Creamy Mango Lassi Recipe: 4 Tips for Making Mango Lassi

Mango lassi is an Indian beverage consisting of sweet mangoes, ice, plain yogurt (dahi) or curd, and milk blended until smooth. The frothy, gluten-free drink, with its creamy consistency reminiscent of a milkshake, is traditionally served in the summertime as a cooling refreshment, but you can usually find it year-round in Indian restaurants. Mango lassi is a good source of potassium, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

In India, mango lassi is typically made using rich, aromatic yellow-skinned Alphonso mangoes that ripen from mid-April through June. (Alphonso pulp is less fibrous than other varieties, making it a particularly good fit for a velvety drink.) Depending on the ripeness of the mangoes, you can make the drink without any added sugar.

You can make mango lassi with minimal ingredients in just a few minutes. Here are a few ways to shake up the classic and make it your own:

1. 1. Use spices to add dimension. Fresh mango and tangy yogurt are a great pairing on their own. A touch of cardamom, saffron, rose water—even garam masala—shifts the flavor dynamics slightly for an even more balanced sweet-and-savory beverage.
2. 2. Make it vegan and dairy-free. To make dairy-free vegan mango lassi, swap the yogurt for full-fat coconut milk, and add a splash of your favorite plant-based milk, like almond milk, soy milk, or cashew milk.
3. 3. Swap the blender for a shaker. While a high-speed blender will achieve a creamy, icy consistency, the beverage doesn’t need to be velvety smooth to be refreshing. Combine one cup of mango purée, a pinch of cardamom powder, a ½ cup of yogurt, a splash of milk, and a handful of ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, and shake it vigorously until the outside of the shaker is chilled. Strain it through a Hawthorne strainer and serve.
   
4. 4. Adjust the consistency. For a thicker sweet lassi, use full-fat Greek yogurt and less milk or water. For a thinner, looser consistency, use low-fat yogurt and add another splash or two of milk or water.