What does a mango taste like? - The Ultimate Guide

If you have never tried mango, you are definitely missing out on a delicious fruit. Mango has a ton of great health benefits as a fruit, but its flavor is also unique.

Of course, if you’ve never tried it, you may wonder what it tastes like before you decide to bite into one.

If you’re not afraid of trying new things, you should. We think you’ll love the taste regardless.

Mango has something unique that can hardly be compared to any other fruit. It stands apart and yet still has fruity flavors with just the right amount of sweetness, but without being overly sweet.

What does the mango taste like?

In general, mangos have an extremely sweet and woody flavor. Its texture is creamy and smooth, and under the sweet nuances, there are floral and botanical notes, as well as some traces of pine.

In this guide, we will talk about what mango tastes like and also other things about mango. You’ll find descriptions of the flavor, as well as things like smell and texture.

We’ll also talk a bit about different ways to prepare mango that can slightly change its flavor.

Read on to find out what mangos taste like and much more.

What does the mango taste like?

One thing to keep in mind is that mango can taste different when prepared in different ways. It can also taste different depending on whether or not it is ripe.

Mangoes are usually sweet, but if they are not ripe enough, they can also taste a bit sour.

You will find that mango is typically described as having a tropical flavor and this is because it primarily comes from a tropical region . Most of the mangoes are produced in India, but they can also be produced in other areas.

In short, mangoes belong to the drupe family. This simply means that the fruit contains a single stone inside and the outer flesh of the fruit is edible. Also, you will see that mangoes grow on a stem on their plant.

Mangoes are green before fully ripe, and actually ripen to several different colors, such as yellow, orange, red, or purple. They can also reach various shapes and sizes.

Typically, as long as they are ripe, the fruit will taste very similar with any of these varieties.

Now we are going to delve a little deeper into the main identifiers of the fruit: the taste, the texture and the smell.

Taste

Mangoes are best described as having a sweet flavor with a creamy texture. The taste is definitely fruity, with a hint of pine and floral in the flavor nuances.

You will see that there are so many different mangoes that it would be impossible to describe them all.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular options.

haden mango

The Haden mango is perhaps most people’s favorite and the most readily available and easy to find option. It is one of the largest varieties and has always been one of the most popular choices.

This mango is known to be sweet with an aroma and flavor that brings a tropical touch with some coconut and pineapple in the mix . If you like tropical fruits and sweets, you will really enjoy this type of mango.

White alfonso

This particular mango can sometimes be harder to find, but it has been described as the best mango around.

Again it tastes very tropical, but you also find hints of pine and coconut in the flavors to give you a well rounded palette that is irresistible. 

Praya Sowoy

If you want something that is not as sweet as the others, the Praya Sowoy mango can be a good choice.  The sweetness is slightly milder and the fruity flavor is also more subtle.

This mango has a hint of pine and floral and the sweetness is not as strong.

Royal special

The Royal Special handle is unique. It’s not as sweet as Praya Sowoy, but it adds a few hints of raspberry flavor that makes it tart and sweet like a berry, but also retains those floral and woody notes.

Malindi

The last type we want to describe here is the Malindi mango.

This variety takes all the notes from the others and wraps them up to bring you a sweet yet smooth taste, while also incorporating tropical, pine and floral flavors into a single, well-rounded flavor.

What you will find is that although there are different varieties, each one is sweet and tropical in its own way, with floral and piney undertones that really make them tasty.

Of course, that creamy texture also adds something to the fruit, which we’ll talk about later.

The flavor of all these types of mango comes from a compound known as furaneol.

This compound has an almost strawberry flavor and aroma and is also found in pineapples , where that slightly tropical or pineapple flavor or aroma comes from.

In addition, the mangoes are also 3-carene, which is where some of those woody tones come into play. This compound is known for the piney yet sweet notes it exhibits.

Between the two compounds, you get a hint of woody flavor with a lot of tropical base sweetness, making for a really great flavor combination.

The mango has become more and more popular as people realize how tasty it is.

Texture

Next, let’s talk about the texture of the mango. The texture of the handle is also unique. Before it matures, it is identified by having a hard shell and a fiber shell.

If you were to open a mango that is not quite ripe, you would see that the inside is also tough and fibrous and can be disappointing.

However, when the mango is ripe, the interior becomes very soft . The best comparison in this case is a peach-like texture.

The inside is smooth and creamy when you bite into it. Mangoes are known for that creamy texture that has just the right amount of juice.

