The inspiration for this slaw is a mango salad I order way too often from a local Thai place in hopes to offset the inevitable damage from the pad Thai I order with it. It has strips of mango, slivers of red pepper, red onion and mint, large toasted cashews and a spicy dressing with a lot of lime in it. It’s always a surprise; sometimes the mango is underripe and sour (which I understand to be more traditional) and sometimes it’s sweet and almost overripe. The best part is that the salad tastes good no matter how the mango arrived that day.
Of course, being me, I had to slaw it. Because that’s what I do, you know? Broccoli! Green onion! Better than old-school and dead simple! Tartar sauce slaw, pickled slaw and three more where that came from. I mean, salads are great but crunchy slaws that you pile on a burger or alongside anything grilled are the best heat wave antidote and this is my favorite one in a long time. It manages to be both sweet (my mangoes were very ripe) and sour, packing a little heat in the background and it was an incredibly refreshing change from the creamy dressing hegemony.
Especially when it 100 degrees outside. Oh man, I got all the way to paragraph three before bringing up that thing I don’t like to discuss: the weather. Other things I don’t like to do: complain about the weather. Have conversations that are only about how awful the air outside is. But there’s been, like, this heat wave thing and it has been brutal. It’s totally frizzing the baby’s hair, too; he does not appreciate it one bit. Anyway, a crunch/cold/sweet/tangy/spicy slaw is made for times like this, when you’re trying to cool off with something other than ice cream. What? I know, I’m talking crazy. It must be the heat getting to me.
One year ago: Light Brioche Burger Buns and Blueberry Boy Bait (which I just realized worked! aw.)
Three years ago: Rosanne Cash’s Potato Salad and Quick Potato Pierogi
Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and julienned
1 to 1 1/4 pounds Napa cabbage, halved and sliced very thinly
1 red pepper, julienned
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, from about two limes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons oil of your choice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (or omit this and whisk in a chile paste to taste)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped
Toss mangoes, cabbage, pepper and onion in a large bowl. Whisk lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt and red pepper in a smaller bowl and pour over slaw. You can either serve this immediately or leave the flavors to muddle for an hour in the fridge. Before serving, toss with mint leaves and sprinkle with cashews.
About your mango: This salad will work with almost any variety or ripeness of mango, whether sour or sweet. Use the one you can get, or that you enjoy the most. In general, a firmish not overly ripe mango (unlike the very ripe, sweet one I used) holds up best but all will be delicious in this salad.
Slaw is one of my favorite things to make with mango. I am not a huge fan of mango in other forms. It sounds delicious with the mint. Gotta try!
Oh that looks good, even with the mint….
I love this! Mango salad is the perfect candidate for slaw-hood. Though I must ask you what think are the parameters of a slaw: is it the julienne cut or the fact that you could pile it on a sandwich OR eat it as a side?
That is a beautiful salad! I really like to use mango in salads and other savory dishes…so refreshing!
yum! sounds like this could be my new favorite summer staple. love slaws, especially those that have fruits and nuts in it. ever tried red coleslaw with pineapple and/or oranges and walnuts? delicious! and it works well in winter and summer.
This looks SO good, but what would you think about replacing mango with papaya? Would that work, or am I talking crazy? I’m allergic to mango, but this looks too delicious to pass up (especially because I too am dealing with this insane New York heatwave, and can only have Mister Softee for dinner so many times in a row).
Looks like a great dish to try this summer!
It looks so heavenly and refreshing! I’m not normally a slaw person, and definitely not a raw onion person, but this slaw looks mighty tasty!
Did you use a mandoline to julienne the mango? I have one but am not good at it. I also have a peeler-shaped julienne thingy that I use on carrots. Do you think that would work?
To julienne the mango — Any cheap julienne/peeler or mandolin will do. I always advocate the purchase of a cheap one; they get you surprisingly far. That said, I did mine BY HAND because I couldn’t find my julienne blade for mine. I don’t normally mind chopping things (actually, I’m weird and I love chopping things) but these very ripe mangoes were very slippery so it took more time because I couldn’t stack them easily.
Can it be made in advance?
This looks good, but how would you get those perfectly beautiful mango strips if you didn’t own a mandolin and didn’t have the patience (or skill) to do it one by one? Do you think a box grater would work?
An interesting flavor combo! Love it!
I think that I, for the first time in my life, had an almost physical I-have-to-make-that-experience by reading this recipe. Thank you!
My mind is already buzzing with burger ideas to pair with this beautiful slaw. I’m thinking spicy pork? Right up my alley with the sweet, savory, spicy thing going on! The heat may not be great for baby’s hair, but it is for your creativity! I say long live the heat wave!
I wonder if I could just do the mangos on the cheese grater?? (if they are firm enough…)
Do you think sesame oil would overpower this salad? Perhaps 1 tbls. canola and 1 tbls. sesame?
Kristin — Sesame oil is definitely worth trying, especially a nice toasty one.
Julie — I’ll have at least one non-burger idea, next time. It is delicious.
Rhetorical — Anyone know why the baby is obsessed with crawling over to, picking up and then (AAACK) attempting to lick my flip-flops? No? Okay, then.
I’m with Julie Anne here… I am thinking of all sorts of pork/ turkey burger goodness to be a vehicle or a side to this slaw. Because this slaw needs to be the star of dinner… and soon. YUM. Can’t wait to try this.
This slaw looks perfect for cooling off after a hot day! By the way, on the “Three years ago” on the bottom of the post, the second link reads “Quck Potato Pierogi”! Might want to check your spelling. :)
Thanks, fixed.
My CSA has been overloading me on the Napa cabbage! This is a great new twist on the slaws I’ve been doing.
Wow this looks awesome.
Here in Baltimore, it’s been hotter than you know what. I think the only thing that’s saved me is that we were at the ocean for the first two days of the heat wave, and EVERYTHING is more tolerable when you’re at the ocean.
This looks amazing! Perfect summer food. I wonder how it would work with half mago and half papaya…. I happen to have a HUGE papaya waiting to be eaten.
Oh, no way! I made David Lebovitz’s chicken mango slaw last night (with cashews!), but with carrots, radishes and chives in the mix too. It was an amazing no-cook summer meal. I’ll totally be making your version soon!
That looks light and refreshing, perfect for the hot summer days we’ve been having! I’ve been focused on cooking (if it can even be called that) summer-friendly foods lately.
I love this refreshing take on a slaw and extremely impressed with the way you cut the mango!
I’m not sure I can wait until Saturday to try this… Off to the Farmer’s Market for supplies!
This sounds fantastic! Mmmmmm mangos
You are a slaw whore, and I am your biggest customer! :)
I have been positively LIVING off your slaw recipes. I refuse to turn on my AC (we’re off the grid out here in the country), so it’s cold supper slaws for us all week (til we can get to the grill on the weekends!).
You’re the best! Thanks for another great one!
I really really wish I wasn’t allergic to mangoes. :(
I love that picture of the cabbage! The mango slaw looks scrumptious. And the wee one too, of course.
This looks so amazing, I can’t imagine something better in this heat! I think I’ll have to take this to a rooftop dinner party this weekend and impress the pants off everyone – the colors alone are enough to do that! Thanks for the recipe, Deb!
The weather IS awful! Can’t wait for this heat wave to end!
As a member of the slaw food movement, I’m on board! Love the sound and look of this. My only prob will be getting the cashews into the salad. Once I get ’em out of the store, they head straight for my mouth. Need a cashew 12-step program.
Well, if I must eat something besides ice cream, I suppose a cool and refreshing mango slaw might be nice. I love anything that has mint in it!
Oooo – looks so good. In the Boston heat (tidal) wave, we’ve been near 100 every day. This looks like it’s so refreshing to come home to! I may even try substituting some crunchy Ramen noodles (without that deplorable seasoning packet), because I bet they’d absorb the flavoring well on the next day!
