Skip to main content

How to Cut a Mango

There’s a reason these South Asian delicacies are called the “king of fruits”. The flesh of a mango is sweet, sticky but getting to it can be a little tricky. Inside is a hidden pit, that can vary in size and location making it impossible to just slice, throw into a margarita and enjoy.  If you’ve got a ripe mango, one that slightly squishy with its signature fragrance, the rest is almost effortless. Here’s how to get the most out of these tropical gold fruits, in four easy steps.

Related Reading

What is the best way to cut a mango?

  1. Hold the mango upright with the stem at the top. and find the narrower sides. Make your first cut down the side of the mango to the right of the center.
  2. Cut the other side the same way. If you feel resistance, you’re too close to the pit so shift your knife more to the outside of the fruit.
  3. Score the flesh on each half in a grid pattern and then turn the flesh inside out so the sections pop out.
  4. Use a knife to cut the cubes, or a spoon to scoop them away or leave them for a cool hedgehog effect.

Tips to cutting a mango with a knife?

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Find the seed: The biggest trick with mango is to find the pit runs. It’s long and narrow, but very tough. You can’t cut through the middle, but you want to cut as close to the pit as possible with your knife.

Use the right knife: Use a smaller but very sharp paring knife to get the most fruit and for the most control. Make sure your fruit is facing the right way, and test your initial cut for resistance. A sharp knife and a steady hand are all you need to cut your mango. It’s a two cut process if you do it correctly.

Find a ripe mango: Take the time to find a ripe mango first so you aren’t cutting for nothing. Avoid gimmicky tools or methods. A simple, two cut process is the most straightforward way to get that sweet fruit.

How do you cut a mango without waste?

Mangos are tough to cut without waste because all the pits are slightly different. Focus on feeling the resistance to your knife and adjusting as you go to get two cuts as close to the seed as possible. You can trim excess fruit left on the seed to reduce waste.

How do you peel a mango?

Mango skin isn’t that tough. You can peel your mango with a knife, much like an apple. Keep in mind that mango is a wet fruit and maybe messy to serve this way. However, once you strip the peel, you’ll be able to cut the mango into chunks or eat it with your hand if you aren’t afraid of the mess.

Editors' Recommendations

Lauren Paige Richeson
Lauren Paige Richeson is an author and artist specializing in written, visual, and edible content. She wrote about Food…
The best Super Bowl snacks: Your party will be a win even if your team sucks
Wow your Super Bowl party guests with deviled eggs sprinkled with BBQ rub or smoky guacamole
Rodney Scott deviled eggs with pickled okra on a metal tray with a red fork.

No Super Bowl party is complete without an endless variety of snacks and appetizers. From spicy deviled eggs to guacamole and party mixes, Super Bowl snacks should be flavorful, fun, and plentiful. For expertise on this culinary journey, The Manual has curated five recipes from pitmasters to cookbook authors and pizza experts. One taste of these recipes, and your Super Bowl party guests will be singing your praises all year.
Rodney Scott's deviled eggs

Rodney Scott is a James Beard award-winning pitmaster of Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ and bestselling cookbook author of Rodney Scott's World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day: A Cookbook. These deviled eggs are upgraded with Rodney's Rib Rub, crispy pork skin, and pickles, making this a perfect bite for a Super Bowl party.

Read more
How to make Korean BBQ at home: Everything you need to know
Savory, meaty, and spicy, Korean BBQ is a crowd-pleasing meal that's perfect for any gathering
how to make korean bbq galbi beef kit for 6 8 7c967ac965aefa33014d4786505da160

In America, grilling is primarily a summer pastime. But in Korea, grilling is a year-round event cooked indoors on tabletop grills. Accompanied by an array of side dishes, sauces, and herbs, Korean barbecue is perfect for a family dinner or social gathering — no matter the weather.

To start your Korean barbecue journey, it’s important to choose a good tabletop grill. While you can use an outdoor grill, cooking on the table is part of the experience. Most modern Korean grills are electric or butane, although charcoal grills are still used in some Korean restaurants.
Marinade
While many popular Korean barbecue cuts can be served un-marinated — pork belly or thinly sliced beef brisket — marinades are popular for most cuts. Marinades can include everything from red gochujang paste for spicy pork to sweet soy sauce for beef short ribs.
Korean beef marinade

Read more
Foods High in Iodine to Eat if You’re Cutting Down On Salt
Here Are High-iodine Foods That Can Help Counter Hypothyroidism
Bowl of foods high in iodine like seaweed and fish

When it comes to micronutrients, certain vitamins and minerals tend to dominate the conversation. We often hear about the importance of vitamin C, vitamin D, and B vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium, and potassium, but there are many other minerals vital to our health as well, one of which is iodine.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of iodine and the foods high in iodine that you might want to incorporate into your diet (after discussing them with your doctor first, of course) to help support your thyroid health.

What Is Iodine?
Iodine is a trace mineral that’s an essential micronutrient, which means it must be consumed in the diet because the body cannot manufacture it. Iodine is critical for the health, proper functioning, and hormone production of your thyroid, one of the key endocrine glands that largely governs your metabolism.
For example, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, iodine is an essential component of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which, in turn, regulate vital biochemical reactions such as protein synthesis, enzymatic function, and metabolic activity. Iodine also is required for the production and function of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is necessary for protecting the body from hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
For this reason, iodine deficiencies can lead to hypothyroidism, a condition marked by an underactive thyroid gland, which can manifest as an enlarged thyroid, known as a goiter.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, people with hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, often need to limit their iodine intake. If that's true for you, then consider this a list of foods you might want to limit or eliminate entirely from your diet — though again, be sure to talk to your doctor before making any big dietary changes.

Read more