How to Cut a Mango (two easy ways!)

Cutting a mango can seem like a daunting task if you’ve never done it before, so here’s a step-by-step tutorial for how to cut a mango, and get the MOST fruit off the pit as possible! There are two EASY ways to cut AND peel a mango so you can enjoy this deliciously sweet fruit whenever you want.

Mango is a delicious and healthy tropical fruit, but if you don’t know how to peel and cut it, you may be missing out on one of the tastiest things nature has to offer!

In this post, I explain two ways to cut a mango. The first uses a pint glass to peel it, then it’s diced on a cutting board. The second uses a scoring technique to cube the mango while it’s still in the peel, then it’s inverted and the cubes are cut off. 

And I’ll also explain how to cut the thinner sides of the mango off, to get the most bang for your buck with very little waste!

Here we go.

Technique 1: Using a pint glass to peel a mango

Peeling a mango with a pint glass is probably the easiest and fastest way to do it. You’ll be AMAZED at how easily the peel is separated from the flesh of the mango!

The one downside to it is that it’s not a “clean” cut, meaning it will be a little mushy and stringy along where it was attached to the peel. This is fine if you are using it for smoothies or don’t care about how it looks, but it is a little less “pretty” than other ways of cutting a mango.

Step 1: Cut the sides (“cheeks”) of the mango off.

Using a sharp chef’s knife, stand the mango upright and slice the wider sides of the mango off. Mangos have a large, flat pit on the inside, so try and avoid it. If you feel like the knife is slicing into the pit and meeting some resistance, simply move it out a bit.

Step 2: Use a pint glass to peel the mango halves.

Align the bottom of one of the cheeks of mango right on the rim of the pint glass. Slide it down, and allow the mango to fall into the glass.

Fact: if you use a superhero pint glass to do this, you, too, will feel like a superhero while peeling the mango.

You’ll be left with a peel separated from the mango cheek!

Step 3: dice the mango.

Lay the mango piece on a cutting board and dice it, cutting first in one direction and then the other.

See what I mean by the mango being a bit mushier? Don’t worry, it’s still delicious!

All done! Now onto the next technique…

Technique 2: How to cut a mango in the peel

Dicing the mango in the peel will result in more beautiful, clean cuts. You’ll get gorgeous pieces of mango as a result, but it takes a little more time, patience, and knife finesse.

Step 1: Score the mango

After cutting the sides of the mango off, use a small, sharp knife to score the mango flesh in both directions. Carefully cut all the way to the peel, but not through it. Tip: I use this same technique to cut avocado, before using a spoon to remove it from the peel.

Step 3: Invert the peel.

Use your hands to push the center of the peel from behind, to invert it. The cubes of mango will separate out, making them easily accessible.

Step 3: Cut off the cubes

Use a small paring knife to cut the cubes off of the mango peel, as close to the peel as you can.

Done! See how pretty this diced mango is?

How to cut the smaller sides of the mango

There’s still a lot of good mango left on the pit at this point. Other tutorials stop short of explaining how to get it off, but not me. Not a lot makes me more upset than wasting food, ESPECIALLY something as delicious as mango!

Step 1: Cut the thin sides off.

Use a sharp knife and again be careful to avoid the pit. 

Step 2: Cut the peel off.

Lay the mango slice on a cutting board and use a paring knife to carefully separate the peel from the flesh. It will be easy to do, since it’s not as rounded as the other sides were.

Step 3: Dice the strips of mango.

You’ll be left with two thin strips of mango, which can be sliced into cubes.

FAQs:

• What about what’s left on the pit still? It’s a sad story, but it’s impossible to get ALL the mango off the pit. It’s not like a peach, where the fruit separates from the pit easily. I’ve been known to get in there and eat the mango right off the pit as much as I can before tossing it. I highly recommend it.
• How much does one mango yield? A smaller mango may only yield 1/2 a cup to 1 cup. A larger one, like the JUMBO one I used, may yield up to two cups. It all depends on the size.
• What’s the best knife to use? I recommend using a chef’s knife for the big cuts and a paring knife for the smaller cuts. I used this paring knife and this chef’s knife, both J.A. Henckles brand.

Recipes with mango:

• The BEST Mango Salsa
• Mango Quinoa Salad
• Mango Chicken Curry (from Simply Recipes)

Did you try either of these mango cutting techniques? Please comment below and Rate this Recipe!