Mango Lassi

Mango lassi is a popular mango yogurt smoothie from India and is popularly served in Indian restaurants. Lassi is a very famous Indian sweet yogurt smoothie mixed with spices like cardamom powder, almonds, pistachio and saffron for garnishing.

Different flavors of lassi are made by adding flavors of ripe fruits such as strawberry and mango. It is delicious, filling, and healthy with all the right ingredients. Mango lassi is sweet and slightly tangy in taste. It is a gluten-free, kid-friendly drink that complements an Indian breakfast or an Indian meal.

You can effortlessly make the best mango lassi at home with the right ingredients and you will be surprised how easy and delicious it is!

Ingredients

The mango lassi recipe can be made with fresh mangoes or with mango pulp. Fresh Alphonso mangoes or any other seasonal ripe mangoes can be used to make mango lassi.

If you want a consistent taste, it is best to use mango pulp and Alphonso mango pulp will give the authentic taste. Canned mango pulp is easily available in Indian grocery stores.

You will also need yogurt, sugar, or a sweetener of your choice like stevia, Agave nectar, or maple syrup. In this recipe, I am using fresh mangoes and homemade yogurt made in Instant Pot. Water is added for getting the right consistency. You can add a few ice cubes while serving to enjoy it chilled.

A few saffron strands and cardamom powder are used for enhancing flavor and for garnishing. Optionally some chopped almonds and pistachio can also be used for garnishing.

Instructions

To make a delicious mango lassi, ensure that mangoes are ripe and sweet. Wash, peel, and chop the mangoes into chunks or cubes.

It is extremely easy to make mango lassi at home using Vitamix or another high-speed blender. Blend the cubed mango pieces, yogurt, chilled water, and sugar or sweetener together into a smooth puree.

In Vitamix, you can use the smoothie setting, if available, or start from low and gradually increase to high and continue blending on high speed for about 30 seconds.

The consistency should be thick but also flow smoothly when poured for serving. Adjust the sweetness and thickness as per your liking by adding sugar and or water.

Substitutions

I have used fresh mangoes for making an authentic mango lassi. You can also use canned mango pulp instead. To make mango lassi with mango pulp substitute the mangoes with one cup of mango pulp.

Instead of plain whole milk yogurt, Greek yogurt can also be used. You will end up adding a little more water to get the right consistency.

Variations

You can add a scoop of mango ice cream or mango kulfi to make a delightful dessert mango mastani.

You can skip any of the spices and not add any cardamom powder, nuts, or saffron strands.

To make plain lassi, skip the mangoes or the mango pulp and you can make an authentic plain lassi.

Dairy-free or vegan mango lassi can be made easily by substituting dairy yogurt with almond milk yogurt or coconut yogurt.

Serving suggestions

Mango lassi is best served chilled in glass or mason jars. While serving garnish it with some saffron strands and cardamom powder. We also like to use the reusable stainless steel straws.

You can add some chopped mango chunks to the drink. You can also add a scoop of mango ice cream or mango kulfi to take the experience to the next level.

Mango lassi is an Indian drink that complements any Indian meal and can be enjoyed in hot summer days.

Equipment

Mango lassi can be made in any high-speed blender like Vitamix to get a fine smoothie texture. If you are using mango pulp, you can even use an immersion hand blender to blend everything well.

Storage

Mango lassi can last in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for 3-4 days.

For more fruit recipes check out this round-up blog for fresh fruit summer recipes.