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This cold and refreshing Mango Lassi is made with Milk Kefir! Enjoy this sweet, probiotic-packed summer drink.
This will be the summer of the mango.
Why?
Because– after years of mangling mango after mango— I finally learned how to cut apart these tricky stone fruit. And now we will eat them constantly.
This mango lassi with kefir is a tasty twist on the classic Indian yogurt drink, and is an easy and healthy summer treat.
What is a Mango Lassi?
A lassi is an Indian yogurt drink that usually has fruit and/or spices blended in. And a mango lassi is (obviously), a mango and yogurt drink.
These creamy drinks can be served chilled, over ice, or with ice blended in. They’re cold and refreshing, and perfect for hot, humid summer days.
Is a Lassi a Smoothie?
Pretty much! You could even call this a Mango Lassi Smoothie.
What is Kefir?
Kefir (specifically, milk kefir) is a probiotic-packed milk drink. It’s basically a drinkable yogurt.
Where Can I Buy Milk Kefir?
At almost every single grocery store. It’ll be next to the milk. Look for the plain, unflavored milk kefir.
Milk kefir is also incredibly easy to make yourself. Learn how to make milk kefir.
Can I Make This Mango Lassi Vegan or Dairy-Free?
Yes! Swap the dairy milk kefir for coconut milk kefir, and use agave syrup instead of honey if you’re vegan.
How to Cut a Mango
For years and years, I’ve mangled mangos. Badly. So badly, that I usually wouldn’t eat the mango– I’d toss it outside into the bushes in frustration.
(I’m sure the deer enjoyed my sad attempts to cut mangos.)
Don’t be like me. Learn how to cut a mango.
- Step one: Know that there is a large, flat pit inside the mango.
- Then, hold your mango on end, place a chef’s knife just outside the center, and try to cut down. If you feel resistance, rotate the mango 90 degrees, and try again.
- Cut all the way down on each side of the pit, and then score the cut pieces into a grid with your knife. Slice the mango off the peel.
- Finally, trim any remaining mango off the pit.
Optionally, you can peel the mango with a y-shaped peeler before cutting, and then simply dice the cut fruit instead of scoring and cutting it off the peel.
Need more help? Check out this video and tutorial from Real Simple.
Can I use frozen mango pieces instead?
Of course you can.
You can also buy fresh mango, dice it, freeze it in a single layer on a baking sheet, and store it in an air-tight bag for later.
How to Make a Mango Lassi with Kefir
All you need are a few ingredients and a blender. Add a little heat with some cayenne (if you want), and drink this cool and creamy drink all summer long!
Want more KEFIR recipes? Try these:
Mango Lassi with Kefir
Ingredients
- 1 very ripe mango, cubed OR 1 cup frozen mango
- 1 ½ cups plain milk kefir OR coconut milk kefir
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional, to taste)
- pinch cayenne powder (optional)
- 4 ice cubes (optional)
Instructions
- Blend mango and kefir together.
- Taste, and sweeten to taste with honey if desired.
- If using fresh mango, blend ice cubes into for a colder drink. Alternatively, serve with whole ice cubes.
- Serve with a small pinch of cayenne (optional), and drink immediately.
- Leftovers / Make Ahead: Smoothies can be stored in the fridge and used within 2-3 days.
Notes
- For a thicker lassi, add a dollop of plain yogurt.
- For a thinner lassi, add a little more milk kefir.
- For a traditional lassi, use 1 cup of Greek yogurt + ½ cup milk instead of kefir.
- Don’t like heat? Add a pinch of ground cardamom instead of cayenne.
- Mango strawberry lassi: Use ½ cup mango + ½ cup strawberries instead of all mango.
I absolutely love this with the kefir! My husband gets mango lassis at our local Indian restaurant, but I like that I can make this a little less sweet than the restaurant version!
Mango and me are not friends when it comes to cutting them so your tips are really helpful 😉 I often go for the frozen variety for convenience, but fresh is definitely yummy! And love this refreshing drink, perfect on a hot day 🙂
Will surely give this a try! Looks wonderful!
This is the perfect recipe for summer! I love kefir and its excellent for the kids to get probiotics. I never thought to mix fruit in with it though! Thank you for the recipe, my kids are going to love it.
Ha, I confess to paying like 5x more for the pre chopped mango so thanks for the tip! This looks beautiful, and I love the sound of the strawberry version too! Delicious for summer! Thanks for the inspiration!
I’m going on a hike today, I think I’ll try this after. It sounds so refreshing! I first heard about lassi two years ago and meant to try it then. Now seems like the perfect time, especially since I LOVE kefir. Thanks for this recipe.
I am so excited for this recipe! I’ll definitely be making it this summer as well!
First of all, coconut milk kefir? Wow! I did not know such a thing existed and now I am super curious to try! Second, a pinch of cayenne? Also, wow! I know you said it’s optional but I can almost taste it! I love mango and spicy pepper together. This Mango Kefir Lassi sounds fantastically delicious and refreshing! I can just imagine how tasty it would be with some rice briyani
Aren’t mangos fab? I watched a YouTube video of on old Italian man totally rocking the cutting process and how to find the pit. I’m no pro, but it helped a lot. Haha. And now, MANGOS FOREVER. I just bought some yesterday, so I’m with you. The summer of mangos! This sounds really good and nourishing!
That looks so refreshing and absolutely delicious. We are HUGE mango fans, but I’ve never had it as a beverage (I know…where have I been?). Definitely trying this, and thanks for the info on Lassi…really cool.
I have been wanting to try mango lassi for so long! It looks so creamy and I love the pastel yellow color. I bet it’s delicious with the kefir and that little pinch of cayenne on the top. It sounds so refreshing on a hot day. Love your tips for cutting a mango. It’s funny, I always start cutting confidently, thinking that I’m on the side that won’t meet resistance from the pit, and I ALWAYS end up having to rotate it. Every time. lol. So much for my mango reading skills!
Yummy
I’m glad you liked it! 😀
Loved it! I used maple syrup instead of honey. Wow! Love the hint of cayenne pepper.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Nice idea to use the maple syrup. Thanks for letting us know.
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes