Vanilla Mango Preserves

This vanilla mango preserves recipe is a delicious tropical twist on your favorite fruity jam, and a fun way to spiffy up your morning toast, yogurt, or oatmeal. It’s easy to make in just 1 hour, and a great way to preserve mangos!

So apparently mangos are like zucchini. When they’re in season, anyone with a tree will do just about anything to use them up.

A friend and neighbor of ours dropped off two pretty big boxes of mangos in less than a week, knowing they’re one of my favorites. It was such a sweet gesture that left us eating mangos hand-over-fist, and yet we still weren’t able to keep up with those mangos.

In an effort to preserve them for later consumption, I made a double batch of my easy mango frozen yogurt and tucked it into the freezer. I also made my mango lassi poppy seed muffins and gifted them to the same neighbor when he popped by one evening (I don’t think that qualifies as re-gifting, does it? Lol. Maybe more like repurposing).

I did a few other things with those mangos and was actually sad to see the last mango of the group alone in the fridge. But not all that sad because I had whipped up these mango preserves to enjoy once the fresh mangos ran out!

Ingredients

• Ripe mangos – I used Champagne mangos (aka Ataulfo mangos), but if you have access to Alphonso mangos by all means use them.
• Sugar – Use granulated white sugar here.
• Water – To help create a jammy consistency.
• Salt – Salt is a natural flavor enhancer; it intensifies the ripe mango flavor.
• Fresh lemon juice – Adds acidity for balance, and helps the preserves set.
• Vanilla bean paste – Or the scrapings from 1 vanilla bean.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the mangos. Peel, pit, and coarsely chop the mangos.
2. Make the sugar syrup. Put the sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling until it reaches 270F.
3. Cook the mango. Stir in the chopped mango, bring back up to a boil, and continue cooking until it reaches 220F, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Turn the heat down as necessary so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom.)
4. Add the vanilla. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
5. Transfer to jars. Transfer the preserves to sterile jars; the jars should be preserved through canning or stored in the refrigerator.

Storage

Homemade mango preserves will keep for up to 1 month stored in a covered glass jar in the fridge.

What Do You Do With Mango Jam?

These preserves are fabulous on toast (tip: try them on buttered sourdough toast!), but are also pretty versatile. To name just a few ideas, you can use them to:

• Make grown-up pb&j.
• Top oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, or waffles, or fill crepes.
• Throw together a quick appetizer: top baguette slices with a slice of Manchego cheese or a schmear of mascarpone, a spoonful of these preserves, and a fresh sprig of mint.
• Fold into whipped cream to make mango fool.
• Spread between the layers of cake instead of frosting. Or serve this fruity sauce on top of angel food cake.

What’s your favorite way to use up fresh mangos in season?

Frequently Asked Questions

This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 10, 2016 and updated on June 1, 2025.