Prawn Mango Avocado Salad

Sweet juicy mango chunks nestled alongside buttery avocado and plump, tender prawns create a salad that's as visually stunning as it is delicious. This vibrant dish brings together the perfect balance of flavors and textures—succulent seafood, tropical fruit sweetness, creamy avocado richness, and bright, zingy dressing. The addition of fresh herbs and crunchy peanuts elevates this from a simple salad to a memorable meal that tastes like sunshine on a plate.

I discovered this recipe during a particularly hot summer when turning on the oven felt unbearable. The first time I served it to friends, everyone fell silent for a moment before erupting in praise. My neighbor, who typically avoids seafood, asked for seconds and then requested the recipe. What makes this salad special is how the sweet mango highlights the natural sweetness of the prawns while the zesty dressing ties everything together. Now it's become my signature dish for summer gatherings—elegant enough for special occasions but simple enough for weeknight meals.

Fresh Vibrant Ingredients

• Prawns: Provide the delicate seafood foundation—look for plump, pink prawns that have been sustainably sourced for the best flavor and texture
• Ripe Mango: Delivers tropical sweetness and vibrant color—choose mangoes that yield slightly to gentle pressure for perfect ripeness
• Avocado: Contributes creamy richness and buttery mouthfeel—select fruit that feels heavy for its size with slight give when pressed
• Cucumber: Adds refreshing crunch and coolness—English or Persian varieties offer the best flavor and fewer seeds
• Fresh Herbs: Coriander and mint bring aromatic brightness—their fragrance transforms the salad from good to extraordinary
• Red Onion: Provides sharp contrast to the sweet elements—soaking sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes mellows its intensity
• Crunchy Peanuts: Create textural interest and nutty depth—toasting them briefly enhances their flavor profile
• Asian-Inspired Dressing: Balances all elements with its perfect harmony of sour, salty, sweet and umami notes

Simple Assembly

Prepare The Seafood

If using frozen prawns, thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight. For pre-cooked prawns, simply rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If cooking raw prawns, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add prawns, and cook just until they turn pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Plunge immediately into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Create Perfect Mango Cubes

Select a ripe mango that yields slightly to gentle pressure. Stand it on end and slice down along each side of the flat pit. Score the flesh in a grid pattern without cutting through the skin, then turn the skin inside out to expose the cubes. Slice them away from the skin into a bowl, capturing any sweet juice that escapes.

Prepare The Avocado

Choose a perfectly ripe avocado that gives slightly when pressed. Cut around the circumference, twist to separate halves, and remove the pit. Score the flesh into cubes while still in the skin, then scoop out with a large spoon. Immediately toss with a splash of the lime juice to prevent browning.

Assemble The Base

In a large bowl, gently combine the prawns, mango chunks, avocado pieces, thinly sliced cucumber, and red onion. Use a light touch when mixing to keep the avocado and mango pieces intact. Their delicate texture is part of what makes this salad special.

Add Fresh Herbs

Tear the coriander and mint leaves rather than chopping them to prevent bruising. Add them to the salad along with thinly sliced red chili if using. The herbs should be treated as a main ingredient rather than merely a garnish—their flavor is essential to the salad's character.

Create The Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together fresh lime juice, fish sauce, rice vinegar, a teaspoon of sugar, and sesame oil until the sugar completely dissolves. The dressing should taste bright, tangy, and slightly sweet with savory umami notes from the fish sauce.

Combine With Care

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently with your hands or two large spoons. Coat all ingredients evenly with the dressing, being careful not to mash the avocado or break up the prawns. The goal is to maintain the integrity of each component.

Finish With Texture

Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped roasted peanuts over the top of the salad. This last-minute addition ensures they maintain their crunch, providing textural contrast to the soft prawns, mango, and avocado. A few extra herb leaves on top make for a beautiful presentation.

