Mango Sauce - A Sweet, Healthy Dessert Topping

A simple, sweet mango sauce recipe made with only 4 ingredients. The healthiest, versatile sauce or French coulis that doesn't require cooking plus, the sweeter the mango, the less sugar is needed.

Simple Mango Sauce for Dessert

This healthy mango sauce recipe contains only 4 ingredients: ripe sweet mango, little sugar, vanilla and freshly squeezed orange or lime. Not much sugar is necessary, particularly with the sweetest mangos - plus the vanilla helps sweeten it naturally.

It's hard to believe that all that sauce can be made with just one mango. But to prove how much pulp we can get from one big juicy fruit, I weighed it in at a whopping 345 grams (12oz or ¾ lb!).

What Brings out the Flavour of Mango?

To enhance the flavour of mango, use citrus. What's more, citrus fruits are in full season at the same time of fresh mangos, so it's nature's way of telling us they are meant to go together!

Squeeze a little fresh orange juice to bring out its flavour. In this recipe I use orange but lemons and limes work just as well. Like in tropical countries, vanilla is also used, so to sweeten the sauce, add a little vanilla powder or extract. Conversely, a little salt is a flavour enhancer although this is up to your own taste.

Another flavour mango mixer is passion fruit - try them together in these passion fruit mango creams.

On the other hand, be careful not to add too much sugar, as this will mask its flavour.

Sweet Mango Sauce - Sweetest Varieties

I tasted my first ever mango when I was growing up in Scotland (I know, right? As far from its native tropical trees as possible!). We picked an unripe deep green one that, when opened up, revealed a pale light yellow flesh but was so hard, we needed a bread knife and chisel! It would have been better in savoury dishes with tons of spice. Needless to say, I thought I didn't like them for years until I discovered the ripe, juicy, sweet ones at a market in Thailand. From then on, I buy them at the markets in France with a bit more confidence!

Use a ripe, juicy mango that are on the sweeter side such as the vibrant yellow-orange Alphonso or Thai sweet green mango (the only green that's sweet). According to the Guinness Book of Records in 1995, the Carabao Mango is the sweetest mango in the world. Correction. It's the sweetest fruit in the world.

How to Make Mango Sauce

First cut the mango away from the stone, peel and cut roughly into chunks.

Place in a mixer together with the sugar, orange juice and vanilla and blend until smooth. Alternatively, place in a bowl and blend using a hand mixer.

Taste and add more sugar if needed, as it's best to add sparingly. You may need no sugar at all, if your mango is particularly sweet and juicy.

If using frozen mango, then follow the instructions below but cook gently in a saucepan to thaw for about 10 minutes - just like for this cherry sauce.

Can I Freeze Mango Sauce?

As this is basically a purée, mango sauce freezes well for up to 3 months. The sauce can keep chilled in the fridge for 2-3 days, covered.

Even better, it's a shortcut to making this mango cream dessert. Just add whipped cream and coconut milk and you have a quick, healthy dessert in no time!

How to Serve and What Pairs Well

Mainly for dessert, we love this mango coulis poured as a topping on all kinds of sweets. As it pairs with all sorts of flavours (coconut, citrus, tropical fruits, vanilla), here are a few serving ideas:

• On orange cheesecake - it pairs so well. Serve the extra on the side - all from the one mango!
• On French toast (pain perdu): normally served as a dessert in France, add a little tropical sunshine.
• Like apple compote (apple sauce), add this mango sauce in bhealthy banana oat muffins and cakes - even a bit of tropical to coconut macaroons.
• On top of French rice pudding or semolina pudding (gâteau de semoule)
• To continue on the vegan theme, serve with almond milk rice pudding.