Unripe mangoes are best used in cooked or pickled recipes.
Image Credit: Pablo Rasero/iStock/GettyImages
In This Article
Ripening Mango
Using Unripe Mango
Mangoes are delicious tropical fruits that are low in fat yet high in fiber, vitamins and minerals and can help support healthy skin, immunity and digestion. (Add them to fruit smoothies for a refreshing breakfast or dice them into salsas and salads.)
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Despite all the pros of eating mangoes, there's one major con: Green mangoes can be difficult to tell when they're ripe, much like avocados.
Video of the Day
Here, registered dietitian Andrea Mathis, RDN, LD explains what to do with that unripe mango you've already cut into. (And yes, it's totally safe to eat unripe mangoes. They just might not taste as good.)
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How Do You Know When Mangos Are Ripe? Ripe mangoes come in a variety of colors, including green, yellow and red. A ripe mango has an even, glossy color, has a fruity scent at the stem end, and should yield to gentle pressure when squeezed.
Hard mangoes are usually unripe. If the mango won’t be used within a few days, it’s best to buy a firmer mango so it doesn’t spoil too quickly. How to Ripen a Cut Mango Quickly
Things You'll Need
Mango Knife Plastic wrap Paper bag
Cover the Mango or Place It in a Paper Bag Take your cut unripe mango and quickly cover it with plastic wrap so it stays fresh. To ripen a mango faster, place it inside a paper bag, either by itself or with other fruits.
Advertisement 2. Let It Sit Out Allow the mango to sit at room temperature. Do not place unripe mangoes in the refrigerator as the cold delays the ripening process, according to the National Mango Board.
Wait For the Mango to Ripen Ripening usually occurs between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and can take 3 to 8 days, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Check the mango once a day.
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Cut Discolored Portions If you let the mango sit at room temperature for too long, the exterior of the mango may turn brown or discolored in some areas. Overripe mangoes begin to rot and become wrinkled.
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Use the Ripened Mango You can use the ripened mango as you usually would — in fruit salads, smoothies, salsas and so on. Once it’s ripe, you have about 2 to 3 days to use it if you leave it at room temperature or 5 to 7 days if kept refrigerated.
Advertisement You can also freeze the chopped ripe mango — frozen fruit technically doesn’t go bad. How to Use Unripe Mango If you don’t want to wait a couple of days for the unripe fruit to ripen, you can still get some use out of an unripe mango you’ve cut into. A green mango will taste sour and add some nice zing to chutneys and salsas. Here are some ways to use unripe mango, according to Oregon State University:
Pickled salad Chutney Salsa Smoothies and other drinks Hot mango dishes Fruit leathers
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references
National Mango Board: “How to Ripen & Store Mangos”
Oregon State University: “Preserving Fruits Mangoes”
National Center for Home Food Preservation: “The Mango - A Tropical Treat”
references
National Mango Board: “How to Ripen & Store Mangos”
Oregon State University: “Preserving Fruits Mangoes”
National Center for Home Food Preservation: “The Mango - A Tropical Treat”
Unripe mangoes are best used in cooked or pickled recipes.
Image Credit: Pablo Rasero/iStock/GettyImages
Image Credit: Pablo Rasero/iStock/GettyImages
- Ripening Mango
- Using Unripe Mango
Ripe mangoes come in a variety of colors, including green, yellow and red. A ripe mango has an even, glossy color, has a fruity scent at the stem end, and should yield to gentle pressure when squeezed. Hard mangoes are usually unripe. If the mango won’t be used within a few days, it’s best to buy a firmer mango so it doesn’t spoil too quickly.
Hard mangoes are usually unripe. If the mango won’t be used within a few days, it’s best to buy a firmer mango so it doesn’t spoil too quickly.
Mango
Knife
Plastic wrap
Paper bag
National Mango Board: “How to Ripen & Store Mangos” Oregon State University: “Preserving Fruits Mangoes” National Center for Home Food Preservation: “The Mango - A Tropical Treat”
