A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit spicy, and a little bit sour, this mango dressing can make the most basic salad feel tropical, carefree, and worthy of tropical umbrella embellished cocktails.

Not only is this mango-lime dressing delicious, it's as simple as tossing all the ingredients in a blender and flipping the switch.
As is the case with all salad dressings, think of the recipe as a guideline, not something that needs to be followed exactly.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Vinaigrette
- A jalapeño gives this mango dressing a delicious kick!
- Fresh mango, or thawed frozen mango pieces
- Yogurt, plain or vanilla flavored
- Unseasoned rice vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- Fresh cilantro
- A small shallot
- Fresh lime juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh ginger
- Salt and pepper
Additions and Substitutions
- Instead of a jalapeño, use any other pepper, dried or fresh. Just know the heat level of the pepper you're using and use whatever amount you like to achieve the right amount of kick. A small red Thai chili or just a pinch of crushed red pepper would be fabulous in there.
- Leave the pepper out altogether. For mild mango dressing without any heat, just leave the jalapeño out.
- Use plain, unsweetened yogurt instead OR sweetened vanilla. Sweetened vanilla yogurt adds a bit of sweetness to this dressing and the vanilla has a softening effect on the sharp flavors of lime and jalapeño. But, using sweetened yogurt can result in mango dressing that's too sweet for some people, especially if your mangos are extra ripe and sweet. For more control over the sweetness of this mango vinaigrette, use plain, unsweetened yogurt and then add a bit of vanilla and honey if you like.
- Instead of unseasoned rice vinegar, use any kind of white vinegar. Choose a vinegar that's on the mild side to let the other flavors in this dressing shine. White wine vinegar, white balsamic, and champagne vinegar, all work beautifully in this dressing. I have also used roasted garlic-infused rice vinegar in this dressing and it was delicious.
How to Adapt this Recipe to Your Taste and Preferences
When a recipe calls for an ingredient "to taste", I recommend starting with a small amount and adjusting upward, tasting as you go, until it's the right amount for you. In this recipe, the ingredients that should be added "to taste" are jalapeño, ginger, salt, pepper, cilantro, and lime.
Start with small amounts of each, blend it up, taste it and add as much more of anything you like until it tastes great to you. There are no right answers here except whether you like it or not.
Salads that Include Mango-Lime Dressing:
Other Recipes You Might Like:
- Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- Classic Vinaigrette with Several Variations
- Crispy Coconut Lime Chicken
- Tequila Lime Vegan Cauliflower Tacos
- Israeli Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.
📖 Recipe
Mango Dressing with Yogurt and Lime
A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit spicy, and a little bit sour, this mango lime dressing can make the most basic salad feel tropical, care free, and worthy of tropical umbrella embellished cocktails.
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 cups (approximately) chopped fresh mango, or thawed frozen mango pieces
- 2 tablespoon full-fat vanilla yogurt (*See note)
- ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar (*See note)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped shallot
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice (more to taste)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 - 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove stem from jalapeño, cut it in half and remove all the seeds. Roughly chop one half of the jalapeño and add it to a blender.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the blender and process until smooth and creamy.
- Taste the mango dressing. If you want it to be a bit sweeter, add a teaspoon or two of honey. If you want it to have a bit more heat, add the other half of the jalapeño. Also add more lime, ginger, salt, and/or pepper if you like, blending and tasting after each addition.
- Pour the dressing into a jar or covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Yogurt Options: You can also use plain, unsweetened yogurt and a couple of teaspoons of honey. Vanilla has a softening effect on the sharp flavors in the dressing, so add a drop or two of vanilla extract if you like.
- Vinegar options: If you don't have unseasoned rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, white balsamic, or champagne vinegar also works well in this dressing. Recently, I made this dressing with roasted garlic-infused rice vinegar, which was also delicious.
- Pepper Options: You can replace the jalapeño with any other kind of chili or pepper you like fresh or dried and crushed.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
¼ cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 1g
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