Becca
Oh heck yes. This is one healthy, perky summer dish!
All babies like to eat shoes because it alarms their parents :)
Flip flops: My niece used to do that with mine. Made me want to gag. It was teething-related for her. That’s what we figured, anyway. Or maybe the texture is pleasing? She only chewed on my nasty five-year-old rubber Walgreens flipflops, of all the ones she could’ve chosen. Bleeeeeerrrgh.
This looks refreshing and perfect for this heat wave we’re having on the East Coast! I love the combination of salty and sweet. Thanks for sharing!
Looks tasty! I’m not talented enough with a peeler to get it that perfect looking- but I’m sure it will still taste good :-)
mmm, how about with some carne asada tacos! i think i’ll change out the mint for cilantro for a fresh addition. add a drizzle of mexican crema and drooooool….
“Creamy dressing hegemony” – Deb, you gladden my heart. I can’t wait to try this gorgeous-looking recipe.
I was so excited to see this pop up on FB today! I have 3 mangoes staring me down in the kitchen and half a cabbage leftover from yesterday. This is getting made today, but I’m going to switch out the mint for some cilantro.
Wow! Yum! That is such a creative, summery recipe. I’ll definitely try it sometime; thanks for posting!
Can’t wait to try this. I’m thinking add this slaw to rice noodles, plus avocado. Yay for cold dinner options!
I’ve been eyeballing the beautiful ripe mangoes at my grocery for a week now. This’ll do it, I think. Thai seasoned ribs with pineapple BBQ glaze on the grill, this in the fridge. I love me some summer eatin’!
This looks amazing! I’m usually not much of a fan of mint in my food, but I would definitely give this a try!
What a lovely, and refreshing, summer salad!
Interesting. At Thai restaurants near me (in California), a similar salad is made with green papaya. Is mango more common on the East Coast?
I’m thinking a little fish sauce might be good in the dressing…
This looks amazing! However, I have a few close friends who (shamefully) absolutely hate onions…. do you recommended a substitute for the red onions because I know they would love this, Thanks!
Deb – my little girl (15mo) did the shoe thing too! its uber-gross, huh? :/
Deb – I don’t keep fresh mint around, but I do have some very nice dried mint. I often rub dried mint leaves between my hands and turn them into an almost-powder before sprinkling on salad; do you think I could do that here, instead of using fresh?
Oh swoon…this is the kind of dish i just can’t stop eating. I love the Green Papaya salad at our Thai restaurant, but never thought to make a version at home. Must try now!
We’re doing cucumber salad tonight, and fresh mozzarella wraps. Keep the cool/soft ice cream dinner alternatives coming!
Hi there. While this slaw looks delightful, I write for another reason.
I frequent a number of food blogs, and I often wonder about the corrections that readers write into the authors about their posts. Wondering if you find the corrections/suggestions to be irritating or informative (or maybe a mix of both)? Just curious.
And, really, the slaw is now on my to-do list.
Is that a plain old veggie peeler I spy, or something more?! I always have problems removing the flesh from the pit/peel. The cut-twist-score flesh-scoop method hasn’t been kind in the past because, let’s face it, I’m a noob. Is there a trick to successfully (and er easily) undressing my saucy llittle mango?
ST — It’s a Y-peeler. So just like a vegetable peeler but the handle is in a different direction. I just got it a few weeks ago and I do find that it makes peeling thicker-skinned things easier (I peel butternuts, also, asparagus). If I were just using a regular one, I would peel it twice.
Annie — I hate making mistakes, so I appreciate it. But I am not always sure that it is clear that this isn’t a magazine with an editorial staff (though I’m flattered that anyone would think that), it’s just me; I juggle a lot of work, a pretty fast pace of updates and a small child. I can pretty much guarantee there will be a typo in every post.
I compulsively collect slaw recipes, so it was kinda cool to see this. Mango? love them. Frizzy hair, also adorable.
Yum, yum, yum, yum.
I love this simple Thai recipe! Cute baby :-)
Don’t know about babies, but my cat is obsessed with my flip-flops. He lays next to them, rubbing his head against one, then rolls over with it clutched to his chest and rubs on it and rolls back and forth… Probably no correlation to Jacob’s behavior, but it’s really frickin’ cute!
I found at that age both of my nieces were obsessed with putting shoes in their mouths. They also loved putting their fingers in our mouths to study our teeth (hopefully pre-shoe-munching). I think it is a teething thing. Yum to the slaw! I’ll definitely have to make this one!
new to your blog and i’m LOVING it! great work and i love your recipes! i made two already and they were fabulous! (lemon granita + crispy chewy chocolate chip cookies) can’t wait to try the mango slaw!
Damn, that slaw looks great! And I have a mango …. here’s hoping the farmers’ market on Saturday has Napa cabbage. Yum.
Hey, RobynB, my cat loves my shoes, too! Maybe they smell like us? Of course, that probably is not a compliment, to us or to SK, or even the adorable J. Sorry!
This looks great. It’s beautiful and the ingredient list is just my style. It will happen, soon.
I just had something like this yesterday at a restaurant and now I know how to make it myself. YUM.
I love your site! I love your recipes! I think I will love this slaw :) I just checked out a cookbook of lost recipes (Cook’s Country) from the library and was reading through it this very morning and saw/read about the Blueberry Boy Bait cake! How cool is that?!?!?! Blueberries are in season so we’ll have to try it for sure.
That looks absolutely wonderful, light and perfect for summer….
yum…
This looks sooo good! My husband would love it, too. Really good and fresh for this crazy hot weather in NC.
I can’t even believe you posted this. There is a Thai place near my house that makes the most delicious mango salad, but I am too broke right now to eat out, and it is all I can think about eating in this sweltering heat. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Okay, mine looked nothing like this, but I made something similar to this inspired by David Lebowitz’s Chicken Mango Slaw. I’ll have to try this one too, maybe actually following the recipe for better results. Delicious summer foods!
Looks fabulous! I recently made a mango salsa of my own creation. It turned out wonderfully, mouthwatering!
I’ve been mesmerized by a similar slaw on David Lebovitz site and it doesn’t surprise me that you, Slaw Girl, would have found one to offer us. I just love the whole combination of ingredients in this slaw. Mangos just have to be a perfect addition..and they don’t discolor, so if you don’t have to over dress it. I bet a some coconut shredds would also be a nice tropical flavor addition. Looks so good!
YUM!!! Will try, thank you! Probably with sour mango–but maybe ripe.
Have you tried cutting mango up and just squirting hot chili powder and lime on it? THE BEST! Ripe mango for that…
For those who are looking to use ripe papaya, I can’t quite imagine it. I’d go with peaches instead of papaya, because papaya has that brown sugar taste to it that I can’t see working. But it’s not my recipe ;) Green papaya works, though… but I understand that you have to be careful peeling and cutting it because the enzymes can sting.
Thanks so much!!!!
okay, this is definitely on my weekend to-do list. i love everything in this slaw, except mint. some may say i’m a hater but i’ve never liked it in savory dishes. i’ll take a few extra leaves in my mint julep but i find it somewhat overpowering in much else. i know you hate it, but i love it… is there any reason cilantro wouldn’t be an adequate substitute?
both kids were totally infatuated with chomping on footwear at your son’s age. made me both nautious and learn to keep my shoes in my closet.
THE HEAT!!! Its insane! I wish id had this today at the beach! But it was fine i bought a watermelon half for me and my guy, crushed it in my hands and squeezed a lemon over the whole mess and drank, it was a barbaric version of your watermelon lemonade and i loved every sip!!! Greetings from sunny hot Puerto Rico!!!
