The Best Indian Mango Lassi Recipe

On the hottest of summer days, try this sweet yet slightly tart, fruity Indian Mango Lassi Recipe! Widely popular in the Indian Subcontinent, this easy Mango Lassi Recipe comes together with just a few ingredients and is perfect for outdoor parties and spicy Indian meals!

What exactly is Indian Mango Lassi?

In its simplest form, Indian Mango Lassi is a blend of fresh yogurt, sweet mangoes, water and a touch of sugar. Mango Lassi is a very popular drink in the Indian Sub-continent and is served in Indian restaurants all over the world,

Mango lassi comes in many variations which can range from being a simple to very fancy drink depending on the flavoring ingredients and garnishes used. Variations include adding cream or ice to make the lassi thicker and substituting salt instead of sugar to transform the sweet lassi into a savory drink (salty lassi). Depending on the occasion, a variety of flavorings and garnishes can also be added to make the drink more special. For example a street vendor might use a simple splash of lime juice and dash of chat masala (a tangy blend of spices) to tempt customers while a grandmother might infuse the lassi with strands of saffron soaked in cream and garnish the drink with slivered almonds brushed with edible silver for a special toast at a family wedding.

Why this Indian Mango Lassi Recipe?

• Absolutely delicious!
  • Rich, fruity and luscious
  • Perfect for hot weather
  • Great with spicy food
• Simple Recipe
  • Literally dump and blend
• Easy to find ingredients
  • Available in local grocery stores
  • Use canned mangoes if fresh mangoes are unavailable
• Versatile
  • Easy variations from simple to festive
• Awesome non-alcoholic drink for special occasions
  • Great where a non-alcoholic option might be preferred like baby showers

What is this Mango Lassi made of?

This restaurant style Mango Lassi is made up of mangoes, unsweetened yogurt, butter milk, sugar (to taste) and ice cubes. Optional ingredients like flavoring ingredients and garnishes can also be added to add more flavoring layers to the drink.

• There are many different varieties of mangoes - the best types are the ones which are meaty and sweet like Alphonso, Kent and Carabao. I like to use very ripe Alphonso mangoes because they have the perfect texture and taste for lasso. Sour mangoes, while delicious in other dishes, are not used in lassi recipes because no amount of sugar can mitigate the aftertaste. Finally, if it is not mango season - canned mango puree or pulp works very well. I like to purchase unsweetened Alphonso mango pulp whenever I can. Canned mango pulp can be purchased online or at an Indian store if your local grocery store does not carry it.
• In India, lassi is typically made with curd, a yogurt-like product which is not as thick as the yogurt made in the United States. Curd is also more sour imparting a distinctive tart taste to dishes to which it is added. I use fresh, unsweetened yogurt in this recipe as curd is not easily available in my neighborhood. Any type of fat content works with this lassi recipe- from plain whole milk to low-fat yogurt. Full fat yogurt gives the lassi a richer taste. Similarly, Greek yogurts (e.g., Fage or Chobani) will give the lassi a more creamy, thicker consistency while other less thick yogurt types (e.g., Dannon) makes the lassi more liquid.
• I like using cold buttermilk in my lassi because it helps further replicate the taste of curd. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, or just prefer a sweeter taste, you can use cold milk, condensed milk, cream or water instead. The taste of the lassi can be easily adjusted to suit your preference - for example,, add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice increases the tart flavor of the lassi while less milk will result in a thicker lassi.
• Sugar is added to balance out and brighten the sweet lassi flavor. The amount to add will vary depending on the sweetness of the mangoes and also the degree to which the tart flavor of the yogurt needs to be compensated. Its best to use a neutral tasting sugar so that nothing interferes with the taste of the glorious mangos. Having said that instead of white sugar, you can also use brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or any sweetener of your choice - mango is very versatile and goes with pretty much everything.
• Traditionally, lassi is poured over ice cubes to keep it very cold. I like to blend the ice cubes into the lassi because I like the thicker taste.
• You can add more layers of flavor to the lassi by adding one or more flavoring ingredients. These include ground cardamom pods, rosewater, saffron, vanilla, nutmeg and lemon or lime juice. To maximize the saffron flavor soak the strands in some milk for at least 15 minutes before adding the saffron infused milk to the lassi. Soaking the saffron helps hydrate the strands and release the flavors so you get the full effect of the saffron.
• Garnishes while optional, add a personal touch which makes this drink a little more special. While some garnishes like mint sprigs and dried rose petals enhance the experience through fragrance and appearance, others like almond slivers, chocolate shavings and saffron add more dimension to the lassi. Personally I love a drizzle of nuts on my lassi as it gives a little crunch and tastes delicious! Mango chunks cut from around the seed also make a great garnish because the pops of pure mango flavor makes the lassi explode with flavor.

