Black Bean Mango Salsa Bowl

This Black Bean Mango Salsa Bowl transforms a humble salsa into a full nourishing meal that can be made in under 30 minutes. Easy to make and packed with nutrients!

For me, nothing beats eating some fresh salsa. That’s it, that’s the post! But, honestly, while I love serving up salsas with chips, I often find myself getting way more enjoyment out of it when I turn it into a full meal.

It fills me up way more, I can get more nutrients out of it, and it just makes your meal taste amazing. So let’s make some black bean mango salsa and transform it into a delicious nourish bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Black Bean Mango Salsa Bowl

• This recipe can be made without any cooking involved. The black bean mango salsa is made by stirring everything together in a bowl. It can then be served over left over rice or frozen rice reheated in the microwave for an easy quick meal.
• Made with simple ingredients. Both the base salad and dressing for this salsa are made with a handful of simple and flavorful ingredients. This makes this salad extra easy to assemble as no complicated equipment or instructions are needed.
• Balanced and nourishing. While the salsa can be used to serve as an appetizer with chips, transforming it into a nourish bowl provides an opportunity to create a complete and nourishing meal filled with protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Mango: I recommend using mangos that are not fibrous, so choose varieties like Ataulfo, Kent or Keitt. You can also swap the mango for some diced fresh pineapple.
• Avocado: Avoid using overly ripe avocado for this salsa. It is best to use an avocado that gives slightly to a firm gentle pressure when squeezed. For more tips on picking the right avocado, please check the FAQ section.
• Black Beans: If you are looking for more texture in this salad, feel free to swap the black beans. Omit them from the salsa and instead, top your bowl with some seasoned roasted chickpeas when serving.
• Jalapeno: If you struggle with spicy food, feel free to omit entirely. You can also tone the heat down by removing the seeds and membranes from the pepper.
• Scallions: I love their mild flavor in this salsa, but you can swap with some finely diced red onion as well.
• Cilantro: If not a fan of cilantro, try this with freshly minced parsley instead. If using parsley I would use a little less and add more if desired.
• Lime: Fresh lime is best for this as we need both the zest and juice for this recipe.
• Tajin: I love this in combination with the mango. You can swap with some chili lime seasoning or Old Bay seasoning.
• Maple Syrup: This is the typical liquid sweetener I like to use, but any liquid sweetener can work for this. Just make sure to adjust to your preference.
• Miso Paste: I used white miso paste, but yellow miso paste also works too. Or use 1 teaspoon tamari or coconut aminos.
• Aromatics: I used both fresh ginger and garlic.

How to Make Black Bean Mango Salsa Bowl

To a large bowl add the miso paste, garlic, ginger, sweetener, chili oil, lime zest and juice, scallions and Tajin. With a spoon, lightly mash the paste into the other ingredients then stir well to evenly combine.

After preparing the remaining salsa ingredients, add the white portion of the scallions, black beans, mango, bell pepper, and jalapeno to the dressing and mix together to fully combine.

Season with a pinch of salt then carefully fold in the avocado and cilantro then cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Optional, but to prepare the coconut cilantro rice, add some leftover or frozen rice to a microwave safe bowl. Add the coconut milk or use 1-2 frozen coconut milk ice cubes on top of the rice then cover and microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds or until the rice is hot and warmed through. Fold in the cilantro, maple syrup and a pinch of salt then mix well to combine making sure the coconut cube has fully melted into the rice.

To assemble, top a portion of rice with the black bean mango salsa and divide and garnish the bowls with some pepitas and extra remaining scallions before serving.

Expert Tips

• Fold in the avocado right before serving. This will help prolong the life of the salsa as avocado can go bad quickly once cut open.
• Thin skinned limes that have smoother skin tend to be juicier. When purchasing limes from the grocery store, feel the limes and choose the ones with a thinner skin that is also smoother looking as they tend to be juicier. If you are unable to find a juicy lime, note that you may need to use a second lime to get enough juice to coat the salsa.
• Adjust spice level to your liking. If not a fan of chili oil, omit or swap with extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil. You can also cut the heat of the jalapeno by removing the seeds and membrane before dicing or use half the recommended amount in the recipe.
• If not a fan of cilantro, try replacing with some fresh parsley instead.
• Freeze your ginger. I find freezing a chunk of ginger a really good hack for grating. Freezing helps make the fibers in ginger easier to grate.
• Freeze your coconut milk. If you ever open a can of coconut milk and aren’t sure what to do with the rest, freeze it in an ice cube tray and use those cubes to heat up some leftover rice in the microwave. It will add flavor to your rice while steaming it and keeping it fluffy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make This a Complete Meal

Preparing the salsa this way helps create a more well rounded dish that can count as a meal if you don’t wish to make it a snack.

• Pepitas: Provide protein, magnesium and zinc
• Mango: Provides fiber, vitamin A and C
• Black Beans: Fiber, protein, iron and folate
• Bell Pepper: High source of vitamin C, which helps you better absorb your iron.

You can also add some extra nutrition:

• Add more protein: Top with some crispy tofu or serve with some seitan
• Switch up your carbohydrates: You can change up the rice and use quinoa for even more protein, roasted plantains or tortilla chips.

More Easy to Make Nourish Bowls

• Broccoli Crunch Salad
• Roasted Cabbage Noodle Salad
• Smashed Cucumber Avocado Salad
• Za’atar Maple Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas
• Black Bean Plantain Bowls with Crispy Garlic Rice

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★ Catherine

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