Love mangoes and interesting slaws, so will try this soon.
One summer day as I was reading on the sofa and my little guy was crawling around on the floor, I suddenly felt something wet on my big toe – you guessed it – a slobbery baby mouth! It really grossed out my husband when I shared the funny episode with him. The little fella is all grown up now and wishes I would quit telling this amusing (to me) anecdote!
Sounds sooooo deelish! Love your site.
This looks absolutely gorgeous. And it looks like it tastes gorgeous too. I’m always so disappointed when pretty recipes don’t measure up to their looks, and when recipes are delicious but don’t have the whole “outer beauty” thing going on. This looks like the best of both worlds!
Beautiful photos as always, and, totally understand the ‘ek’ factor with the baby. Ours lets the dog lick her food, and then she eats it. Ya.
oh my gah! i was just talking about something like this with my boyfriend, using this to top salmon burgers would be amazing!!! oh, and the baby…. the baby!!!!
this looks delicious!
this looks good, I can ve one big plate.
Shut. The. Front. Door. This looks amazing. I’m heading to the northern hemisphere (and summer!) this weekend and I can’t wait to tuck into so many of the recipes you’ve been posting, starting with this one. Thanks Deb!! xo
oh, HECK YEAH!!! I have been racking my brain to think about what to serve friends next weekend – this is going to be sooooo perfect alongside some thai-style sticky chicken thighs. Oh, and His Royal Cuteness is just too much! the hair is too fab. his face is too sweet. I just want to pick him up and give him sorberts on his too munchable neck. how do you ever get anything done?
Could you use lemon juice instead of lime juice? Limes and lime juice are very hard to find in Israel I even have a lime tree but it gives about 3 limes a year!
Yummmm! I come from a mango country and so we have all kinds..all year…am excited to try this recipe…I wonder though if iceberg lettuce will be okay instead of napa? am enjoying your website…may you be always inspired!
Didn’t read all the posts, so maybe someone already told you, but the Food section of Wednesday’s Washington Post is all about how Washington chefs put their own slant on slaw. There are recipes for 6 different kinds of slaw. Here is the link (you will need to create a free account if you don’t already have one) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/07/06/ST2010070602418.html
All bow to the Queen of Slaw! You’ve got me making a different one every week, Deb. All fabulous, of course. And necessary, due to our – ahem! “weather event” here in the Northeast…
Oh, and the reasons the baby wants to eat your flip-flops are: 1) They’re soft and springy and salty, and 2) you don’t want him to do it. Been there. It won’t kill him…
I always love your photography but your limes here and that cabbage !!! are elevated to still lifes. What kind of camera do you use?
This looks set to be my new summer favourite! Thanks for sharing.
Won’t the mango be all floppy though? Would you use a less-than-ripe mango? This sounds delicious nevertheless :D
Wei-Wei
I love your slaws, Deb. It’s inspired me to make them more often in my own kitchen. Did you see the recipe for Red Bell Pepper and Corn Slaw in the LA Times a few weeks back? It was pretty fabulous.
Mangoes might be the perfect food…or at least fruit. The creamy texture against the tangy sweetness is almost too much to handle! I love that you’ve combined them with savory ingredients. This does sounds marvelous for hot weather. Adding these items to the grocery list!
Delicious looking, I’ve been stuck on a green mango salad but the slaw is a tasty alternative!
“…creamy dressing hegemony.” What a riot!!
BTW, I’m only eating popsicles until the weather becomes reasonable again…
Like a few of you writing, I’m also wondering about the papaya swap for this great looking recipe. I have one on hand and wondering if anyone has tried it yet. Deb, what do you think? two different animals? or maybe will work?
Deb, you should attach tiny plates on top of your flip flops so baby can pick the mango slices and other tasty crumbs off your toes in style. ::heehee::
By the way, I checked your site for a mango salsa a couple of weeks ago and you mentioned not finding mangoes in NY! I’m SO glad you’ve found them.
Also, I added cilantro instead of mint and that was good, too!
Susan — I think what I meant is that I don’t find local mangoes, and I prefer to work with what’s grown around me. But I make exceptions. Like this!
Papaya questions — I’m less familiar with them but see no reason it wouldn’t work.
Elizabeth — No, I had missed it. But I’m ALL over that now, thanks.
Malkah — I don’t see why lemon wouldn’t work.
Mmm, that looks so delicious. I’m definitely going to try this soon. Now I’ve got a craving for mango slaw AND pad thai!
It was 102 here in Hotlanta Thursday; Code Orange too.
I’ve been eating BLT salads the last few days. I added cold shrimp to the salad last night.
Takes a real short time to make sun tea in this kind of weather. Will try the mango slaw and use curly mint with it. Have lots growing on my front porch.
Any tips on pitting the mango? I’d love to make this, and I love mango, but I always let them go bad because I hate pitting them!
I had a green mango slaw a few weeks ago and it was delicious! I had no idea that the base was actually a green mango until the cook told me, but boy oh boy was it delish!
um, yum?! I want this now. I wish I had a kitchen in my cube.
Thanks for helping beat the heat with this recipe! I think I’m going to throw my fresh orange mint from the garden into this yummy salad and serve it with some thinly sliced London Broil!
I was looking for a salad to brighten up the mean of Ethiopean food I’d be having with friends just last night – and then you posted this. Perfect!
I didn’t print out the recipe, so I forgot about the cashews and mint. And I swapped the salt and oil for a teaspoon and a half of fish sauce. And instead of red pepper flakes, I had a jalapeno from my garden.
The salad was wonderful, and the cabbage bulked it out nicely.
Oh wow, mango slaw might be the most perfect idea ever!! And I love the mango/mint combo :)
This sounds perfect for a Sunday evening light dinner! I will probably pair with some seafood (either shrimp or tilapia sauteed in the same “dressing”)! I LOVE your recipes and pictures!
You read my mind! Last week I was looking here for a green mango salad recipe and I thought it odd you didn’t have one. We found a place in our neighborhood that sells green mangos and another recipe, but now I want to try this. I’d be excited to try more Asian influenced dishes (particularly Thai and Vietnamese) during the heat wave!
This is too perfect! I will definitely try this out.
So excited to try this tonight… my brother has a recipe (I think it’s from Gourmet?) for Banh Mi sandwiches – spicy pork meatballs with sriracha mayo and a daikon/carrot pickle… I think I’m going to make the porkballs into burgers, grill them with some sesame oil, and top the burgers with the slaw instead of the daikon/carrot pickle!
to the mint hater…try a little basil. It might be something you like better and still has a bit of a minty quality to it…just a thought.
to deb…um, thank you! I’m on my own at home this weekend; I’m going to the market right now to get supplies and make this to eat on all weekend, all for me!….we’ll see how long it lasts. Yum!
Nothing like a good slaw in summer. This looks fabulous.
Wow, it looks really tasty. Might try it out in the kitchen over the weekend.
Feel free to talk about the weather anytime. It’s been brutal here in the D.C. area too. Your slaw looks and sounds delicious. Wish I’d had this recipe last week when napa cabbage was in the CSA box.
I think I’m going to try this with the papaya that is waiting for attention in my fridge.
I love mango although I’ve never had it in a salad. I tried a mango salsa once and that was very interesting. So does the slaw idea. :)
Okay – I’m really into the slaw thing and interesting salads in general. I think this would be a great side with Mollie Katzen’s kung pao lettuce cups, which are DELIGHTFUL. I make them with tofu, but you could do meat, too. (recipe available at http://www.molliekatzen.com. I don’t work there. Just recommending)
Oh that sounds amazing! I’m on a mango kick as of late. Thanks!
I just made this salad and avocado was a tasty addition. This would also be good with green papaya.
