Too Many Mangoes? Ideas to Help You Use Them

Mary loves cooking from scratch using natural ingredients. Here she shares some of her favorite recipes and products.

For some people, the idea of having a problem with too many mangoes doesn't seem like a problem. In many supermarkets around the world, mangoes are often expensive. And for many people, they are only rarely consumed because of the cost.

Here on my farm in Brazil, I have three mature mango trees. For four months of the year, I have a continual supply of mangoes. For just the two of us, that is a lot of fruit, and so I am always looking for ways to use them. We give away a lot to neighbors and friends, but locally there are many trees so everyone is trying to find someone who can use them. The small shops won't buy them because they know their customers will get them for free.

Here on my farm, I like an easy life, so I do not make complicated recipes. Really, who has time for all that? Not me, that's for sure. What you'll notice is many of these recipes are just variations on a similar theme, and when you realize that, cooking isn't that complicated.

Mango Juice

During our mango season, we drink juice most evenings with our dinner. To make it, I use a juicer. I will cut about five chilled mangoes by removing the cheeks and then the meaty part near the stone. I insert this into my juicer, and the machine pushes the pulp to one side, and the juice goes into the jug. Mango juice is thick, so I add about a third of the amount again with cold water. Then we have a pleasant juice that isn't too heavy with a meal.

Making Mango Jam

You may never have seen mango jam in the store before but there is no reason why you can't make it yourself. I like to add to the flavor as mango on its own can be a bit bland. I like to add ginger, lemon, cinnamon, any of these will give a jam an added interest. I don't use pectin, I use sugar and continue cooking until it begins to thicken. I keep this in the refrigerator.

Mango Chutney

When I make chutney, I end up with a big jar (about a quart) and then extra in a bowl. My husband doesn't like chutney and that's okay with me because I love it! It is one of my favorite ways to use mangoes. With plump raisins and a tangy sauce, I use this for lunch and dinner with cheese and meat.
I remember one time we had some friends over and had a chicken curry. I put a bowl of chutney out and this Brazilian friend, who had never had mango chutney, although she grew up in a mango growing region, tried it and loved it. In fact, I had to go inside and refill the bowl of chutney, she ate so much!

Muffins, Cakes, and Cookies

Using mangoes in cakes, muffins and cookies can be in various forms. Baked inside as part of the mix, as a layer, or mixed in with the icing. Its bright yellow coloring lifts even the plainest of cakes.

Use the jam to make jam tarts, or as the filling in cookies.

Making Pie

I can't even begin to count the number of mango pies I have made in the time we have been here. It is a combination of mango, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I have found it is easy to adapt peach recipes as they are a similar texture and juiciness.

Mango Cobbler and Crumble

The cobbler and crumble desserts I tend to make less often than a pie. That said, it makes a change from the ever-present mango pie. To make the mango crumble, I add the pie ingredients and top it with a streusel mixture and bake. It would lend itself to having another fruit included to add a bit of interest. For the streusel topping, I use:

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (cashews, walnuts, or hazelnuts)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose (plain flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 TBLs margarine or butter

Mix and sprinkle across the top instead of a pastry.

Similar to a crumble, I'll also make a mango cobbler. I will use the same ingredients but add the cobbler dough to the top. That is just like adding a biscuit dough to the top of a hot mixture of mango and spices.

• 3 TBLs shortening or hard margarine
• 1 Cup flour all-purpose (plain)
• 1 TBL sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk

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Fresh Mango

I love having fresh mango in a salad. I can't think of anything it doesn't go with. I have had it in a green salad and also with pasta and rice salads. Because it doesn't have a strong flavor, it blends well with other flavors.

Salsa

I always think mango salsa looks wonderful on a table. It's bright yellow, mixed with red onions, and green coriander just looks fresh and healthy. It can be eaten with a salad of meats, or pasta or whatever you want, even with fish or Mexican food. This can be served in a medium-sized bowl or in individual ramekin dishes. The vinegar dressing is a tangy contrast to the sweetness of the mango.

Gelatin

For this, I use unflavored gelatin and combine it with mango puree. For the puree, I use ripe mangoes and put this in my blender. Because my variety of mangoes are fibrous I pass this through a sieve, I then can add the already soften gelatin to this. Sometimes I will use a little UHT cream. Refrigerate as you would gelatin.