Although even ripe mangoes are slightly fibrous, this won’t be a noticeable or unsightly appearance when you cut or bite into a ripe mango.

This can make it slightly stringy, but it also won’t be too noticeable or even primary texture when the mango is properly ripe for consumption.

You will see that when the mango is ripe, you can compare it to a peach, as mentioned above. The inside of the mango should be slightly soft and very smooth, and when you bite into it it feels creamy and almost silky.

Ripe mangoes are best described as creamy and juicy . Most of the time you can tell if a mango is ripe by smell, touch, and color. Remember that a green mango is most likely not ripe yet.

Smell

The smell is an important factor. Often, if you don’t like the smell of something, it’s very hard to force yourself to try it.

The good news is that the smell of mango is very similar to the taste of mango. Most mangoes have a tropical smell that will remind you of things like pineapple and coconut.

You will see that the tropical smell can be combined with floral nuances, as well as some woody notes that can give it a bit of a piney smell. Don’t wrinkle your nose yet.

Those floral and woody notes are just nuances, so they probably won’t be the defining scents, but more of a scent that you can slightly pick up.

If you take a look at the flavor descriptions, you will be able to easily relate the flavors and smells of the fruit.

If you really want to smell a mango and really understand its aromas, pick up a mango and smell it near the stem area. This is where the smell is strongest in the fruit.

The mango will smell both tropical and sweet, and that aroma is absolutely delicious to most. 

The mango will smell deliciously sweet and fruity at the same time. You will be able to notice hints of melon mixed with pineapple aroma and that is perhaps one of the best ways to describe the aroma itself.

However, keep in mind that even though it may have a slight melon aroma, it does not taste like melon.

The smell itself will almost always be sweet, because mangoes are naturally sweet fruits. If it doesn’t smell sweet, it may be a variety that isn’t quite as sweet or isn’t quite ripe yet.

How the preparation of a mango can change its flavor

Although the mangoes will maintain their overall flavor, there are certain ways to prepare or use them and this may adjust the flavors slightly.

For example, if you eat a mango raw, you’ll get all the sweetness and creaminess with the light woody and floral notes of the flavor combinations.

However, this could change if you mix the mango with something else on a plate. The handle can be easily adapted.

Some people even like to grill the mango, because it really brings out that woody tone without taking away from the sweetness. That hint of smokiness that you get from the grill or smoker makes something unique that is delicious.

Here are some common ways to use mango for cooking or flavoring.

• mango chicken
• Mango Sauce
• Mango Smoothie
• mango chutney
• mango daal 
• Thai mango salad
• grilled mango

Remember that many mangoes come from India, so it stands to reason that mangoes can be easily incorporated into cultural Indian dishes, such as daal or chutney.

You’ll see people also use it in margaritas and salads for its crunchy, sweet flavor.

Preparing the mango in these different ways can slightly alter the flavors, but for the most part, the mango will add to your dish in a sweet way.

In fact, cooking the mango will most likely intensify the flavors and sweetness of the mango. This is quite common. Mango also goes well with other things, including herbs.

Using the mango to make a sauce gives you a subtle touch of sweetness that can work well with heat, so a dish designed to be spicy will be sweet and spicy at the same time.

The handle is incredibly unique in this regard, as there are many things that cannot be paired like this to a good result.

Mango is incredibly unique, but it’s often used for flavors and sweet notes in any type of dish, so it’s something to keep in mind.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to understanding what mangos taste like a valuable and informative resource. Their flavors are unique, but you can always count on them being sweet.

We invite you to also take a look at the following section of questions and answers for additional information that you may find useful.

Does the mango taste like a peach?

Although some would tell you that mango tastes like peach mixed with something resembling lime, we don’t think that’s an accurate description.

The texture is similar to a peach, but the flavors are more like things like pineapple with a hint of lime or even citrus . Remember that it is very sweet with a woody and floral undertone.

Does the mango taste like pine?

If you have a sophisticated flavor palette, you may notice hints of pine or woody flavors in your mango.

Mangoes contain a compound that gives them a slight woody flavor, but it shouldn’t be the most prominent flavor you notice.

How can you combine mango with other foods?

Remember that mangoes are usually quite sweet. Try pairing them with foods that tend to be light in flavor or perhaps spicy.

Mangoes can enhance flavors or tone down heat due to their sweetness.

How should mangoes be stored?

We recommend storing mangoes at room temperature . If they are ripe, you can also keep them in the fridge so they last as long as possible. Lastly, you can also freeze mangoes to preserve them!