AWesome recipe. Thank you so much. I am in a melt down in NH and this sounds perfect. Off to make it NOW. I have all the ingredients I need. BT
I plan to serve this for my bookclub along with grilled salmon (marinated in Trader Ming’s sesame soy ginger vinaigrette) It will look very pretty on the plate! Thank you! Over 100 in Tucson but it’s a DRY heat!
FYI- I made this and just had some for dinner. Oh, my goodness, how tasty! I love this! I subbed toasted pine nuts as I had some and they have a nice buttery taste like cashews…but seriously folks–this ones a keeper and a great way to eat mangoes! ;) It’s nice ans spicey too; the 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes gave it quite the heat! My limes were tiny…so it took 3 1/2 to get the 6tbs of juice…thanks Deb for the measurement there and not just a number of limes! ;) And thank you for this…it won’t last long.
I made this to go with our tequila lime chicken fajitas tonight and oh my gosh. I had a little taste and it was A-MAZING!!!! The flavours just kept changing in my mouth. It’s like the gift that keeps giving! I used fish oil which gives a great salty bite and just did a sprinkle of salt rather than a 1/2 tsp. This is my new staple in my recipe rotation!
This is a SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY wonderful slaw! I’ve stayed away from recipes from blogs, as I knew I could get seriously addicted to the blogs. :-) But I saw it linked on a “What’s for Dinner?” thread on Chowhound.com, and I know smittenkitten.com is a very good blog. I had two mangoes to be used up – 1 Ataulfo (Champagne), one Tommy Atkins or Kent. The firmest was the Ataulfo. And I used what I had in the house vs. stopping on the way home from work – Vidalia onion in place of the red onion, and a pinch of dried mint mixed in with marinade instead of fresh mint. The flavors melded together in the fridge for about a half hour.
A thick chicken breast was split in half lengthwise, rubbed with olive oil, and sprinkled with Herbes de Provence and was being roasted while the mango slaw melded flavors. :-)
O. M. G. This was incredible and SUCH a wonderful summertime slaw! Sweet from mango, crunchy from cabbage (forgot I just had regular, not Napa, but it works!), the nuttiness from the toasted cashews, the tang from the rice vinegar – what a wonderful blend of flavors! Dried mint can be overwhelming, so I was very careful – perhaps too careful. I think finely slivered fresh mint leafs will give a very refreshing taste to the slaw. Will remember to get that next time.
P.S. I shredded my mango on a box shredder..you didn’t say how you did it, although yours looked much more uniform than mine…I wonder if you cut it up and finely julienned? A firm mango is key here…I used a firm Ataulfo, but it still produced a lot of juice in the shredding…which I just added to the mix. :-)
This recipe is a major keeper…thank you!
Oops! Just realized I forgot another substitution – I used Aleppo pepper flakes from Penzey’s instead of red pepper flakes – gave just enough bite without being overwhelming.
Not wild on Thai flavors, but this looks so good and sounds like flavors I can hang with. As one who lives in central Florida where it’s 100 degrees from May 1 till October 15th, thank you for easy food to help inspire a cool mood. Ooh, and I’ma poet and didn’t know it.
And the shoe thing? They do it just to gross us out, I’m convinced. I figure what the heck, it boosts immunity.
Smooches to the lot of ya!
My birthday is sometime this weekend – uh, that sounds weird but it’s because I have children and a hubby and it’s hard enough remembering their birthdays. Plus, I played this cruel trick once on my husband at the tax office about my birthday being 2 days later than what it really was and it kind of screws with me now because it’s a long-running joke.
Anyway, it’s my birthday at some point in the next few days and the family ill be coming together for dinner and I think I’ll make this, or make my husband do so. I think I’ll omit the red pepper flakes for the kiddies and the MIL, otherwise it looks delightful!
PSSS… Thai place by my house… can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make this???
Lovely, fresh and a beauty. Can’t wait to try it out.
Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Wow this is wonderful for a hot summer evening we had it with grilled sockeye an absolutely perfect combination
Thank you for the inspiration
Hmm….mango and mint, eh? Sounds intriguing, i might just give it whirl!
This was delicious, satisfying and so healthy too ! My husband and I made this for dinner last night and it really hit all the spots. We did use just 1 T toasted sesame oil, and added about 4 ounces of leftover grilled chicken and some grilled shrimp. To replace the red chili flakes,we also used a small squirt of the very spicy Indonesian Chili paste. (Go-Tan Sambal Oelek)WOW!
Wow! I’d never thought to make a slaw out of mango, but that looks and sounds incredible. I had a similar dish served inside a mango shell last weekend at a Thai place and the flavor combination is really great.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I paired it with grilled halibut steaks in soy-ginger marinade-really good. I had no oranges to zest, but used OJ, and a little sesame oil and it was worked really well! I may try cilantro instead of mint next time as well. This will definitely be on my dinner rotation this summer!
how did you read my mind?! i was just about to search for new mango salad recipes and BAM! you come to the rescue once again. and of course you did not disappoint.
i used red cabbage, no red pepper (just didn’t have any, but i do love the combo with mango) cilantro instead of mint, and it was so bright, light and fresh tasting! and i truthfully never would have thought to add spice to this, but it was a fantastic touch.
thanks for always making look like such a creative and amazing chef ;)
I have a question for you about mint. As you might guess, I’m a gardener, and I’m wondering what kind of mint you used in this recipe. I’m guessing you used spearmint, (most common in markets) but maybe not. This kind of mint used definitely changes flavor, and I bet all sorts of interesting taste-twists can happen with peppermint, pineapple mint, orange mint, etc. For example, I recently started growing Cuban mint, (Mentha villosa), and this makes a truly awesome, authentic Cuban mint julep (aka mojito) – it’s much less sweet.
Now, I need to check on mango ripeness. This mango slaw looks much more interesting that the usual pineapple-mango salsa I make…
xo M
Michaela — I actually don’t remember but it might have been spearmint. I am sure there are better options but that’s what I could get, ah well…
Hot has finally shown up in Oregon and now I will make slaw! This recipe is perfect.
Wow, such awesome flavors in that salad! I would definitely make that.
Mango slaw looks fresh and delicious.
this is on the dinner menu tonight!!!
This looks very impressive and sounds easy to make :) Thanks!
Going to get cabbage to make this NOW. I’m adding in peaches. It should slide nicely along the salad roll fixings I’m serving to chase away the summer heat.
Thanks for being so dependable with the good stuff. =)
This looks and sounds delicious. We do a mango-jicama combo, julienned, with a little olive oil, some lime juice, salt, and fresh mint — red pepper flakes or even some chopped up jalapeno, occasionally, depending on who’s eating with us. I don’t use anything but a good knife and a cutting board. We also like it with fresh coriander (cilantro) instead of mint. This combination would also work well with the addition of the Napa cabbage, but I wouldn’t go much further than that.
I made this tonight, so delicious! I used a sour mango and a ripe one, and the ripe one added a beautiful soft sweetness. I paired it with a variation of your tequila lime chicken, making the marinade with triple sec instead of tequila and orange juice, and pouring it over drumsticks. I made some rice to go along, and the combination of all three was outstanding. Oh and a porch swing with mint to drink. Can you tell I love your site? :)
Oh and I used sesame oil for the slaw. Awesome.
Such a beautiful salad, and there happen to be 2 mangoes sitting on my counter this very moment. And, if I may be quite frank with you, there is just the outside chance that one of my family members will love this as much as me (the other 2 will politely say they have had enough to eat already), which means there will be more for breakfast and lunch the next day. :-)
I love “slaw salads”! Thanks for the delicious idea.
This is a great recipe! My mango ended up being quite ripe which added quite a lot of juice. I also think cilantro would be great instead of mint and roasted peanuts instead of cashews could work too. One could also put in a jalapeno pepper and ease back on the chili flakes or paste.
very versatile and excellent for the hot days we’ve been having in Germany!
