Black Bean Mango Salad

September 24, 2026•2 min read

Ingredients

3 cups diced mango (about 2 large or 3 medium mangoes)
1 cup diced cucumber (½ English cucumber or 2 Persian or)
½ cup diced red onion (about ½ medium onion)
½ cup diced red bell pepper (about ½ pepper)
2 tablespoons seeded and fine diced jalapeno (1 large jalapeno or 2 serrano)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (or Napa cabbage)
¼ cup cilantro chopped (leaves and light green stems)
1 can cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (one 14 oz can), or 1½-2 cups cooked beans

Mango Salad Dressing

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 large lime)
¼ teaspoon sea salt or pink salt, or ⅛ teaspoon regular salt (adjust after tossing)
⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
⅛ teaspoon cayenne (optional - skip for mild)
½ teaspoon agave syrup or maple syrup (or honey for non-vegan version)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Using a vegetable chopper, dice mango, cucumber, red onion, red bell pepper and jalapeno (see photo below for size reference). Using a knife, slice the tomatoes in half, slice the cabbage thinly and finely chop cilantro. Add to a large bowl, along with cooked black beans.
Add lime juice and seasoning ingredients to a small bowl. Pour the olive oil while whisking so it emulsifies and creates a rich dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

notes

Use super sweet, ripe mangoes. The best way to judge the ripeness of mango is by touch and smell rather than color. If the mango gives to gentle pressure and smells fruity, it's ready!
Homemade or canned black beans will do. Use 1 ½ - 2 cups cooked beans or one (14-15 ounce) can store-bought black beans that have been drained, rinsed and thoroughly dried. Here's how to cook black beans using dried beans.
Control the spice level. The fresh jalapeno and ground cayenne add a kick of spice. Leave the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno pepper intact for a spicier salad. For a mild version, remove all seeds and ribs and omit the cayenne in the dressing.
Double the recipe. A few of the vegetable quantities require only half of a whole. Rather than having to store the vegetable for later use, easily double the recipe and use the whole veggie. This works great for those occasions when you need to feed a crowd at parties, potlucks or BBQs.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The mango salad will keep for up to 4 days.
Meal prep ahead of time. This salad can be assembled a day ahead of serving for yourself or a potluck. Assemble the salad in a serving bowl and prepare the dressing in a separate container. Cover and store in the fridge. Dress the salad 20-30 minutes before serving. This way the veggies and mango retain their crispness.