Mango Lassi is a popular Indian drink made with ripe mango, milk, yogurt, and sugar, and flavored with cardamom and saffron. It is creamy, sweet, refreshing, and a favorite at Indian restaurants. This restaurant-style mango lassi recipe is easy to make at home in a blender with just 5 main ingredients in 10 minutes.
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email below and I'll send it to your inbox! Plus you’ll get delicious new recipes from me!
Mango lassi is a popular drink at every Indian restaurant. It is sweet and soothing and the perfect drink to balance the spices in Indian food.
You can make an even better and more authentic Mango lassi recipe at home in 10 minutes with a few simple ingredients !! It turns out creamy and so delicious that you dont have to wait to visit the restaurant.
It's one of my family's favorites and I often make it at home, especially during the summers when fresh sweet mangoes are in season or with canned mango pulp all year round.
If you love mangoes, you need to give this recipe a try. Here are a few other favorite mango recipes to try - Mango cake, Mango Shrikhand, and super easy and delicious Mango Kulfi
Jump to:
What is Mango Lassi?
Lassi is a yogurt-based drink that originated in the Punjab region of India. Traditionally lassi was made by handblending yogurt with water and salt/sugar. Nowadays, it's easy to make lassi using a blender and get the same results.
The two most popular categories of lassi are sweet lassi, sweetened with sugar, and salty lassi which has salt and other spices.
Mango lassi is a delicious variation of the traditional sweet lassi. It's a perfect combination of sweet mango flavor and tangy yogurt. Think of it as an Indian Mango Smoothie.
This Indian Mango drink is thick, sweet, creamy, delicious, and refreshing! It is a popular beverage, especially during the summer months and most Indian restaurants worldwide serve it all year round.
To make homemade Mango lassi, just blend yogurt, milk, and mango pulp from fresh mangoes, frozen mangoes, or canned mango puree. Sweeten it with sugar, and flavor with cardamom, and saffron. It's that easy!!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Quick and Easy to Make: Mango lassi is easy to prepare with just a few simple ingredients and a blender. It's a quick and hassle-free recipe.
Refreshing: Mango lassi has a deliciously tropical and refreshing flavor, making it perfect for hot summer days.
Creamy and Smooth Texture: The ratio and combination of ripe mangoes, yogurt, and milk make an incredibly delicious, creamy, and smooth texture. You can easily scale the recipe using the ratio to cater to large groups or parties.
Customizable: You can easily customize this lassi recipe according to your taste preferences. Adjust the sweetness, thickness, and spices like cardamom for extra flavor. You can use fresh ripe mangoes, canned mango pulp, or frozen mangoes and enjoy the lassi all year round.
Healthy and Nutritious: Mango lassi is not only delicious but also nutritious. Mangoes are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, while yogurt provides probiotics and protein.
Recipe Ingredients
Mango - Fresh, sweet, and ripe Alphonso mangoes or kesar mangoes are the best for lassi. They are available at Indian grocery stores when in season or you can buy the canned mango puree. The next best option for those in the United States is Ataulfo mangoes (Honey or champagne mangoes). You can also use frozen mangoes but use it along with canned mango pulp to maximize the mango flavor.
Yogurt - I prefer using plain whole-milk yogurt that is not too sour. You can also use homemade or store-bought yogurt. If you dont prefer full fat, use low-fat yogurt, greek yogurt (for thicker lassi), or almond milk yogurt to keep it vegan.
Milk - I use milk to thin out the lassi consistency and still keep the lassi creamy. You can use water too. Whole milk, low-fat, 2% milk, or even Almond milk (vegan option) can be used.
Sugar - Traditionally white granulated sugar is used to sweeten the lassi. Adjust the quantity of sugar according to taste preference, and depending on the sweetness of your mangoes and tangy yogurt. You can also use condensed milk, powdered sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup, or jaggery powder. These substitutes will alter the lassi taste slightly.
Flavors - A pinch of ground cardamom and saffron works best with this lassi. Little goes a long way. You can also use a dash of rosewater and pinch of salt for more flavor.
Garnish - This is completely optional but I love to garnish the lassi with some dry fruits (pistachios and almonds), saffron, and dry rose petals. Skip if you prefer your lassi smooth
* Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements of ingredients.
Best Mangoes for Lassi
The best mangoes for mango lassi are typically those that are sweet, and juicy, have a vibrant mango flavor, and have less fiber (strings). Here are some popular varieties of mangoes that give mango lassi that restaurant-like taste :
- Alphonso Mangoes: these are also known as the "King of Mangoes," for all the right reasons. Alphonso mangoes are sweet, rich in flavor, and have a smooth, creamy texture.
- Kesar Mangoes: Kesar mango is another popular variety known for their sweet, saffron-like flavor and smooth, non-fibrous texture.
- Chaunsa Mangoes: Chaunsa mangoes are sweet, aromatic, and have a melting texture. They are popular in South Asian countries.
- Honey Mangoes (Ataulfo): In the U.S., Honey mangoes, also known as Ataulfo or Champagne mangoes are most common. They have a creamy texture, and sweet flavor, and are less fibrous than other varieties (like Tommy Atkins).
While these are some of the best mango varieties for lassi, you can use any ripe, sweet mango available to you. The key is to choose mangoes that are flavorful and have a smooth, creamy texture.
If fresh mangoes are unavailable, you can use canned mango pulp or frozen mango chunks as an alternative for making mango lassi.
