Easy Mango Lassi Recipe

I created this mango lassi recipe originally as a sponsored post. This Indian mango milkshake of sorts is so tasty that it is a regular breakfast for me.

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Why You’ll Love It

This mango pulp smoothie tastes fantastic, and I find it is as delicious for breakfast as it is for a snack or dessert.

This delightful concoction hails from India, where it’s cherished as a go-to treat to beat the scorching heat. With its creamy texture, sweet mango flavor, and subtle hints of cardamom, mango lassi has become a beloved drink around the world.

Mango lassi is one of my favorite things with its slight sweetness and the gentle tang of cardamom. The whipped texture satisfies me, and it complements the spicy foods I enjoy perfectly.

You know I’m blending a batch the next time I make my chicken curry!

Best of all, this is a recipe so simple my kids can make it themselves (providing I monitor the knife usage or they use mostly defrosted frozen mango).

What Do Mangoes Taste Like?

If you’ve never tried a mango before, you’re in for a treat. Mangoes taste like a burst of sunshine in your mouth and unlike any other fruit.

They are incredibly sweet, juicy, and have a tropical, floral flavor with hints of peach, apricot, and citrus. The taste of mango is both refreshing and addictive, making it one of my favorite fruits.

What Is an Indian Mango?

Depending on where you live, you may or may not have access to Indian mangoes in the grocery store. Alphonso and Kesar are the most common (and tasty) versions that you’ll likely spot.

They are renowned for their unrivaled sweetness, vibrant colors, and unique flavors. Their availability is eagerly awaited during the summer months.

You can use Indian mangoes for this mango pulp smoothie or you can use any ripe variety you find in your grocery store.

Is This a Breakfast or Dessert?

The beauty of mango lassi lies in its versatility. It can be both a refreshing breakfast option and a delightful dessert as well as a tasty snack.

As a breakfast drink, mango lassi provides a nourishing start to your day, packed with vitamins from the mango and the protein goodness of yogurt. On the other hand, as a dessert, mango lassi serves as a cooling and satisfying way to round off a spicy meal.

Don’t Use Canned Mango Puree

While the convenience of canned mango puree may seem tempting, it’s essential to use fresh, ripe mangoes for an authentic mango lassi experience. Fresh mangoes bring out the natural sweetness and flavors that canned puree simply can’t match.

In addition, mango puree makes for a thin lassi, and most canned mango puree is already sweetened, so it throws off the balance of the ingredients and becomes cloyingly sweet.

Can you use Frozen Mango?

You can absolutely substitute frozen mango for fresh mango in this recipe. Be sure to let the mango thaw before you blend it, however.

If you try to blend it frozen, you end up either with mango chunks in what should be a smooth and creamy Indian mango milkshake of sorts or the yogurt falls apart from being blended too much.

Fresh mango does has a vibrancy and fresh taste that frozen mango lacks, but if you cannot find fresh mango, frozen mango is better than no mango. It’s also easier for kids since the mango comes already cut into chunks.

Be sure to check your frozen mango to ensure that it has only mango as an ingredient. Some frozen mango adds sugar to mask that lack of flavor, but that doesn’t work in this recipe.

Why You Need to Use Plain Yogurt Instead of Vanilla

Plain yogurt is the key to a perfectly balanced mango lassi. Using vanilla yogurt may overpower the delicate mango flavor, while plain yogurt allows the mango’s natural sweetness to shine.

The tangy notes of plain yogurt beautifully complement the sweetness of the mango, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.

Vanilla yogurt also tends to be less firm than plain yogurt, so the end texture is somewhat different, as well.

What You Can Use in Place of Cow’s Milk

If you’re looking for dairy-free alternatives, my favorite substitute is coconut milk, and for once, I don’t mean the kind in the can.

You can also use almond milk, oat milk, or any plant-based milk of your choice. Each alternative will give the lassi a unique twist and cater to various dietary preferences.

Similarly, you can use a coconut-based yogurt or other vegan yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt.

How to Prepare a Mango

Getting all the flesh off a fresh mango is not as hard as you may initially think.

Wash the mango thoroughly under running water. From here, you have to choices:

This is my favorite way, as I feel like I waste less of the flesh:

Use a vegetable peeler to remove all the skin from the mango. I love this Y-peeler because it is less likely to slip, and it quickly and easily grabs the mango flesh (and carrots and potatoes and…) time after time.

With a sharp knife, carefully cut the mango flesh away from the pit on either side, being watchful of your fingers.

Use the knife to gently remove the mango remaining around the pit on the sides you did not cut the first time.

Place the mango flesh flat side down on a cutting board, and chop it into cubes.

Alternatively, you can treat it more like an avocado:

Use a sharp knife to carefully slice off the flesh from both sides of the mango pit. Score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern and gently push the skin side to turn it inside out.

Cut off the mango cubes or use a spoon to scoop out the mango pulp. When I do this, I find that the mango tends to want to either squish into juice or stay attached to the skin, and I don’t like feeling like I wasted the mango.

If you have more mango than you need for your lassi, use it to make my favorite mango custard. It’s a no bake dessert that’s super simple to make and is another light and refreshing dessert.

Mango Lassi Ingredients

To make this, you need:

• Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a tangy kick to the lassi. If you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, regular plain yogurt can work as a substitute.
• Mango: Use ripe and juicy mangoes for the best flavor. Indian mango varieties like Alphonso or Kesar work exceptionally well, but any sweet and flavorful mango will do.
• Milk: Milk provides the necessary liquid base for the lassi. If you prefer a vegan version, you can use almond milk or coconut milk for a delightful twist. The same holds true for the yogurt.
• Honey: Honey adds natural sweetness to the lassi without making it too sweet since you use just a bit.
• Cardamom: A pinch of ground cardamom elevates the flavor profile with its aromatic touch. It’s optional but highly recommended. Just keep in mind that a little goes a long way.

How to Make Fresh Mango Lassi

For a single serving, I use one large mango that gives me about a cup of fruit. This recipe easily doubles or triples, depending on how many hungry mouths you have to feed.

Chop your mango into approximately one inch cubes. Add them to your blender.

Add the yogurt and milk. Top with honey and cardamom. Pulse for 20 seconds, then blend until well combined. Serve immediately.

Yes, mango lassi is truly that simple. In fact, it’s so simple that my kids have now experimented with making strawberry lassi and pineapple lassi – both of which are pretty tasty, though not quite the same as my favorite mango lassi!

Bookmark this mango lassi recipe to make again!

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