A recipe for an authentic tasting vegan Mango Lassi made with dairy free yogurt. This is one of those Indian recipes everyone loves, and part of the allure is the divine marriage of mango and cardamom. This is a gluten-free, soy-free recipe and it can be nut-free.
A testament to the universal fondness for mango is the fact that Mango Lassi, by far, is the food most often requested by friends coming over for dinner.
When I first became a vegan, those requests fell silent because the key ingredient in lassi, of course, is buttermilk or yogurt. So a few years back, I came up with this vegan mango lassi recipe that I shared with you. I wanted to update the recipe because I've since made some revisions that I love, like adding vanilla, and more mango puree to make the lassi even more mango-ey.
At our home, this mango lassi is a drink we always look forward to, especially with a spicy accompaniment like chana masala or vegetable biryani.
As children, my brother and I would go to a dairy farm in the neighborhood to treat ourselves to some lassi. Now before you imagine a verdant pasture with cows, a "dairy farm" in Bombay is typically a small storefront that sells all sorts of dairy products like milk, ghee, butter and yogurt.
The vendor would sit out front, stirring a huge wok of bubbling, reducing milk. He'd pour the sweet, cool buttermilk in tall, steel glasses, top it with a thick slice of cream, and hand it to you. It was divinity in a glass.
This vegan Mango Lassi surpasses even those sweet memories, however.
Why you'll love this vegan mango lassi
- It's delicious. It tastes like biting into a juicy mango, only creamier.
- It is super easy to make. You need a blender and less than 10 minutes.
- It is healthy, with the goodness of probiotic vegan yogurt.
- It is everyone-friendly. No one in their right minds would say no to a tall glass of mango lassi. And you can make this nut-free by using a nut-free yogurt.
Choosing the perfect mango for lassi
- You can make this lassi with storebought, preferably Indian, mango puree. But you can also use fresh mangoes. Always make sure you use a bright-orange-fleshed, velvet-fleshed, sweet mango like champagne or ataulfo for lassi. If you are in India, use alphonso mangoes for the best flavor.
- If using pureed mangoes, go with the cans that say "alphonso pulp" or "alphonso puree" for the best flavor. This is what I use most often for lassi.
Ingredients
- Mango puree (from fresh or canned mangos) or fresh mangos.
- Vegan yogurt. I make my own cultured vegan yogurt, which I use in this lassi. You can use a storebought yogurt, including one flavored with vanilla or a nut-free yogurt. If nut-free, use a nut-free yogurt.
- Nondairy milk. My favorite milks to use in this recipe are cashew milk or oat milk. Both add more creaminess to the lassi. You can use soy milk or almond milk as well.
- Ground green cardamom. This amazing spice adds incredible aroma and flavor. Mango and cardamom are flavors meant to go together.
- Sugar. Maple syrup works just as well if you want to keep the lassi free of artificial sugars.
How to make vegan mango lassi
- The level of difficulty here is as low as it can go. All you need to do is place the ingredients in the blender and blend until very smooth.
- Lassi should have a silky, velvety texture and it should be tangy and sweet, but with a perfect balance of both. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.
- To serve the lassi, pour it into a tall glass and garnish either with vegan whipped cream or, more traditionally, with chopped nuts like pistachios.
More yummy vegan mango recipes
- Vegan Mango Cupcakes with Mango Buttercream
- Mango Curry
- Vegan Cardamom Cookies with Mango Icing
- Vegan Mango Cake
- Vegan Mango Smoothie
Vegan Mango Lassi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups mango puree (made with approx three to four fresh, ripe, preferably orange-fleshed mangoes. Canned mangoes or mango puree are fine too. See tips above for best varieties to use for lassi.)
- 1½ cups vegan yogurt
- 1½ cups non dairy milk (use a creamy milk for best results, like oat milk or cashew milk)
- ½ teaspoon ground green cardamom
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon sugar (or maple syrup)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into tall glasses over ice.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios or saffron or mint.
Recipe notes
- I love my lassi thick and creamy, but if you want it to be more fluid, add more milk. You might need to add a little more sugar to balance the taste.
- Always make sure you use a bright-orange-fleshed, velvet-fleshed, sweet mango like champagne or ataulfo for lassi. If you are in India, use alphonso mangoes for the best flavor.
- If using pureed mangoes, go with the cans (at the Indian store) that say "alphonso pulp" or "alphonso puree" for the best flavor. This is what I use most often for lassi.
Ritu
This is my favorite lassi recipe and I make it every summer, when I find champagne mangos. I need to get the canned version. I love that it is made with probiotic yogurt, it tastes so authentic.
Vaishali
So happy to hear Ritu!
Jan
Please find Veterinarian Dr. Martin Goldstein’s book on natural healing for pets.
He is amazing in curing cancer in animals.
Blessings for sweet Lucy.
Reiki may help also.
I like the web site Divine White Light.
I love you cooking info., writing and vegan recipes!
I am inspired and may actually cook something some day!
Best wishes.....?
Ruth Eisenbud
Beautiful posting.... it captures the sumptuous flavors and scents of India... I love mangos and was buying them by the crate and eating 3 a day, until I found out how many calories there are in each mango. I try to eat one or two a day.... And I too rejoice when I see the mangos beginning to appear in the market. Though I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to see them forming on a tree.
One of my dreams is to someday taste a real Indian mango. For now I will try this recipe... I also love cashew milk... so this should be delicious.... And once I tasted Indian buttermilk.... There was a big vat at a Jain picnic that i attended.... the buttermilk was so refreshing and cooling.... so subtle, so delicious... Of course it was dairy milk at the time.... but if you can, I would love a recipe for Indian buttermilk...
Cyndi J
Such a beautifully written post rich in imagery. I grew up on Guam so I'm very familiar with mangoes and consider them my favorite fruit, too. I live in Florida now and am extremely fortunate that there's a wonderful mango grove close by. In fact, it's time to see if/when the mangoes are going to be ready. The grove carries many varieties, some more delicious than others. I also freeze what I don't eat so I can make a lassi now! I know it will be delicious.
Mart
We didn't have cardamom pods, so we used powder. Didn't use much, as we didn't know how big pods are. We also didn't have mango pulp so we used one ripe mango. Holy cow, it ended up tasting exactly like belgian waffle mixture! Less cardamom and more mango next time. 🙂
Lisa
Hi Vaishali, I thought I'd have to give up lassis after going vegan, but no! I tried your recipe just now and it was delicious. I didn't even have the right stuff, ha. I used a fresh mango and unsweetened soy milk, and I didn't have any green cardamom pods. However, I added vanilla extract and a bit more sugar to make up for the unsweetened soy milk and I used a little ground cardamom and it was great! I cut the recipe in half because it was just for me and it worked perfectly -- thick and creamy consistency. Thanks so much for this recipe, I'll use it all the time now. All the best, Lisa
notyet100
childhood memories are always so good,..:-) lovely post..mango lassi looks so rich and yum,..good luck for project blog star
sweet swallows
You had my vote at 'vegan', and stole my heart when you said 'Mango'. I'm making sure to vote for all the other vegan/veggies in the contest, and this post DEFINITELY deserves my vote. Best of luck!
Mansi
Nice write-up Vaishali! I could totally relate to it:) I'm competing in the contest too, but you have my vote:0
loved the Lassi! always a favorite:) good luck ahead!
Chef Luna
I love your descriptions of the scents and sights from growing up. You make the reader feel as though they can see it too.
Also, big fan of mango lassi!
Jacob's Kitchen
Great post! Your dog is adorable. Glad she is doing all right despite all that she has been through. I look forward to reading more in the future. I voted for you! =)
Good luck!
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