How to tell when Mangoes are Ripe
To determine if a mango is ripe, you can use a combination of these methods :
- Color: Look for mangoes that have a rich, golden color, often with some red blush. However, the color can vary depending on the variety of mango. Different varieties of mangoes ripen differently. For example, Tommy Atkins mangoes may still be slightly green when ripe, while varieties like Alphonso or Ataulfo turn a deeper shade of yellow.
- Texture: Gently squeeze the mango or press gently with your fingers. A ripe mango will yield slightly to pressure and a dent appears, similar to a ripe peach or avocado. Avoid mangoes that are too hard or too soft. Some varieties of ripe mangoes will start to wrinkle, so use them as soon as possible.
- Smell: Give the mango a gentle sniff near the stem end. A ripe mango will have a sweet, fruity aroma at the stem. An unripe mango has a neutral smell, while an overripe mango has a sour, fermented smell.
You can also cube up the ripe mangoes, and freeze them in a Ziploc bag to make lassis throughout the year.
How to Make Mango Lassi (Stepwise Photos)
1 - Add fresh mango pieces to the high-speed blender. You can also use canned mango pulp or frozen mango.
2 - Add yogurt, milk, sugar, cardamom powder, saffron, and ice cubes (optional).
3 - Blend on high speed until smooth and frothy. Taste test and adjust the flavor as needed. Add more sugar for sweetness, pulp for more mango flavor and color, and yogurt (1-2 tablespoons) for tartness.
4 - The consistency should be thick, creamy, pourable. You can adjust the consistency by adding more milk to thin it out.
Rich and creamy Mango Lassi is ready to serve. Pour Lassi into serving glasses or keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Mango lassi pairs well with spicy Indian dishes such as biryani, curry, kebabs, or samosas. It can also be enjoyed as a refreshing drink for breakfast or snack or as a dessert after dinner for a light and refreshing treat.
It is a delicious beverage to serve at parties, barbecues, and other special occasions.
Serve Mango lassi chilled. You can even keep the glasses in the fridge before serving to keep the lassi cold and refreshing for a long, especially during the hot weather.
Pour the lassi into tall serving glasses and enjoy as is or garnish with your favorite topping!
I prefer to serve my lassi topped with nuts like chopped pistachios or almonds (for some crunch), mango pieces, saffron, and/or dry rose petals. Skip the garnish if you prefer smoother lassi.
You can also serve this mango lassi topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to make it even more indulgent!!
Storage Instructions
Mango Lassi tastes best when served fresh!! But you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. It will separate in the fridge so stir it back together before serving.
Alternately, prep the ingredients beforehand and keep them refrigerated. You can freeze the mango cubes. This way you can make the lassi just before serving, it takes less than 5 minutes.
Recipe Tips
Use sweet, ripe, non-fibrous mangoes for the best flavor, preferably Alphonso, Kesar, or Ataulfo mangoes. The Indian mango varieties are great in color and taste. Use canned mango pulp if fresh mangoes are not available.
If you are using frozen mangoes, add canned mango pulp along with it to maximize flavor.
Use plain, full-fat yogurt for a creamy and rich texture. Greek yogurt or homemade yogurt works well too.
Along with cardamom, you can use ¼ teaspoon of rose water and a pinch of salt to enhance the lassi flavor.
Taste the lassi before serving and adjust the amount of sugar according to your preference. Some mangoes are sweeter than others, so you may need to add more or less sugar. Lassi made with sweetened canned mango pulp may need less sugar.
For a lighter lassi, replace full-fat with reduced-fat or low-fat yogurt and milk.
Chill the mango lassi in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, for vegan mango lassi, substitute the yogurt and milk with vegan-based (dairy-free) options. Almond milk and almond yogurt are great substitutes. You can use coconut yogurt but that will give a pronounced coconutty taste.
For making mango lassi with canned mango puree, use Alphonso or Kesar mango pulp which is easily available in most Indian grocery stores. These Indian mango varieties are great in color and taste.
Yes, to make lassi without a blender, or an immersion blender, use a wired whisk or handheld wooden churner (mathani) and whisk the yogurt until smooth. Then, add mango puree and the rest of the ingredients and whisk again until the sugar is dissolved and the lassi is nice and frothy.
Yes, but Greek yogurt is thicker so lassi will be very thick. Adjust consistency by adding more milk, water, or ice cubes.
Yes, you can make mango lassi ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Stir it well before serving, as it may separate slightly during storage.
Mango lassi can be a healthy beverage when made with natural ingredients like ripe mangoes, yogurt, and milk. Mangoes are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, while yogurt provides probiotics and protein.
More Mango Recipes
More Summer Drink Recipes
I hope you enjoy this Mango Lassi recipe! If you try this recipe, please rate it by clicking stars ⭐️ on the recipe card. Thank you ❤️! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what's cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Mango Lassi Recipe (Restaurant-Style)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mango
Fresh ripe mango cubes, canned mango pulp or frozen mango chunks
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- ½ cup whole milk chilled or cold water
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- pinch saffron strands plus more to garnish, optional
- ½ cup ice cubes optional
- pistachios chopped, for garnishing
- dry rose petals, saffron optional, for garnishing
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email below and I'll send it to your inbox! Plus you'll get delicious new recipes from me!
Instructions
- Add mango, yogurt, milk, sugar, cardamom powder, saffron, and ice (optional) to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and frothy (around 1 minute).
- Pour in a tall glass and enjoy as is or garnish with some sliced pistachios, mango pieces, saffron, and dry rose petals (optional). Serve chilled.
Leave a comment & rate the recipe