How to Cut a Mango (Step By Step)

I love the sweet aroma of mangoes filling the room anytime I bring home a case. Surprisingly, mangoes are actually part of the cashew family and are classified as stone fruit. Originally, they came from India and have traversed many culinary cultures from then.

The different varieties of mangoes range from Kent, which are sweet with sour hints of flavor, to Ataulfo mangoes, which have a rich sweet and tropical flavor. Sometimes recipes, like Vietnamese green mango salad, even call for unripened mangoes, or green mangoes, to use as a sour component for the dish.

While this is a pretty tasty and popular fruit, I often see pre-cut mangoes available and being sold in grocery stores at a high premium. This how-to will show you some of the easiest ways to cut a mango for your next mango recipes.

Method #1: Cutting First

1. Identify the root of the mango and lay your mango on your cutting board horizontally. Cut off the piece of the stem so that there’s a flat bottom. This will help to stabilize the mango when you are cutting the sides. 

2. Prop your mango so that it sits on the flat bottom. Position the mango so that the pointier end is facing you. This should position the seed of the mango vertically and allow you to cut the right and left sides of the mango, which is where the meat is. 

When you cut the left and right sides of the mango (with the seed in the middle), you should be able to feel the seed on the edge of your knife. Follow through with the edge of your knife until you release the meat from the seed.

Now that you have two pieces of mango meat, you can choose different options to peel the mango: scoring and spooning or using a cup.

3a. Knife scoring and spoon scooping. Hold the mango meat in your non-cutting hand with the skin side down. Carefully and lightly use your knife to score cuts into the meat, but not hard enough to cut through the skin. Then, use a spoon to release the cubes or slices from the peel.

3b. Cup method. This method can be amazingly fast. You need a cup with a relatively thin but strong rim. For this type of peeling technique, I would recommend this for a very ripe mango because the riper, the easier it will be to peel.

Hold your mango with the skin side down and rotate your hand so that the rim of the cup is positioned between where the mango peel and the mango meat is. Use slight pressure to push the rim through this space to release the meat from the skin. You can now cut the mango anyway you want!

Method #2: Peeling First

This second way of cutting is a bit more advanced since it can get a bit slippery. Of course, this is the way my mom, uncle, and grandma all do it. It’s better because all you need is a knife to get the job done and it produces a smoother finish on the mango if you’re trying to present it nicely. Your hands will get all over the mango though so make sure your hands are clean before starting.

1. Cut a sliver of the stem off to make a base for your mango.

2. Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, peel your whole mango. 

3. Now stand your mango on its base and face the pointier portion towards you. Using a knife cut the left and right sides off of the mango. When you cut the sides off, you should feel the seed with the edge of your knife. Make sure to follow through with this motion to get as much meat off and release the meat from the seed. 

4. Now cut your mango in your preferred way. Here are some different ways to cut mangoes: slices, cubes, and if you’re extra fancy, roses! 

If all else fails, or you are scared of using knives or peelers, you can also purchase this mango tool. In other parts of the world like the Philippines, people also buy mangoes off the street, peel them like bananas, and eat them on the go! 

How to use sliced mangoes

Now that you know how to cut mangoes, you can use them in different recipes like mango sticky rice or Vietnamese green mango salad. Or you can just eat them like the delicious snack they are!

How do you cut a mango without a peeler?

You can use a knife to cut a mango, but I would recommend wearing a cut-proof glove on your non-cutting hand to protect yourself. You can also use a dish towel to hold the mango too. 

How do you cut a mango into cubes?

To cut a mango into a cube, cut slices into the meat and then position your mango at a 45-degree angle and make diagonal cuts.