Description
This authentic mango lassi recipe is a creamy, refreshing Indian yogurt drink made with ripe mangoes, yogurt, milk, and cardamom. Ready in just 5 minutes, it’s the perfect cooling beverage for summer or alongside spicy Indian food!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups ripe mango chunks (fresh, frozen, or canned mango pulp)
- 1 cup plain yogurt (Greek yogurt for thick lassi, regular for thinner consistency)
- ½ cup whole milk (or dairy-free milk)
- 2–3 tablespoons honey or sugar (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4–5 ice cubes (optional, for extra cold and thick lassi)
- Pinch of saffron threads (optional, for garnish and flavor)
- 2–3 drops rose water (optional, for authentic floral notes)
Instructions
- Prepare the Mangoes: If using fresh mangoes, peel and cut them into chunks, discarding the pit. You should have about 2 cups of mango chunks. If using frozen mango, you can use it directly from the freezer (though letting it thaw for 5-10 minutes makes blending easier on your blender). If using canned mango pulp, measure out about 1 cup.
- Add Ingredients to Blender: Place the mango chunks, yogurt, milk, honey (or sugar), and ground cardamom into your blender. If you’re using ice cubes for an extra-cold, thick lassi, add them now. If using rose water or saffron, add those as well.
- Blend Until Smooth: Blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds until completely smooth and creamy. The mixture should be uniform with no chunks of mango remaining. If your blender struggles, stop and scrape down the sides, then continue blending. The lassi should be thick but pourable—like a thin milkshake consistency.
- Taste and Adjust: This is important! Taste your lassi and adjust as needed. If it’s too tart, add more honey. If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk. If it’s too thin, add a bit more yogurt or a few ice cubes and blend again. If the mango flavor isn’t strong enough, add a bit more mango. The sweetness needed varies greatly depending on your mango’s ripeness.
- Check Consistency: The ideal mango lassi should coat the back of a spoon but still be drinkable. If it’s too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add more yogurt or frozen mango.
- Serve Immediately: Pour the lassi into tall glasses. For a beautiful presentation, you can reserve a small amount of mango and blend it separately, then swirl it into the lassi for a marbled effect. Garnish with a sprinkle of ground cardamom, a few saffron threads, or fresh mint leaves if desired.
- Enjoy Cold: Mango lassi is best enjoyed immediately while it’s cold and freshly blended. Serve with a straw or spoon depending on thickness!
Notes
- Mango Ripeness: The riper and sweeter your mangoes, the less sweetener you’ll need. Under-ripe mangoes will require more honey/sugar and won’t have as much flavor.
- Consistency Control: For thicker lassi (more like a smoothie bowl), use Greek yogurt and less milk. For thinner, more drinkable lassi, use regular yogurt and more milk.
- Dairy-Free Option: Replace yogurt with coconut yogurt or cashew yogurt, and use coconut milk or almond milk instead of dairy milk.
- Cardamom Strength: Start with ¼ teaspoon of cardamom and add more if desired. Too much can be overpowering.
- Blending Hot Tip: If your blender has trouble with frozen mango, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes first, or add an extra splash of milk to help things move.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (1/2 of recipe)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg