Mango, Avocado and Prawn Salad: A Fresh 15-Minute Recipe (and the 3 Mistakes That Ruin It)

It's the most-requested recipe at our house every time mango season arrives. Fresh, fast, stunning to present, and with a flavour contrast everyone remembers. Here's the version we serve at home, with the tricks that make the difference between "it's good" and "send me the recipe".

Why this salad works so well

The key isn't that it has mango. It's the balance of four contrasts:

• Sweet (mango) vs salty (prawns and flake salt)
• Hot (freshly seared prawns) vs cold (fridge-cool mango and avocado)
• Firm (Osteen mango and prawns) vs creamy (avocado)
• Acid (lime) vs sweet-bitter (rocket)

With that — and good mango — the dish eats itself.

Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the salad

• 2 half-ripe Osteen mangoes (firm, so cubes hold)
• 2 ripe avocados
• 20 peeled, deveined prawns (or king prawns)
• 80 g rocket or mixed leaves
• ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 small red chili, deseeded, finely sliced (optional)
• A handful of toasted cashews
• Flake salt and pepper

For the lime-cilantro dressing

• Juice of 2 limes
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, grated fine
• A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper

For searing the prawns

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• A pinch of sweet paprika

Step by step (real 15 minutes)

Step 1 — Dressing first

Shake all dressing ingredients in a lidded jar, or whisk with a fork in a bowl. Taste: aim for an acid-sweet balance, neither cloying nor too limey. If honey dominates, add another half lime. Set aside.

Step 2 — The mango

Peel the mangoes with a potato peeler (see our cutting guide) and dice into 1.5 cm cubes. This salad calls for slightly larger cubes than usual because we want mango to lead visually and on the palate. Set aside in a bowl.

Step 3 — The avocado

Open the avocados, remove pits and spoon out the flesh. Cube to a similar size as the mango. Immediately dress the avocado cubes with a splash of the dressing so they don't oxidize while you prep the rest.

Step 4 — Onion and chili

Slice the red onion very thin (almost translucent). Trick: dunk it in ice water for 2 minutes before use — it takes the harshest edge off and keeps it crunchy. Drain well before adding.

Step 5 — The prawns

Heat a pan over high heat. Add oil and sliced garlic. When the garlic is about to brown (not burn), add the prawns. Sear 1 minute per side max — they cook fast and overdoing it makes them rubbery. Finish with a pinch of paprika and salt. Remove and let cool slightly.

Step 6 — Plate

On a big platter or 4 individual plates:

1. Bed of rocket.
2. Mango and avocado cubes mixed on top.
3. Drained red onion and chili if using.
4. Warm prawns distributed without piling.
5. Roughly crushed cashews.
6. Remaining dressing generously on top.
7. Flake salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Serve immediately.

The 3 mistakes that ruin it (and we see them all the time)

Mistake 1: mango too ripe

If the mango falls apart when cut, the salad is lost. Look for a firm-but-aromatic Osteen: slight give to the touch but keeps its shape. If you only have very ripe mango, go for tartar rather than cubes.

Mistake 2: overcooked prawns

They're the most delicate ingredient. More than 2-3 total minutes in the pan and they lose texture. When they start curling and turn from gray to pink, pull them now — residual heat will finish the job.

Mistake 3: dressing added too early

Rocket and avocado wilt if dressed more than 5 minutes ahead. Dress just before serving, never earlier.

Variations that work

• Vegan version: swap prawns for chickpeas roasted with paprika or crispy tofu.
• With grilled chicken: strips of chicken marinated in ginger and lime. More filling.
• With goat cheese: instead of prawns, crumbled fresh goat cheese. Another dimension.
• With Keitt in November: when Osteen is gone, Keitt in slightly bigger cubes. Juicier, just as good.
• Hawaiian bowl: add a base of quinoa or rice and you turn the salad into a homemade poke bowl.

Pairing and drinks

A crisp Rueda verdejo, a sauvignon blanc or a Provence rosé pair beautifully. No-alcohol: cucumber-mint water, or ginger kombucha. Beer: very cold pilsner, skip IPAs — hops overwhelm the mango.

How long does it last?

This salad doesn't survive well. Eat it freshly made. Leftovers: separate prawns from the rest, store apart, and next day accept that the avocado will be brown and the mango will have released juice. Still edible, but much diminished.

One last tip

Make the dressing the night before. It's better on day two because garlic, lime and cilantro integrate. Keeps perfectly for 48 hours in a sealed jar in the fridge, and works for simple green salads too.

Want to try this recipe with our mangoes? Find the available variety in the shop.

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Sources and references

Nutritional and food safety information verified against:

1. BEDCA — Spanish Food Composition Database — Mango nutritional values
2. USDA FoodData Central — Mangos, raw — International macronutrients
3. FoodSafety.gov — Food safety — Safe temperatures and times
4. AESAN — Spanish Food Safety Agency — Handling recommendations