Avocado Mango Salad with Arugula, Pine Nuts, and Honey-Lime Dressing
By Ethan Parker
Dinner is 15 minutes away with this avocado mango salad. Ripe mango, creamy avocado, peppery arugula, and toasted pine nuts are tossed in a bright honey-lime dressing for a colorful side, lunch, or light snack that needs very little prep.
The salad uses five main ingredients: arugula, diced mango, avocado, thinly sliced red onion, and toasted pine nuts. Lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and honey make the dressing, which coats the greens without requiring a blender or separate cooking pan. Use ripe mango so its sweet, soft pieces balance the sharp arugula and onion.
The dressing is ready when the lime juice, oil, and honey look emulsified after whisking. Toss the arugula and fruit gently so the avocado stays in visible pieces rather than turning mushy. The main timing issue is adding avocado and dressing too early: avocado can brown, while dressed arugula can wilt before the salad reaches the table.
Serve it alongside grilled meats or seafood, or add cooked shrimp, rotisserie chicken, or sliced cooked steak to make it more substantial. For leftovers, refrigerate the salad and dressing separately for up to two days. Keep extra pine nuts separate when possible so they retain their toasted texture.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Gets dinner or a side dish on the table in 15 minutes because the only active tasks are whisking dressing and cutting the fruit.
- Uses a short grocery list of arugula, mango, avocado, onion, pine nuts, and three dressing staples, so weeknight shopping stays straightforward.
- Requires no special equipment because a fork and bowl or mason jar emulsify the honey-lime dressing without a blender or processor.
- Keeps cleanup light since the dressing mixes in one vessel and the finished salad comes together directly in a large serving bowl.
- Works beyond a side salad because cooked shrimp, rotisserie chicken, salmon, or steak strips can turn the same base into a fuller meal.
- Offers make-ahead flexibility when the dressing is stored separately, helping the arugula stay fresh and the avocado look better until serving.
Ingredients
- •3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- •0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
- •2 tbsp honey
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
- •5 oz arugula
- •1 ripe mango (peeled, pit removed, diced into bite-sized pieces)
- •1 avocado (peeled, cored, and diced)
- •0.25 cup red onions (thinly sliced)
- •0.33 cup pine nuts (toasted)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the pine nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 5 minutes, until rich golden in color, watching carefully so they do not burn.
- 2
In a medium high-sided bowl or mason jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil, and honey. Whisk with a fork until emulsified.
- 3
In a large serving bowl, combine the arugula, diced mango, diced avocado, and red onions.
- 4
Drizzle with the salad dressing, using only as much as needed, and toss to combine. Top with pine nuts and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
354
Protein
4g
Fat
29g
Carbs
25g
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