Vegan Mango Lassi

This 4-ingredient vegan mango lassi is a plant-based alternative to the popular yogurt-based drink that does not disappoint. It’s creamy, refreshing, and secretly good for you.

What Is Lassi?

Lassi is a traditional yogurt-based drink, originating in the Indian subcontinent. It can be either sweet or salty (also known as chaas), made by adding water and salt or sugar to plain yogurt. While the salty varieties are still most common in the Indian subcontinent, mango lassi has gained popularity worldwide.

How to Make Mango Lassi

Making a mango lassi is as easy as making a smoothie - simply combine all the ingredients in a blender, and puree until perfectly smooth. Serve chilled, with a dash of cardamom, and garnished with chopped pistachios or saffron strands. The basic ingredients for this mango lassi include:

• Plain, unsweetened yogurt
• Fresh mango
• Almond milk
• Agave syrup

How to Make a Vegan Mango Lassi

Very easily. Simply use your favourite non-dairy yogurt. I’ve tried it with soy yogurt, which seems to be the most convenient and easily accessible solution, but you can use many other alternatives as well, such as coconut or cashew yogurt.

Does it work? Classic lassi is made with dairy, but a non-dairy version is just as creamy, mango-flavoured, refreshing, and sweet. If you use probiotic non-dairy yogurt (check the label for live cultures), your vegan mango lassi will also have the same probiotic properties as any other dairy yogurt-based lassi.

Mango Lassi vs Mango Smoothie

I get the confusion. Both are creamy drinks that contain mango, but here's how they differ: a smoothie is based on fruit (or veggies), with added milk, yogurt, ice or water to reach the desired consistency. Lassi is traditionally a yogurt-based drink that doesn’t have to include any fruits. The most basic sweet lassi is made only with yogurt, water and sugar.

Bottom line: when making lassi, you add fruit to yogurt for a sweeter and richer flavour. When making a smoothie, you add yogurt to fruit for a creamier texture.

Vegan Mango Lassi Q&A

What Kind of Mango Should I Use?

Fresh, organic ingredients are always the healthiest, tastiest option, and I strongly recommend using fresh mango. You can also use cubed frozen mango, in which case you can omit ice from the recipe. I would avoid using canned mango, but if you insist, at least make sure it has no added sugar.

Is Mango Lassi Healthy?

It depends on how you define healthy. Mango lassi is made with real food, with no artificial flavourings, no preservatives, and no refined sugar. This is what I personally strive for in my diet.

But, mango is also quite high in sugar, and the total sugar content of one lassi serving is 35 grams. This, however, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat mangoes. Mango is:

• Excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C
• Rich in minerals, such as iron, potassium, magnesium, and copper
• Low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium

As with any other food, the key is in moderation. Don’t overindulge, and keep an eye on your overall macros for the day. Also, always use plain, unsweetened yogurt with no additives.

Is Mango Lassi Gluten Free?

Yes, absolutely. This vegan mango lassi is made with only four ingredients: mango, yogurt, plant-based milk, and agave syrup. None of those ingredients contain any gluten.

Is Mango Lassi a Dessert?

It can be. I personally love to finish off a nice meal with a glass of cool mango lassi that is light and sweet at the same time. Of course, you can also enjoy lassi as a drink along a meal, or as a snack.

Looking for More Healthy Refreshing Drinks?

Make sure to check out these smoothies:

• Healthy Breakfast Strawberry Banana Smoothie
• Pineapple Strawberry Smoothie
• Banana Smoothie

More Mango Recipes

If you're a fan of mango, don't miss these mango recipes.

• Strawberry Mango Oat Muffins
• Strawberry Mango Sunrise Smoothie
• Strawberry Oat Bars