Mangoes are loved for their bright golden hue and intensely sweet flavor.
Despite being a popular fruit in many households, it can take a while to learn how to cut a mango properly.
Their slippery skin and juicy insides can make it harder to grip, cut, and slice the fruit.
If you can relate, you’re in the right place!
You’ll learn some ways of cutting a mango in this post.
We’ll cover how to cut a mango without peeling it, how to cut one after peeling it, and other ways of removing its tender, juicy flesh.
Find The Seed
First things first, before you can start cutting a mango, you’ll need to find its seed.
The seed, or pit, will lie beneath its tougher stem end.
We’re going to try and cut around this pit to obtain its flesh.
You can choose to cut the fruit without peeling it or after peeling it.
You’ll find both methods below so you can pick between the two.
Cutting A Mango: Without Peeling Method
Cutting a mango without peeling it is generally easier and not as messy.
Beginners may want to start with this method before moving on to the peeling version.
- Begin by standing the fruit upright on a chopping board with the pit side facing down.
- This end is wider, so it will help keep the fruit stable.
- You can also slice off this end to help it balance.
- Place the knife around a quarter of an inch away from its centerline, then slice along the sides of the seed at an angle to split its ‘cheek’.
- Swivel the mango around and repeat the step on the opposite side.
- This will give you three sections, the middle section with the seed and two mango flesh cheeks.
- Slice two thinner edges from the seed to remove its leftover flesh.
- This will give you four pieces of mango, two small, and two large.
- Keep trimming the fruit’s flesh and eat it as you go until you’re left with the seed.
Cutting Mango Slices
If you’d like to cut mango slices, take a mango half and use a knife to make lengthwise cuts in its flesh.
Take care to avoid cutting yourself through the fruit’s skin.
Use a big spoon to scoop the flesh out from the mango, scooping as near to the skin as you can.
Cutting Mango Cubes
If you’d like to make cubes, take your mango half and slice it lengthwise, as you would when making slices.
Next, cut it crosswise to make cubes in its flesh, taking care to avoid cutting yourself.
Hold the scored fruit in your hand, then use a big spoon to scoop out the cubes, working as near to the skin as you can.
Peeling A Mango
Cutting a mango after peeling it will give you the most fruit, but you will need to handle the fruit carefully to avoid cutting yourself.
Follow these steps to peel the mango.
- Use a knife to trim away the mango’s pit.
- Hold the fruit in your non-dominant hand, then use a vegetable peeler to peel away its skin, beginning at the seed’s side.
- Peel the fruit the same way you would with a potato, but take care, as the mango’s flesh can get slippery.
Cutting A Mango: After Peeling
Now that you know how to peel a mango, you can follow these steps to cut it after you peel it.
- Position your fruit upright on your chopping board.
- Place your knife around a quarter inch away from the center, then cut along at an angle to separate a ‘cheek’ of flesh.
- Swivel the mango around and repeat the step to remove flesh from the opposite side.
- Slice along the sides of the pit at an angle to remove two smaller pieces.
- This will give you four pieces of fruit, two small and two large.
- Trim off any leftover flesh from the seed and dispose of it when you’re done.
Other Methods To Obtain Mango Flesh
You can use two other methods to obtain flesh from a mango.
Spoon Scooping
Hold an unpeeled mango cheek in your hand, then use your dominant hand to scoop out its flesh with a large spoon.
Try to get your spoon as close to the skin as you can without slicing through it.
Inside Out Cubes
Use a knife to score your mango cheek with wide horizontal, then vertical cuts.
Use two hands to hold your scored fruit cheek in place.
Position your thumbs on the flesh side of either side, then use your middle and index fingers to invert and push the skin.
Use a paring knife to remove the cubes.
Bear in mind that this method is messy and wastes more fruit, so it’s best to use other methods.
How To Store Fresh Mango
Both diced and sliced fresh mango can be stored in the fridge or freezer.
Refrigerator
Keep your mango pieces in an airtight container for a maximum of three days.
Freezer
Store the mango pieces in freezer-safe plastic storage bags.
Seal them securely and label them with the date.
These will keep for a maximum of three months.
Tips On Cutting Mangos
Here are some tips to help you when cutting mangos.
- Make sure that your fruit is ripe, but firm.
- Fruit that is too ripe will be harder to keep in place, making it messier to cut.
- Wash and dry the fruit well before cutting.
- Dirt and dust can affect how the mango tastes later on.
- Slice the fruit’s stem end off first.
- This will make it easier to balance the mango as you take off its flesh.
- If you’re slicing the mango into cubes or slices, avoid cutting through the fruit’s skin.
- This will make it harder to scoop out its flesh with a spoon later on.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to cut a mango!
You can choose to cut your mango without peeling it, or cut it after peeling it first.
If you are a beginner, you may want to avoid peeling it, as this can make it harder to cut.
However, if you want to get the most out of your mango, peeling it first will help you obtain more flesh from the fruit.
You’ll have three days to enjoy your mango if you keep it in the fridge, so try to eat it soon after you cut it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup mango chopped ripe
- 1/2 cup milk low-fat
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1/4 cup yogurt plain low-fat
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a blender, add the chopped mango, low-fat milk, ice, plain low-fat yogurt, and honey.
- Blend all the ingredients on high speed until smooth and creamy. If the smoothie is too thick, you can add a little more milk or water to thin it out.
- Taste the smoothie and add more honey if needed.
- Pour the smoothie into a glass and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.