Name: Vegan Mango Lassi
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups mango puree ((made with approx three to four fresh, ripe, preferably orange-fleshed mangoes. Canned mangoes are fine too)); 1½ cups cashew yogurt; 1½ cups cashew milk ((or any nondairy milk)); 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder; 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 3 tbsp sugar ((or maple syrup))

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A recipe for vegan Mango Lassi made with cashew yogurt that tastes authentic and absolutely divine. Cardamom and vanilla complement the tangy sweetness of the mangoes. A gluten-free, soy-free and vegan recipe.

Overhead photo of vegan mango lassi with saffron and pistachio garnish and a cheesecloth next to them

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.

Two glasses with vegan mango lassi garnished with pistachio nuts with cheesecloth in background.

What you'll love about 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 under 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.

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).
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.
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. For incredible fragrance and flavor. Mango and cardamom are flavors made for each other.
Sugar. Maple syrup works just as well if you want to keep the lassi free of artificial sugars.

Overhead photo of two glasses of vegan mango lassi with pistachio garnish.

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.