Mango and Custard

Outside of mango season, I tend to make, bananas and custard as a weekly dessert. But when the mangoes are ripe they replace the bananas, I think custard can go with everything and pieces of mango are no exception.
For this, I make a traditional custard which gets its richness from egg yolks, and a small amount of butter and vanilla. Once cool, I will mix in cubed pieces of mango and serve. So simple, so tasty.

Ice Pops

Just like Popsicle or ice lollies (in the UK), you can make frozen mango pops. Pour any leftover mango juice into a Tupperware ice pop form, and freeze. Super simple, super healthy, and you use up more mangoes.

Frozen Mango Cream

A popular frozen dessert here in Brazil uses sweetened condensed milk and UHT creme. It works on a one to one ratio, one box or can of sweetened condensed milk to one of cream.

A love of Nestle condensed milk and other products started in WWII when available food was scarce. Nestle became popular in the country and many of the recipes are still loved today.

I have also made mango ice cream, although, for me, it didn't turn out well. Cream, with a fat ratio of 30%, is needed and I can't buy that here. Plus it should have been stirred more frequently to break up ice crystals that you can see in the photo.

Author's Notes

Although this article highlights different ways to utilize mangoes, use it as a guideline for whatever fruit you have a surplus of. Most can be made into similar recipes whether you have plums, apples, cherries or peaches. It's a matter of adjusting the sweetness levels for your fruit.

What is your favorite dish to make if you have a surplus of fruit?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: Have you made stewed mangoes from nearly ripe fruit? We cut up the fruit and add a little water and boil. Add sugar to taste after the fruit has cooked and the juice has thickened. Yummy for breakfast or with ice cream.

Answer: I have made them, however, our mangoes are rather fibrous. However, we have just had some very windy weather and many green mangoes have fallen. I will follow your advice and try it. I think the fibers will be less problematic.

Question: What does a mango taste like?

Answer: Sweet and mild. They can be very juicy. They taste... tropical!

I had one today which I ate the 'native ' way. This is done by finding a ripe mango with no holes. You gently massage it to break down any fibers. Then you simply bite a hole in the top and suck the juice out. After all the juice is out, some people will then open it up and eat any flesh that is attached to the skin. That gets a bit messy. I normally toss the peel and the large stone to our chickens who finish it off.

© 2018 Mary Wickison

Comments

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 17, 2020:

Hi Sana,

Thanks for the idea, I'll definitely give that a try. It sounds tasty and easy.

Sana on July 17, 2020:

Blitz two cups mango flesh with a little cream, add sugar if you need and a little dissolved gelatin. Pour in bowls or glasses, and enjoy this dessert.

Liza from USA on June 17, 2020:

Oh my, I love mangoes. Growing up, I helped my dad planting mango trees in the backyard. My favorite thing to do with mango other than just eating fresh, I like making smoothies and ice-cream. My mother used to make mango salsa too. However, I have never made mango jam yet. Perhaps I should try it! Thanks for sharing these amazing ideas, Mary.

Nunie on October 08, 2019:

Use a dehydrator to make great chewy fruit.

Sandra on October 07, 2019:

Ifirst time eagjng mango was as an sample and it was good. But hard to fixwith other dishes except fish and it is great in an fruit salad. Because os sweetness i would as an sweet batter puree the mango less sugar. Or as an drink oe orange barbecue sauce with green tomatoes brown sugar japenos also cider apple vinegar and spices for pork and chicken fish.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on October 06, 2019:

Hi Anita,

I'm originally from the US and I have many US cookbooks. I have found by using recipes normally associated with peaches, and replacing them with mangoes, this works.

I think the key is use what you have. All of our mango trees are the same type, they are a fibrous variety.

Anita Ghatge on October 06, 2019:

Hi, I am also a mango lover.We have 5 trees laden with fruit.They are of different varieties.we have the famous Haapuss (Alphonso) ,pairi, Totapuri.I always wonder why God is so benevolent.Totapuri fruits twice .I distribute fruits to friends.I love making hot, spicy pickles.I would love to learn about yr pies,crumbles.never made..I live in Alibag,near Mumbai.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on August 19, 2019:

Hi Linda,

I would say the chutney is my favorite, during the season I usually have a jar in the fridge.

Each year, because of the quantity of mangoes we have, we often ask ourselves if we should get a freezer.

It's quite a long season and believe it or not, you can get tired of them when you have them every day.

Glad you enjoyed this.

Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on August 18, 2019:

How did I not see this when it was first published. I love mango, but they sure a pricey. We've done salsa many times (one of Mr. Carb's favorites) and the chutney sounds wonderful (that would probably be my favorite). Thanks for the great ideas.

Besarien from South Florida on July 14, 2019:

Thank you so much. I'll try this. When I do get that bumper crop, I'll let you know!

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 14, 2019:

Yes in the trunk, before flowers would normally appear.

Our trees are big and have thick trunks. My husband will make sure he gets through the bark.

Besarien from South Florida on July 14, 2019:

Hitting it a couple times with a machete?!? No way! Is there a best time of year to do this? Do you cut into the trunk?

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 14, 2019:

Although we have birds, bats, monkeys, and ducks that eat our mangoes, there's always a lot! We have found that by hitting the tree several times with a machete, that helps. Here they call it bleeding the tree. We didn't believe it until we tried it and it did make the trees produce more.

Your curry sounds delicious but I do hope next year will be a bumper crop for you.

Besarien from South Florida on July 05, 2019:

I'd love to have this problem! Between the birds, squirrels, wild iguanas, and storms, I only got one ripe mango this year. I did pick some green ones when my tree looked full six weeks ago to make chutney and a shrimp and green mango curry. Next year, hopefully, I'll be able to try some of your recipes. They look brilliant. Nice article too!

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on June 25, 2019:

Hi Thelma,

It is a very versatile fruit. I often look at sites from the Philippines to find ideas how to use many of the tropical fruits we have here.

I also try and adapt peach recipes because they are a similar texture.

I'm glad you like these suggestions, thanks for your comment.

Thelma Alberts from Germany on June 25, 2019:

This hub has a lot of ideas for me to make out of the mango fruits. I have only 1 mango tree in my garden in the Philippines but it gives already a lot of fruits. I have only made mango jam, mango dessert, mango juice, mango fruit salad and mango ice cream. I would love to try some of the ideas here. Thanks for sharing.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on April 19, 2019:

Now that is one I haven't tried. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm pleased to know that mangoes are seen as juice to be mixed as well as consumed on its own.

Sandy on April 18, 2019:

Tried frozen Mango Margaritas this year. Very, very tasty. Think I could be addicted!!

Dianna Mendez on April 07, 2019:

You have me craving mango! We have them abundantly here and often on restaurant menus as ice cream, pie, salsa or smoothies. I would love to taste your chutney and tour your farm. You are truly blessed.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on December 18, 2018:

Hi Jason,

We are again in mango season and already I have too many. I love them but feel pressured to use them or give them away. I hate to waste them.

The ice pops are great and refreshing when it's a hot day.

Thanks for your comment.

Jason Behm from Cebu, Philippines on December 18, 2018:

This is very helpful!

This gives me new ideas on what to do with mangoes especially in our place where mangoes would be abundant in certain season. I love the mango ice pop. Acutally, I have eaten and tried making it. It was delicious.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 24, 2018:

Hi Shauna,

I keep trying to look for new ways to use them. We get so many and you can't give them away. Our season is long 3-4 months.

Give those muffins a try or adapt them to whatever fruit you have available. Just this week I made pineapple muffins using fresh pineapple. Muffins are very versatile and easily frozen.

Shauna L Bowling from Central Florida on July 24, 2018:

I love mango, Mary! I can see how they'd be easily adapted to any peach recipe. Your mango muffins sound interesting. I just might have to try that sometime!

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 14, 2018:

Hi Louise,

Me too, I just wish I had a bigger freezer to keep more of the juice from when they are in season.

Louise Powles from Norfolk, England on July 14, 2018:

Oh I love mango's. I like the idea of the mango ice lollies. Especially this time of year when it's so hot outside!

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 10, 2018:

Thank you, I will find your recipes on Youtube.

Rajan Singh Jolly from From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar, INDIA. on July 10, 2018:

Yes, indeed we use raw mangoes to make chutney, panna- which is a summer drink, launji - which is a sweet preserve with raw mangoes to name a few. There are a quite a few possibilities with them.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 10, 2018:

When I arrived in Brazil, I had no idea how to use up the vast amount of mangoes. I looked at many Indian sites for ideas. I also adapted American recipes that used peaches, as they are a similar texture when ripe.

For me, I need to expand into using green mangoes so I can extend my mango usage.

