These mango tacos kick start your taco night! Black beans, grilled mangos and a creamy green taco sauce make for a zesty vegan taco.
This post was created in partnership with the National Mango Board. All opinions are our own.
Alex and I used to only use mangos for one thing: mango salsa. After we got married 10 years ago, it was one of the first recipes we made together. The way the sweet, tropical mango flavor melded with the red onion, cilantro and lime won me over instantly. But now, Alex and I are trying to get a little more creative with our mango use. Because mangos aren’t just for salsa; they can be the main event too! Keep reading for this mango tacos recipe, including how to grill mangos and make our creamy green mango taco sauce.
Related: 10 Best Vegetarian Tacos
How to grill mangos
This recipe came from a crazy idea: what if mangos were at the front and center of a taco? Instead of diced for salsa, what if they were cut into strips and grilled? Turns out, grilled mangos are incredibly delicious. And placed in a tortilla over a layer of refried black beans, with a drizzle of a creamy cilantro lime dream sauce–they’re pretty heavenly. Thus, our grilled mango tacos were born!
How to grill mangos? It’s actually very simple: and we didn’t even use a charcoal grill! We used a grill pan, which makes those beautiful black char marks on the grilled mangos. To grill them simply slice the mango into strip, then drizzle with olive oil, chipotle powder and kosher salt. Heat a grill pan to medium high, then add the mango and grill for about 2 minutes per side, until blackened. You also can use a charcoal or gas grill, but using a grill pan makes it very easy to make grilled mangos in any season!
Mango facts
The variety of mango we used for these mango tacos is called a Honey mango, one of the six main varieties of mangos sold in the US. A few fun facts about the Honey mango:
- When it’s ripe, the skin turns to a deep golden color and small wrinkles appear. So, wrinkled equals ripe!
- It’s smaller, sweeter and more tender than the larger varieties of mango more common in the US.
- Native to Mexico, it’s also known as the Champagne or Ataulfo mango (so look for any of those names in the grocery!)
- Like all mangos, the Honey mango is very high in vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamin A and fiber. One cup of diced mangos provides 100% of your daily vitamin C.
Mango taco sauce
Now back to this mango taco sauce, something we’re calling dream sauce. You might think there’s enough mango in these mango tacos already, but guess what? It’s also in the mango taco sauce. Instead of dairy, the dream sauce uses mango to make its creamy texture. Pureed with cilantro and lime, the mango adds a creamy, lightly sweet body to the sauce. You only need a few drizzles, but the dream sauce packs in great flavor. Aside from mango tacos, you can use the dream sauce for just about anything: a dip for roasted veggies or homemade fries would be our pick!
Related: Cashew Cream Sauce
While the ingredient list for these mango tacos may look a little long, there are only 10 grocery ingredients outside of salt, pepper and oil. The tacos are also vegan, and they’re a great fit for Meatless Monday AND Taco Tuesday. We’re head over heels about these grilled mango tacos, and we hope you are too!
More mango recipes
Love mangos? Us too. Here are a few more delicious mango recipes:
- Mango Black Bean Chili
- Grilled Teriyaki Mango Skewers
- Tropical Mango Bowls with Citrus Drizzle
- Easy Mango Salsa Recipe
- Mango & Shrimp Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
This grilled mango tacos recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Grilled Mango Tacos with Dream Sauce
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 (8 tacos) 1x
Description
These mango tacos kick start your taco night! Black beans, grilled mangos and a creamy green taco sauce make for a zesty vegan taco.
Ingredients
For the refried beans
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper
For the mango dream sauce
- 2 Honey* mangos (1 cup diced)
- 1 green onion
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 lime)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
For the tacos
- 3 Honey* mangos
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Chipotle powder
- Kosher salt
- 8 tortillas
- Sliced radishes, for the garnish
- Torn cilantro leaves, for the garnish
Instructions
- Make the refried beans: Mince the garlic. Drain the beans and reserve the can liquid in a glass measuring cup.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but before it browns. Add the beans, ½ cup of the reserved can liquid, the kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper.
- Turn the heat to medium low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often and smashing the beans toward the end of the cook time, until most of the liquid has cooked out and the texture is mashed and thick, but not dry. Add additional can liquid as needed. Taste and season with additional salt as desired.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Dice the mango. Chop the green onion into rough chunks. In a blender (high-speed if possible), add all sauce ingredients and blend on high until a creamy green sauce forms. Pour into a bowl and reserve until serving.
- Make the grilled mango: Slice the mango into strips. Place the strips into a bowl, then add a small drizzle of olive oil (just enough to coat) and a light sprinkling of chipotle powder and kosher salt. Heat a grill pan (or skillet) to medium high, then add the mango and grill for about 2 minutes per side, until blackened. (You also can use a charcoal or gas grill.)
- Assemble the tacos: Warm the tortillas**, or char them by placing a tortilla on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until slightly blackened and warm. Spread a generous amount of refried beans onto a tortilla, then top with about 3 grilled mango strips, sliced radishes, cilantro leaves, and a small drizzle of dream sauce.
Notes
*Honey mangos are also labeled as Champagne or Ataulfo mangos. This variety of mango is ripe when the skin is wrinkly–it doesn’t mean that it’s overripe. Just give it a squeeze and if it gives – it’s perfectly ripe!
**See How to Warm Tortillas for more!
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
Keywords: Mango tacos, Grilled mangos, How to grill mangos, Mango taco sauce
More taco recipes
Aside from these grilled mango tacos, here are a few more of our favorite taco recipes on A Couple Cooks:
These look absolutely delicious! I’m definitely still in the mangos-in-salsa-only camp, but love the idea of branching out! A perfect weeknight dinner. What brand of tortillas do you recommend?
Thank you so much! We love Mission brand as they are very pliable! We also love One Degree Organics sprouted corn tortillas.
Ataulfo mangos are my favorite variety. And paired with lime and cilantro, this is one of my all-time favorite flavor combos! Such a great idea to grill the mango and use it in the sauce as well. Thanks for another fabulous taco recipe. And I hope the book tour is going well, wish I could have been at one of the stops!
We made these tonight for dinner -SO GOOD! Such a fun way to use mangos! Every component was delicious; thanks for such a great recipe!
I’ve made these twice already – thanks for the amazing recipe!!
The first time around, I followed the recipe to a T (except that I used frozen mangos, because, well, lazy). It was AWESOME. The second time, I swapped the cilantro for mint because thats what I happend to have. I also added in some leftover feta cheese. Of course, the tacos were no longer vegan, but truely soooo delicious. I feel like feta goes really well with the fruity flavors. I’ll definately be making this again :)
awesome recipe i will def give it a try but for the RECORD honey (bee vomit) is NOT vegan. k bye. thanks
Thanks for your comment! The recipe calls for a Honey mango; it’s a variety of mango that’s also called Champagne mango. There is no honey in the recipe!
Made this tonight and everyone LOVED it. Thank you, thank you!