Thanks Deb. I tried it with spearmint (that’s what the bits in your photo looked like to me) and it was excellent. I see readers are trying cilantro, and a combo sounds like an interesting experiment to. I bet it’s hard to go wrong… just look what fun you have started ;)
Amazing timing. I just stuck two on-the-verge-of-overripe mangoes in the fridge this morning, and was wondering how to use them.
I have a little one about Jacob’s age and, now that she’s crawling, we have to hide all of the shoes in the house or she goes right for them. I’m not sure what it is about them, it has straight-in-the-mouth priority whether it’s a crock or a sneaker.
@Malkah- You can get preserved lime juice at ‘Mega’ supermarkets (not Mega Bul, just Mega)
Hi Deb,
A lot of your readers are asking about papaya, and I happen to be a devout worshiper of that particular fruit. In Thailand, where the inspiration for this salad came from I assume, they eat a salad called Som Tum that is made with shredded green papaya, tomatoes, green beans, dried shrimp, limes, chilies, and fish sauce. The papaya is very tart and green, so I am certain that using a tart or even half-ripe papaya in your salad would work like a dream :)
I love any kind of slaw. This looks so tasty.
This is a wonderful meal! I will add this salad to mine for a coloured summer plates collection. Nice and easy all at once. Thank you for making us drooling over. I am dying for cooking and it is high time to get to sleep tough. Have a nice greedy summer!
this slaw looks just divine. and with the same heatwave that we have here, i’m also craving this right now ;)
if you prefer a green papaya (instead of ripe papaya) taste, and can’t find one, grannysmith apples make a surprisingly good substitute. (a tip from the old Gourmet cookbook). thanks for more slawesomeness!
Made this twice in 2 days, really love the recipe, thank you! I substituted Jicama for the cabbage, peanuts for the cashews and added fresh sliced chilis and skipped the rice vinegar so that the slaw went better with sandwiches. I only drizzled a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
I made this tonight. It was a gorgeous concoction, but unfortunately, I added sesame oil – less than a teaspoon – which I thought completely overpowered all the other flavors. If you love sesame oil, go for it, but next time, I’ll be going the original route.
It’s funny, when I read the title of your post, I laughed to myself and thought, “oh, Deb and her slaws”. It’s funny how your favorite bloggers start to feel like old friends.
How delightful! Looke like the taste of summer to me.
I made this the other day and it was AMAZING! Then I brought to work ( I work at a swanky sushi place) and all of my co-workers thought it was outstanding as well. I used purple cabbage, however- the colors were just so lovely together. Well done you!
LOVE IT!
this was a hit on the dinner table!!!! yummo and will make it again before the summer ends! perfect summer dinner! thanks again for another successful recipe!
Hi Deb,
We had a potluck based off of your blog, and it was delicious!
http://picasaweb.google.com/mattjomeara/SmittenKitchen_potluck
Teresa — Aaah! You made my day.
Made this recipe and loved it so much I posted it myself. As SK’s Mango slaw. Hope you don’t mind…You rock!
I made this last night with a huge head of cabbage from my CSA! Don’t hesitate to make this it is so good! Even my boyfriend who doesn’t really do red peppers, is sort of skeptical of mint, and so on and so forth thought it was delicious! It’s makes a ton so it is a perfect dish for a potluck or summer picnic!
Make this last night and it was delicious! i used Sriracha instead of chili flakes. However, I found the dressing a bit too acidic, and I LOVE acid. Next time I would up the oil slightly, or maybe add honey to balance the lime juice. Thanks!
So, I had a salad at Houston’s Steakhouse in Atlanta (I think the Peachtree one – it’s been a while), that was nearly EXACTLY like this slaw but with slices of juicy medium steak on top. Heaven, people, heaven.
I just made this today and it is just delicious! I love it! Thank you so much! :-)
Just tried this the other day – I had some ripe mangos, but needed to pick up the cabbage. Unfortunately, my grocer’s cabbage was all wilted and I knew wouldn’t give much of a crunch. So I substituted bean sprouts and it was delicious! I will try cabbage when I find some, but I was very happy with the sprouts. I suppose it makes it less of a “slaw”, but I just had to have it!
As others suggested, I also tossed in some basil as I just didn’t seem to have enough mint. And peanuts in with the cashews. SO good!
Just made this and it’s so fresh tasting-I went back for seconds and thirds! I think this, along with the above chicken will be my new go to dish for company this summer!
This turned out to be a delicious base for grilled snapper tacos!
Just for future reference, it might be nice to know how much this makes or how many servings–maybe it’s somewhere that I’m missing, but I couldn’t find it. I want to make this for some friends who are coming over tomorrow but don’t know whether one recipe makes enough or whether I should double it.
I thought this was event better topped with some shrimp!
Mango salad is one of my Thai favourites, and one of the easier ones to recreate at home. I still haven’t been able to concoct a Green Thai Curry that lives up to the ones I had in Thailand.
Yum! It’s been hot and humid in Boston so this slaw hit the spot. I used peanuts because I was out of cashews. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this last night, was divine. Will do it again tonight! And every night until my obsession is slaked.
This looks heavenly. I’m putting it in my recipe files. :)
Made it last night – super yummy. I substituted peanuts for cashews. This will be my go to meal when its blazing hot in the summer and I don’t want to turn the oven on. Thanks again for a great recipe!
Made this this afternoon, and Mmmm. Used my mandolin slicer, and made easy work of all the cutting. Then whirred the dressing around in the processor. Great light fare – and I like the idea of adding grilled shrimp to it to make it a meal. Tks for these recipes. I always look forward to your next post.
Yummmmmmmm!!! I just made this. I haven’t served it to my family yet, but I have eaten half a bowl of it already. Excellent. My recommendation is to mix the FANTASTIC dressing early in the day. And cut and chop the veggies also early. Then, dump, dump, dump. Mix. Cut the mint at the last minute so it is mighty and fresh. Add the cashews and go at it. This really is splendid. Thank you.
This was GREAT…seriously people, make this. My 8 year-old son loved it, my husband (“I dont like fruit in my salad”) loved it. Thanks for another great recipe!
This was the BEST! Hot weekend in LA – cool salad – I went Heavy on the mint! Used a little persian lime olive oil mixed with canola – it was perfection! especially alongside some shrimp pad thai! This recipe WILL repeat over and over in my kitchen…many thanks! Dr. JJ
Just made this and it’s fantastic (even with the stringy mango I had here in rural England!). Had to use lemon juice instead of lime and macadamias instead of cashews but still gorgeous.
Love your blog and love with pics of your beautiful son- thanks for posting them!!!
Made this last night and really enjoyed it. My only adaptions were to add a little sugar to the dressing (because I have an insatiable sweet-tooth).
I’mgathering the ingredients to make this. It looks delicious. It might be easier to cut the mango flesh away from the pit before peeling it.
absolutely love the contrasting colours and textures – great images.
Thankyou for the culinary inspiration x
I think this would make a GREAT turkey burger topping. Anyone else?
Hi Deb,
Am sure someone has pointed this out already but just in case they haven’t…This is another take on the traditional papaya salad served in thailand – it is unreal! it uses green papaya, peanuts in place of the cashews, fish sauce, a lot of lime and a lot of chilli, red onion and optionally crab meat (though it is amazing without it). It was the best thing I ate in thailand and I quickly got absolutely addicted to it. Have a google – its worth trying the original especially with your new love for fish sauce – and trust me, its not fishy! :)
This was amazingly good–we made it for 18 people at a family reunion. It was fresh, light, and even those (weird) members of my family who don’t care for mango (I know, right?) really liked this. I must say that I am deeply impressed with your chopping skills. My julienne slices were not nearly as pretty and uniform as yours, but I guess, since every bite was scarfed, it didn’t matter much….
Maybe my tastebuds are strange, but I thought the mint was WAY too much in this slaw. I read through the comments and from the few that made the slaw, nobody said anything about the mint. I didn’t even use the amount called for (maybe more like 1/8 of a cup instead of 1/4) and I thought the mint totally overpowered the mango taste (which was very sad as I love mangoes). Next time I make this I will probably leave out the mint altogether. Or maybe someone can tell me if I used the wrong mint? I just bought mint leaves in the produce section, near all the other herbs–I don’t normally use mint much.
Deb,
Made this for dinner yesterday, used toasted sesame oil was absolutely delicious. Now a question how did u get ur mango shredded looking so nice. I want a tutorial please
B
We had Crescent Dragonwagon (author of The Passionate Vegetarian) over for dinner a few nights ago while she was in Oklahoma for an event. Faced with cooking for someone who has published over 30 cookbooks and who is a vegetarian to boot, we opted to try our hand at Indian dishes and at the last minute I added this slaw to the menu as well. It was a home run with Crescent, and with everyone else. Great recipe, and a great compliment to spicy food.
Oh, and two of the other dishes were yours too (Chana Masala and Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes). Both turned out great.
Making this and the thai chicken legs tonight, as it is crazy hot here in LA. Deb, re: the sandal-licking baby, just know that however scrupulously you will patrol your floors, he will find something hideous to put in his mouth. With my daughter there were these three things I found after my high-frequency mom-hearing alerted me to the barely audible smacking of baby lips:
A. A dime
B. A splinter
C. A thumbtack
She’s 15 now, and it’s a different problem. MONSTER TEENAGE APPETITE. The other day she fed herself long-past-their freshness date frozen teriyaki meatballs, (I’d meant to throw them out) a peanut butter sandwich, half a watermelon and some yogurt, right before dinner. She had me up at midnight making her tea to soothe her stomach.
Made this last night with the chicken–delicious! Had to finish the chicken in the oven because my grill inconveniently ran out of gas, but they were fantastic in spite of only marinating for 2 hours. I found the slaw dressing a bit vinegar-y for my taste, but it was really enjoyable regardless. Thanks, Deb!
How fabulous was this stuff?! I made it last night with the Thai Chicken (yu-uh-um!) and they just paired so wonderfully! I tried to use my nifty combo peeler-julienne-r but the julienne was too darned tiny. Doing it by hand was fine and it all came together relatively quickly — and, luckily, with no bloodshed (those peeled mangoes are liked a soaped-up baby in the bath!). I ALSO peeled the bell pepper so the skin wasn’t…didn’t…I donnoe, it just seemed to make sense. I used salted cashews (maybe pistachios next time?) and went lighter on the salt added to the dressing. I also used only half the lime juice called for (ran out, darnit!) and it was still just totally delicious. I topped my serving with a bunch of chopped cilantro — I am averse to being cilantro-averse. My picky husband RAVED about it. YUM, Deb! Thanks for a complete menu!
I made this recipe as a side to my fish tacos. I love the ingredients individually, but sadly, I didn’t care for the result. Not that it’s a bad salad or recipe, it just didn’t work for me :( However, I must tell you that in South Texas some variety of mangoes grow so big you can’t fit them in the palm of your hand. I used some of the sweetest, most fragrant mangoes for this salad and managed! I will try this recipe again and make some modifications to suit my taste. I’m not sure why I didn’t care for it. Could it have been the rice vinegar? anyway, thank you for always sharing such great recipes. I’ve impressed many a dinner guest with your wonderful recipes!
I tripled the recipe and served it at a church dinner function and they LOVED IT! My husband (the minister) tasted tested it and said that it was TOO good to take to church that he wanted to promptly sit down and eat it all! Thanks for the delicious recipe and your wonderful blog!!
Scrumptious! I used green cabbage and Walla Walla sweet onion. Will be making this all summer. Thanks for the inspiration!
Mangoes were on sale here today–two for a dollar, so I made this slaw tonight. It was so perfect on a hot summer night–spicy & sweet & fresh tasting. My husband grilled brats and this was a great accompaniment. Thanks for the great recipe.
I finally got around to trying this recipe tonight. It was so delicious; it was hard to not keep picking and picking at it as I let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour. My husband was impressed with it and so was I. Many thanks.
absolutely delicious! another favourite that is sure to become a frequent meal in my house (much like the broccoli slaw). thanks for sharing!
Salted or unsalted cashews? Does it make a difference?
Ellie — Your choice. I used unsalted…
I made this last week and it was fantastic! I have a mandoline and I just peeled the mangoes with a peeler and used the julienne blade, holding the mangoes with a paper towel to prevent slipping. I just kept running it over the blade until I hit the pit, then turned to the next side. I have one of those veggie peeler julienne things; it didn’t work well for my mangoes, which were on the ripe side. This is destined to be a favorite in our house.
i cannot believe how delicious and complex yet healthy this slaw is! the combo of sweet/sour/(i made mine really)spicy is to die for. i even forgot about the cashews and it was still wonderful…thanks!
Deb and others– you have to try the original Thai green papaya salad, which I am sure is the inspiration for this new version. Very very tasty!
OH my! Delicious. It’s going in our weekly Summer rotation. I left out the onion (pregnancy made me dislike them) and it was still complex and delicious!
Despite the trauma of slicing the end of my finger off with a mandoline when making this, I’m definitely making it again. Many thanks for the slaw inspiration
I made this last weekend and it’s fantastic – easy and a real crowd-pleaser. The mangos I used were a bit too ripe (so the slaw was just a tad too sweet for my taste), so I’ll take the suggestion to use less ripe ones next time. This recipe will definitely stay on my “keeper” list!
I made it tonight and although I went a little heavy-handed on the dressing (I hate dirtying measuring cups), it was AMAZING. Had over a group of friends who had “already eaten.” Apparently they found more room.
Hello
new to your blog thru my daughter. She loves it and is always pulling up recepies to try. We simply loved your mango slaw, delicious, refreshing and light, however your thai chicken was so salty and needed something? spice, brown sugar a bit of sweet and sour and tang. any suggestions?
Made this tonight and it was unbelievable. It was so good I’m going to make it again tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe.
OMG – I think I love you. Can’t wait to make this.
I made the Mango coleslaw tonight and it was delish. I used spearmint, that’s what i have growing on the deck, I substituted Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice for fresh, and Thai Chili paste instead of the red pepper flakes. The mango was very firm, but not too tart. This is really wonderful, flavorful slaw, all the different flavors are a party to the taste buds! I recipe I will use again and I will taking it to the next cookout.
This slaw looks so fresh and tasty! I’ll be making it this weekend- substituting Thai basil from the garden in place of the mint. Thanks for posting. I enjoy when you post healthier recipes.
I’ve had my eye on this recipe since you posted it and tonight I was so excited to finally put it together and EAT it!!! It was totally worth the wait. So fresh, light but full of flavor! I didn’t include the onion (forgot it) and instead of cashews I used almond slivers! Still really delicious! I find myself constantly looking at your site finding new things to make and be inspired by! As always, THANK YOU!
We went into smittenkitchen mode last night, and FEASTED. This mango salad was sensational – despite my mangoes being over-ripe, which made for an abundance of “dressing” – and summer-fresh. I used coriander/cilantro, which I can never seem to get enough of.
We had the berry gratin as “pud”, and it was equally sublime. I improvised, using a combination of low-fat Turkish yogurt and low-fat fromage blanc battu (they’re what I had in the fridge) with raspberries and blueberries folded in. And then the sugar. Oh my.