How to make this Indian Mango Lassi Recipe

Its literally Dump and Blend:

Step One: Pour the Indian Mango Lassi Recipe ingredients into the blender.

Step Two: Blend.

Step Three: Garnish (optional) and serve immediately!

Tips on Making the Best Indian Mango Lassi

• Pick very ripe, sweet mangoes. My favorite type is Alphonso. I have found that the amount of mango fiber does not matter as it is blended anyway and adds a lovely thickness of the lassi. If you want a more liquid lassi and have very fibrous mangoes, strain the pulp prior to use.
• You can reduce the tartness of the lassi by adding more milk. Alternatively, increase the tartness by adding lemon or lime juice.
• Greek yogurt can make the lassi too thick - dilute with milk or water as needed
• Some canned mangoes are sweetened - I prefer the unsweetened version because you can control the amount of sugar.
• If you feel the flavors are too muted add a pinch of salt.
• The flavoring ingredients and garnishes are easy ways to transform a basic mango lassi into something EPIC!

How long does mango lassi last in the fridge?

Mango lassi is best served chilled, immediately. That being said, I always make extra and it lasts for about 2 days in the fridge. Stir the refrigerated lassi before serving as the ingredients will separate.

Nutrition

Each serving of this delicious mango lassi has about 102 calories, 2.5g of fat and 18.2g of carbohydrates (16.3g of net carbs).

This recipe yields approximately 4 servings. The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

Variations

One of the best things about this Indian Mango Lassi Recipe is the ability to be creative - while there are many popular versions, the ones below are my favorite:

• Dried Rose Petals, Slivered Almonds Brushed with Edible Silver or Gold: Add a tablespoon of rose water to the lassi. Garnish with dried rose petals and slivered almonds brushed with edible silver or gold. Great for the first drink shared by the bride and groom at their wedding.
• Saffron & Cardamom: Soak about 8 saffron strands in 2 tablespoons of cream (rest for 15 minutes). Add a dash of cardamom powder and cream infused saffron to the rest of the lassi ingredients and blend. Garnish each drink with a few strands of saffron. Awesome to toast a new mother during her baby shower.
• Rosewater, Chocolate & Pomegranate: Add a tablespoon of rose water to the lassi ingredients. Garnish with shaved dark chocolate and pomegranate. It smells amazing. Surprise your loved one for Valentine's Day.
• Vegan Mango Lassi: You can make a vegan mango lassi by substituting the yogurt with almond yogurt and the milk with a nut based milk. Add lemon juice for tartness. Great for serving to a friend with dairy restrictions.
• Salty Lassi: Add about ⅛ teaspoon salt instead of sugar. You need to taste it to understand - one of the most popular lassi variations in India.
• Ice Cream Float Lassi: Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the bottom of a tall serving glass. Pour the mango lassi on top! A fun twist on the ice cream float!
• Other Fresh Fruits: While lassis are typically made with mangoes - there is no reason not to try the recipe with other seasonal fruit like fresh peaches, bananas and strawberries. So if you have fruit tree in your yard for example, lassi is a great way to use up fruit that is ripening too quickly!

Serving Suggestions

Mango Lassi is a fantastic summer drink and works really well with outdoor events like barbeques and pool parties. When eating spicy Indian food, Mango Lassi is my favorite drink because the yoghurt really helps counterbalance the heat.

A scoop of protein powder makes a mango lassi very creamy which is delicious as a breakfast drink.

Lassi FAQs

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Finally, if you make this recipe

I'd love to hear how it went - please leave a comment and rate this recipe. Above all, I love hearing from all of you and will do my best to answer each and every comment!