Seven years ago, I flew out to San Diego to visit my sister, who was living there at the time. I know we went to the beach and I’m sure we went swimming at their community pool because I have photographic proof, but most of the details of that particular trip are a little fuzzy.

Except for the fact that that was the trip on which I ate my first bite of mango salsa.

It was incredible. It had just enough spice (meaning it was probably one of the mildest salsas made), just enough vegetable chunks, and oh, those sweet pieces of mango were perfection.

I’m pretty sure I ate their entire jar with a box of Wheat Thins. (I’m such a considerate house guest!)

All of these years, I’ve been pining for that salsa again. I’ve had other mango salsas, but none of them measured up. They were either too spicy, too liquidy (am I sounding too Goldilocks-y?), or they skimped on the mango chunks.

It honestly never occurred to me to make my own…

until I went to the party thrown by The Mango Board when I was at BlogHer Food last month. They served a huge variety of some of the most delicious mango dishes I’d ever tasted and they had these tiny little pulled pork tacos with mango salsa, which were, of course, delicious.

But the best part of that party, is that as a thank you for attending, they sent us each a box of mangoes! And I knew the first thing I wanted to make was my own mango salsa.

I played around with a few different ingredients and textures and this is my favorite balance. I thought I’d want tomatoes in it, but found I liked the red peppers much better!