Thank you, Deb!
This looks awesome… I was eating something very similar to this practically every day in Toronto when I was there recently (from Spring Rolls GO!), and I’ve been craving it ever since. I’m gonna make some lemongrass tofu and rice to go with it and call it dinner. Yum!
Made this yesterday. I also found the mint overpowering and I’m glad I just put it on my portion and didn’t mix it in. Next time I’d substitute cilantro for the mint. I also put a crap ton of cashews on mine cuz I love them. It’s better today than it was yesterday.
Made this over the weekend and it was fabulous! I’ve been thinking about it ever since and can’t wait to make it again. Though, those mangos are slippery and tricky to slice!
How have I gone this far in my life without hearing about, thinking of, or devouring mango slaw. I’m all in. Thank you very much.
My husband who doesn’t like mangoes OR any type of slaw LOVED this dish!! But, what’s not to love – it was delicious. I used one lime & one lemon because that’s all I had on hand. Can’t wait to eat again tonight with salmon.
I’ve made this 3 times since reading about it because it is THAT GOOD! Thanks Deb!
Super delicious. We made it basically the same, but forgot mint and red pepper at the store. It worked great without red pepper and with basil instead. Thanks for the inspiration!
oh my goodness, how many ways do I love this salad?! I made it for dinner tonight to accompany a grilled halibut with herbed crust, and the salad stole the show! A couple variations to work with what I had in the fridge: green onion instead of red, sweet chilli sauce instead of flakes, I added cilantro too. My chops weren’t a fine or perfect as yours but the salad turned out beautifully and sang of summer nights!
thanks for anther great recipe, your blog is one of my favorite reads!
k.
So my wife & I had the mango slaw & thai chicken all last weekend for several meals. Truly a delicious summer dish and, yes, can be very addicting.
We made this twice last week. Once, just as a test run. Yuhhmm. Then, Sunday, we made it again and added thinly sliced flank steak left over from grilling on Saturday. That was our dinner. Delicious. Thanks!
This looks sooo good! My homefriend would love it, too. Really good and fresh for this crazy hot weather in NC.
Love this recipe to death :))
Very inspiring blog you have here. Thank you!
I chose it for the photos and the mangos on my counter, and I’ll keep it because it was just delicious!
I’ve made this twice recently–so easy and so delicious! The mangoes really determine the sweetness of the slaw; both times my mangoes were quite ripe, so the second time I used a little less and upped the lime juice. Perfect.
This salad is great with so many cuisines; used it with a Vietnamese-inspired dinner the first time, and some pretty great tacos tonight. Thank you Deb!
I need a change from “the creamy dressing hegemony.” This might be it.
September in London and this salad is still awesome. Thank you so much!
So fabulous! Thank you, Deb! A perfect part of a light and delicious meal for summer, a time of year we are headed towards Down Under!
Perfecto. I tried it loved it!
Rainy November night in Seattle…and this deliciousness felt like a little bit of summer revisited! We have great Asian markets in Seattle, so I easily found really fresh ingredients, even in November. I threw in a little jicama for a little more crunch and had raw cashews in the house, but next time I think roasted would be a better choice to add a salty contrast.
A few people in earlier posts indicated they don’t care for raw onions…me neither, so I always substitute shallots as they have a milder flavor.
To us over here, this is a very exotic “salad” as that’s what we would call it. My kitchen-work-loving boyfriend prepared your mango slaw for your sylvester raclette evening last night. We all appreciated it very much and there’s only one thing we had to complain about: It was not enough.
Thank you so much for sharing all these wonderful ideas with us!
Everybody just loved it!!!
Should have seen the children eat it, some of them did not eat anything else…
This was really good. I used cilantro instead of mint and I added a couple spoonfulls of sugar syrup left over from making candied ginger. My mangos were under-ripe so the extra sweet and heat was perfect. I will make this again.
This was absolutely fabulous!! It makes a bunch and it’s such a different and interesting salad! So refreshing!
Everybody just loved it!!!
I brought this to a school potluck yesterday & a parent who owns a catering company asked for the recipe. He told me it was “wicked good”. Thanks for making me look good smitten kitchen!
Absolutely LOVED this recipe. Thank you!
I made this last weekend. I couldn’t find cashews (that weren’t over salted) and so I used macadamias. For the oil I used one tablespoon sesame oil and one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Took it to a party and it was a HUGE hit.
I thought there was ricevinegar left in my cupboard, but there wasn’t and so the raspberryvinegar was chosen. Worked perfectly. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Ok, what did i do wrong? The dressing was soooo watery due to the large amt of liquid and barely any oil. After about 20 minutes, the slaw was just swimming in water and had barely any flavor. It was just kind of very tart- all vinegar and lime. Which was the dressing was mostly. How come?
Mango slaw with cashews and (no) mint is in the top ten best salads of my experience. Thank you for the recipe. The dressing is perfectly refreshing and tart, not too sour. My extra-frilly Baby Napa caught all the liquid deliciousness, making for very flavorful bites, something every good salad should have. I used half a tablespoon of olive oil and tangerines, cut vertically.
This slaw sounds wonderful! I’ve been adding mint to all my fruit salads lately. I love the way it enhances the flavor of the fruit. Looking forward to trying this recipe! I feel that way about most of your recipes. Your site is one of the first places I look when I want to try something new!
Hi Deb!
I just wanted to say that I did this salad at my family’s Christmas here in Australia in 2012. The table was groaning with food but the slaw looked so good that it was the first thing to go! Everyone asked for the recipe. I directed them to your site, and bought 15 copies of your cookbook for all!
Thanks for really making our Christmas table, Deb.
I hope you had a lovely Hanukkah!
Lizzie
Okay, I know it’s -25 wind chill here on the east coast of Canada but…! We were having a wings night with friends and I stumbled across your Thai-styled chicken legs recipe – which was very good – gotta try it with real cilantro because my husband got parsley instead and all I had was cilantro in a tube……. I know!! Anyway, I saw your mango slaw recipe there with it and, wow, loved it! Thanks for your delicious fare, Deb! This is only the fourth recipe I’ve tried of yours but then I’m pretty insecure about my cooking! Your recipes are basic enough that I haven’t bombed any yet so I’m going to stick with you!
I have made this recipe 20+ times, and making it again tonight for a Easter supper potluck! Thanks Deb :-)
Can this be made the day before and taken camping? except of course for the mint and cashews?
This was great!! We had this with barbacoa beef for dinner and it was perfect.
This has been fantastic. And I usually don’t even like cabbage! only used regular cabbage as couldn’t find any Napa, have made it with and without the cashews (of course its better with), with lime or lemon juice (lemon is good, lime is better), with mild or sweet mangoes (best with sweet but not too ripe). its great the next day as well, even with the cashews and mint all a day old. Brilliant colors and flavors. another winner.
This won a potluck dinner competition – so very yummy and beautiful to look at! Great flavors. I generally dislike slaw and this was magnificent. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
This is delicious. I made it for the first time at 9 mo. pregnant, when we got 3 kinds of cabbage in our CSA box and I was desperate to figure out what to do with all of that cabbage.
I went into labor that night. I still think of it as being the instigator. So pregnant women, be ready to go into labor if you make this delicious salad!
I finally made this last night after coveting it for ages and it was delicious. I’m not usually a fan of fresh mint as the flavour can be overpowering but I used it here and it was really lovely. So even if you usually miss out the mint – definitely give it a go in this, it seemed to bring all the sweet and sour elements together really well.
Planning on using this slaw to top homemade al pastor tacos tonight. I usually add julienned carrot and daikon to up its veg value.
Delicious at a summer picnic with chicken satay and peanut sauce. Everything I have tried of yours has always been amazing!
