scent and distinctive sweetness and tanginess!
Mangoes are also remarkable for their nutrients. Vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants in mangoes may boost the immune system, aid digestion, and prevent illness.
Mangoes are utilized in many recipes across the world, from hot Indian curries to cool Mexican margaritas.
The best substitute for mango: 10 ideas
Let’s examine some of the most promising substitutes for mangoes to see how well they work in common mango recipes.
- Papaya
Papaya is a kind of tropical fruit that originated in Mexico and Central America. It has a similar sweetness and muskiness to mango and tastes quite authentic.
Smoothies, fruit salads, salsa, and marinades are just a few of the sweet and savory dishes that benefit from the versatility of papaya.
As an added bonus, it’s rich in the skin- and immune-boosting vitamins A and C.
I was recently very pleased when I swapped out mango for papaya in my strawberry-mango smoothie recipe. The papaya added a distinct flavor to the smoothie, something between sweet and musky, and I really loved it.
If you’re looking for more creative culinary ideas, check out these papaya substitutes!
- Pineapple
Pineapple is a tropical fruit found in Hawaii, the Caribbean, and other warm places. This fruit similar to mango has a sweet and slightly sour flavor.
Pineapple is great in smoothies, fruit salads, pizza and grilled meat toppings. Its vitamin C content may also boost immunity and skin health.
In a recent fruit salad I cooked, I opted to use pineapple in place of mango because I didn’t have any on hand. The pineapple’s tart richness and natural sweetness worked wonderfully with kiwi, bananas, mint and lime juice.
- Peaches
Peaches are a delicious fruit with fuzzy skin and a great replacement for mangoes in many cold and baked dishes because of their sweet and juicy flesh. They can replace mango in fruit salads, baked items, and savory dishes.
Peaches, with their milder flavor, complement the sweetness of just about every berry. A blueberry mango syrup for pancakes turned out great, even when I substituted peach for the mango.
- Apricots
Apricots can replace ripe mangoes or mango puree in smoothies, fruit salads, baked products, and preserves. They aren’t as tropical as mangoes but still provide a similar sweet and tart taste.
The fact that mangoes are included in my list of apricot substitutes further attests to their similarity!
- Guava
Guava is a tropical fruit from Mexico, Central America, and South America. It can replace the taste of mango with its sweet, aromatic notes.
When cooking salsa, I thought I’d use guava for the mango called for in the recipe. The sweet and sour taste of the guava was a welcome addition to my usual salsa.
- Nectarines
Nectarines are luscious and tasty mango substitutes. They add a sweet and tart flavor to smoothies, fruit salads, and baked products.
Nectarines are popular fruits that look like mango thanks to their smooth, fuzz-free skin that reminds of mango.
- Kiwi
Kiwi, or Chinese gooseberry, is a tiny, green fruit with a tart, sweet taste. Smoothies, fruit salads, and desserts can benefit from its mango-like texture.
Kiwi’s green color isn’t a good match for mango’s orangey flesh but the consistency is about right!
- Persimmon
Persimmons taste honey-like and are soft and juicy fruits like mango. Mango smoothies, salads, and baked products can substitute persimmons for their jelly-like consistency and delicate taste.
I decided to try my hand at creating persimmon chutney as an alternative to mango chutney. What a unique condiment!
Need to replace persimmons in a sweet recipe? This list of persimmon substitutes is jam-packed with cool ideas!
- Starfruit
Starfruit, a tropical fruit with a distinctive form and tangy, sweet flavor, is a good mango alternative in fruit dishes. It can be used in smoothies, fruit salads, and garnish. Starfruit can provide a similar tropic feel to fresh mangoes.
- Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is a luscious mango replacement. It tastes musky and is sweet like mango. Smoothies, salads, and desserts use cantaloupe. Also, vitamin A, essential for vision and skin, is found in it.
Substitute for mango FAQs
One raw mango (336g) contains 202 calories.
Yes, you can use frozen mango instead of fresh mango in many recipes.
Yes, unripe green mango is safe to eat as long as it’s not too unripe.
You can try making papaya chutney, pineapple chutney, peach chutney and more. Basically, any of the substitutes above could work in similar recipes.
BOTTOM LINE: Nectarines, kiwis, persimmons, starfruit, cantaloupes, and other fruits similar to mango can be used to make tasty and nutritious mango substitutes. Find your ideal mango alternatives by experimenting with other fruits!
Which alternatives to mango did you like the most? Share your ideas in the comment!
Curious about substitutes for other sour and sweet fruit? You can also learn how to replace cranberry or discover your best substitute for fresh figs!