Just yesterday I saw two mangoes in the tree, which shocked me, as mango season doesn't start for 4 or 5 months. The growing season has become topsy turvy.

Thanks for reading.

Rajan Singh Jolly from From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar, INDIA. on July 09, 2018:

Great things to do with mangoes. we do make quite a few recipes with mangoes but there are ideas here I could try. That first picture reminded me of my childhood when mango trees laded with raw mangoes could be found even in Mumbai city. No more though which is sad, Mary.

Thanks for this lovely & useful article.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on May 11, 2018:

Hi Natalie,

Freezing would be an option, alas I have only a tiny freezer above my fridge. We are now coming to the end of our season (May) and it seems a long time to wait until December/January.

Natalie Frank from Chicago, IL on May 09, 2018:

After reading this I feel like I want to head out to the supermarket to buy a mango! have never lived anywhere where mangoes were plentiful and don't think I've ever even tasted a fresh one. Other than the ice pops and ice cream are there other things you can freeze maybe to use in the winter? Thanks for the interesting article and ideas.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on May 01, 2018:

Hi Dora,

When mango season rolls around, I always look forward to. Three months into the season, I start to get tired of eating mangoes every day. That's why I try and vary the way I eat them.

Mango chutney is so tasty.

Thanks for your comment.

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on May 01, 2018:

Mango chutney would be my favorite if I had the discipline not to eat all the mangoes. Thank you for these ideas.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on April 30, 2018:

Hi Linda,

Oh do make the crumble, it is so versatile, you can pretty much add anything to it and it turns out great.

When I made a batch of chutney this season, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I really looked forward to lunch when I had a dollop of chutney on the side. The kitchen smells great while its cooking as well.

Thanks for your comment, and have a great week.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on April 30, 2018:

Eating mango and yogurt is a tasty combination. I am a tad lazy, (and cheap), I don't buy yogurt I only make it. It's so expensive here. It has been some time since I made a batch. I need to rectify that.

I'm glad you get the opportunity to enjoy mangoes.

Thanks for reading.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on April 30, 2018:

Bill, not even in a can of tropical fruit cocktail? Well, you do surprise me.

Not to worry you can use these ideas for any fruit that you have too much of, such as those berries you mentioned.

Have a great week.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on April 30, 2018:

I love your ideas for using mangoes. I never experience the problem of having too many mangoes, but I'll buy some soon. I'm especially interested in making the chutney, the salsa, and the crumble that you describe.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on April 30, 2018:

You are so lucky to have those mango trees and an abundance of that flavorful fruit at certain times of the year. Your different ways of using it are wonderful. Just recently we purchased a large jug of mango juice at Costco. I plan to thin it out with some sparkling water when we open it to drink it. The usual way we eat mangoes when purchasing them in stores is to cut them up and mix the pieces with Greek yogurt and have it as our breakfast.

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on April 30, 2018:

Confession time: I've never eaten a mango. Perhaps I need to broaden my culinary horizons. :) Happy Monday, Mary!

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on April 30, 2018:

Hi Mary,

Thanks for telling us about your classmate. I always find business topics fascinating, especially related to farming.

Here there are of course commercial growers who keep the stores supplied year round with various varieties. Then there are those who make the pulp for concentrated juices and the juices in cartons.

For us with just three trees, we don't produce enough to sell, but we have too many to consume. I don't know the name of our variety but it is quite fibrous and best suited to juicing unless the pieces are cut small.

Other than some pruning we do nothing to our trees, and yet they keep producing.

I'm glad you liked the recipes and ideas. When I eventually return to Europe, I dare say I will miss the availability of fruits like mango, papaya and good bananas.

Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on April 29, 2018:

Your recipes are really good. When in Asia for the mango season, we have plenty of mangoes and one of my favourites is the mango salsa and also mango cake. Chutney is also good. We actually had some today with samosas and they were delicious. However, in several Asian countries, mangoes command quite a price. A former classmate makes the equivalent of $20,000 dollars per mango tree during the season.

Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on April 29, 2018:

Any fruit that is in season will work. It doesn't even have to be ones you've grown. I once stopped at a roadside strawberry stand and bought so many, because they looked so delicious. Whether you have trees or friends who have trees, you're now prepared to make use of them.

Great to hear from you, thanks for reading.

FlourishAnyway from USA on April 29, 2018:

Although this is not a problem I have here in the States, the solutions you provide sound delicious! I’d love to be able to experiment with them all.