It looks amazing & I happen to have all the ingredients, but I need to use some other type of vinegar – what kind would be the best substitute?
Beata — Just use something mild and only add it to taste.
Random, but dying to know your go to Thai take out place that inspired this? We live in NYC and I’m always looking for a good one !
Sarah — It’s closed now. These days, we enjoy Ngam on 3rd Avenue. Other NYC recommendations from me over here, if you’re interested.
Six years late to this recipe which is odd because we’re in mango country – India. There are quite literally dozens of varieties on offer at the moment but the ones I had at home last night were bordering overripe and were utterly sweet and loaded with juice.
To balance all that sweetness I had to up the quantity of lime juice and the red pepper. I also had charred corn on the cob handy (street vendors sell the stuff everywhere in the summer and in the monsoon), so chopped the kernels in. I made this as a chunkier salad rather than a slaw because I was feeling lazy on the chopping front. Other modifications: threw in some baby spinach and feta, used toasted crushed almonds instead of cashews because of having them handy, and with a glass of chilled white wine had the most cooling summer meal in all of Delhi I imagine. I’d love to try this with grilled mangoes next. Thanks, belatedly, Deb for a meal that briefly made me forget the weather!
Delicious! I made it without the peppers, but with a teaspoon and a half of fish sauce instead of salt as someone suggested. Without the peppers, it was a bit plain, but still delicious. I’d probably use a bit more fish sauce next time.
Can I leave out or substitute the mint? Not a fan.
Cilantro works. Or skip it.
I have a boyfriend allergic to onions in all shape, short of onion powder. Can I substitute the onion for anything else?
I think there are enough flavors here that you’ll be okay without them. This is also great with a splash or two of fish sauce.
Loved this the first time we made it – added avocado the second time. yummy.
I have made this so many times that I thought I should probably let you know…. the short ingredient list and nothing to cook make for pretty quick prep (julienne-cutting the mango takes me the longest). The slaw is crunchy and refreshing and has been a terrific compliment to seafood and to lamb burgers. It is easy to make ahead and just dress shortly before needing it. I agree with the suggestion to add a little fish sauce to the dressing – it adds to that umami flavor that you hope lingers just a little longer in your mouth. The only other change I have made is to use cilantro or even parsley if mint is unavailable but mint is my favorite. I generally see people returning to the bowl for another helping. IF there are left overs, they get a little more vinegary overnight but are still very edible alone as a ‘salad’ or with your accompaniment of choice. I will make this many more times!
I enjoyed this yesterday at a cookout, it’s insanely good! It was the only dish on the table that I went back to for seconds. Delicious! I asked the chef how to get her recipe and she sent me here. I’ve made many of your recipes, don’t know how I missed this one but I am adding it to my summer side dish rotation. Highly recommend!
This has been a staple over the years. Often we skip the cashews – they get a little soggy and we love us some leftovers! But the combination of flavors makes me very, very happy. Thanks for sharing!
Deb, didn’t you have the Jim Leahy stecca bread recipe with different amounts of yeast for faster risings? Can’t find it.
No, but I use different yeast levels in my pizza dough.
This is my go-out slaw recipe when I’m sick of taking a regular salad to a cookout/potluck and want a little something different. It’s perfect for a summertime cookout!
I made this with unseasoned rice vinegar and mangoes that were a day or two under ripe, softish but not juicy. I think it needs some sweetness from a more ripe mango or seasoned (aka sweetened) rice vinegar. My slaw turned out flat and too tart. Adding a little sugar did not help. Just a heads up for anyone using underripe mangoes. I will definitely give it a try with a sweet and juicy mango as this sounds like a side I’d use with so many regular summer dinners we eat regularly!
I made a winter variation of this slaw using persimmon for the fruit and chicory for the greens. Probably less intense than with mango, but good nevertheless. Next time I will add a bit of fish sauce, but other than that, the dressing was great. As always Deb, you are an inspiration in the kitchen!
I just made this for my family last night. It was really good! I didn’t have time to marinate the salad for an hour before serving and it still tasted great! Thanks for another great recipe. It went well with the carnitas that I made.
To. Die. For. This slaw is an instant favorite and will be made again and again. Deb saved dinner yet again. Thank you!!
We layered this on sushi rice and topped with Mahi Mahi and diced avocado. (I missed that it was supposed to be Napa cabbage and used the pre-shredded bag of green cabbage from Trader Joe’s which made up for how slow I am julienning lol).
This was SUCH a good surprise. I made without a ton of expectations, just this to get rid of a part of the overwhelming amount of mangoes I had (l live in Florida, so mangoes can feel like zucchini at the end of summer, you don’t know what on earth you could possibly do to use what you have left). I luckily had half a bag of cole slaw mix left. I replaced the mint by cilantro because it’s what I had and cashews by peanuts and served this with rice and baked tempeh in peanut sauce and it was amazing. I really did not expect it to work that well. Thank you!
Yet another Deb recipe that’s become an instant classic for me! My husband is learning to cook during quarantine and we have been living by SK: tasty and diverse enough for my preferences, and simple and well-written so my husband actually enjoys following the recipes. Earlier this week, neither of us could decide what we wanted to eat. He ended up making this with roasted jerk chicken since we had most of the ingredients handy and OH MY LORD. We subbed kale for the Napa cabbage and it was so good I had it for dinner and dessert. And then lunch the next day. And breakfast today. 😳 Making another proper batch after we’ve picked up a head of Napa per the recipe, and I am already so excited. It’s fresh, healthy, zingy, and completely addictive. Thank you!
Love this fresh and summery slaw! I almost even like it better the next day after it sat in the dressing for a bit and gets nice and juicy. The toasted cashews add a nice crunch too, so don’t skip them!
I was in a hurry and didn’t want to take the time to pull out the mandoline, so I just chopped/sliced everything up small and it turned out great. The flavors are so bright and fresh. I paired it with grilled chicken marinated in lime, garlic, salt, red chili flakes, and ground coriander. Leftovers kept really well. I am looking forward to making this again!
Oh wow. This looks super interesting and refreshing. I like the idea of mango sweetness with more salty/savory from the cashews, am going to have to try it!
Perfect timing! My husband has been wanting a fried fish dish from a Thai restaurant in NY but not to be found in Colorado! I’ve been casually looking for a recipe and this is the perfect solution ! Love your blog and books! Thanks!!
Made this yesterday to serve with tri-tip steak dinner. It was fantastic! Even my picky eater mother liked it (haha). I omitted mint and cashews since I didn’t have any on hand. I think the mint would add a nice freshness. Will definitely be making this a lot this summer.
What would be the best substitute for the rice vinegar? In order to avoid all of the back-to-real-life stuff I should be doing post-New Year, I am instead scouring your website for easy hot-weather dishes I can prepare on our Caribbean bareboat sailing trip this summer. This one sounds delicious and we will have mangoes aplenty, but the grocery store in our charter location only stocks white, red, cider, and balsamic vinegars. What do you think? White vinegar with a little sugar? Also, could thinly sliced red or green cabbage stand in for the Napa (none of that available either)? I’m also thinking of tackling your Beach Bean Salad, but with balsamic. Can’t wait!
I have made this with both red and green cabbage. It tends to be happy if it is shredded finely and marinates in the dressing a little longer – a few hours hours or up to a few days. The salad is great the second day (or days later) – just reserve the cashews and add just before serving so they retain crunch.
You might try using more lime juice for the rice vinegar. It won’t be exactly the same, but won’t add an out of place flavor.
This was really good even though I forgot the mint! Trying to julienne a ripe mango is tricky. I’ll make this again later in the week with the mint.
Made this for dinner with ripe mangoes. Unfortunately the dressing is so sour it made it inedible. There is nothing to counteract the acid in the lime juice and vinegar.