Save

I first created this salad after returning from a trip to Thailand, where I fell in love with the beautiful balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors in their cuisine. What makes this recipe special is how it captures that vibrant flavor profile while being incredibly simple to prepare. The combination of textures—from the meaty prawns to the soft mango and avocado to the crunchy peanuts—creates an eating experience that's far more interesting than most salads. My daughter, who's typically suspicious of 'mixed foods,' devours this without complaint and has even started requesting it for her birthday dinners.

Serving Suggestions

This versatile salad works beautifully in multiple settings, from casual lunches to elegant dinners. Serve in a large shallow bowl for a stunning family-style presentation, allowing the vibrant colors to shine. For a more elegant appetizer, create individual portions in glass tumblers or martini glasses, creating visible layers of the colorful ingredients. On hot summer days, chill the serving plates in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before plating to keep the salad refreshing longer. For a more substantial meal, serve alongside warm naan bread or a small portion of jasmine rice to soak up the delicious dressing.

Creative Variations

Adapt this versatile salad to create new flavor experiences while maintaining its refreshing character. Tropical twist incorporates fresh pineapple chunks and toasted coconut flakes for an even more pronounced island flavor profile. Sesame seared version uses raw prawns quickly seared with sesame seeds before cooling and adding to the salad for a more complex flavor dimension. Mexican-inspired adaptation substitutes cilantro for mint, adds charred corn kernels, and uses a lime-cumin dressing instead of the Asian flavors. For vegetarian guests, replace prawns with crispy seasoned tofu cubes or double the avocado for a satisfying plant-based alternative that maintains the salad's textural interest.

Make-Ahead Tips

Maximize your entertaining ease with strategic preparation that maintains the salad's fresh appeal. Prepare prawns up to one day ahead, storing them covered in the refrigerator—they'll absorb more flavor if tossed with a small amount of the dressing while storing. Mix the dressing up to three days in advance, keeping it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for the flavors to develop. Chop peanuts and slice onions the morning before serving, storing them in separate containers at room temperature and in the refrigerator, respectively. For ultimate freshness, wait until just before serving to cut the mango, avocado, and cucumber, and to add the herbs and dressing. If absolutely necessary to prepare further ahead, squeeze additional lime juice over the avocado and cover the assembled salad with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface.

Save

This prawn mango avocado salad has become my reliable solution for those occasions when I need something impressive yet genuinely simple. What I love most is how it showcases the natural flavors of each ingredient while transforming them into something greater than the sum of their parts. The combination of sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy elements creates a dish that feels both refreshing and satisfying. Whether I'm serving it on a hot summer evening with a glass of crisp white wine or packing it for a special lunch, this salad consistently delights both the eyes and the palate with its vibrant colors and balanced flavors.

Common Questions About Cooking

→ Can I use frozen prawns for this salad?

Yes, frozen prawns work perfectly! Just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry before adding to the salad. For best flavor, consider quickly sautéing them with a bit of garlic and oil after thawing.

→ What can I substitute for fish sauce?

If you don't have fish sauce or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with soy sauce or coconut aminos plus a small pinch of salt. The flavor profile will be slightly different but still delicious.

→ How far in advance can I prepare this salad?

You can prepare most components up to 24 hours ahead. Keep the dressing separate and add the avocado and herbs just before serving to prevent browning and wilting. Combine everything when you're ready to serve.

→ What can I serve with this salad?

This versatile salad can be served as a light main course on its own, or paired with coconut rice, crusty bread, or rice paper rolls for a more substantial meal. It also works well as part of a larger Asian-inspired feast.

→ Can I make this salad vegetarian or vegan?

Yes! For a vegetarian version, replace the prawns with pan-fried tofu or tempeh. For a vegan version, also substitute the fish sauce with soy sauce or coconut aminos, and add a touch of seaweed or miso for that umami flavor.

→ How can I tell if a mango is ripe?

A ripe mango will give slightly when gently squeezed, similar to an avocado. It should have a sweet, fruity smell at the stem end and may have some color changes to red, yellow, or orange depending on the variety. Avoid mangoes that are too soft or have wrinkled skin.