Sweet and Sour Mango Lassi

This creamy Mango Lassi recipe is a beautiful twist to the classic. The refreshing drink is made with healthy probiotic yogurt and infused with hemp seeds and ginger. Fresh semi-ripe mangoes and a tad of Stevia powder or maple syrup add a natural sweetness that beautifully balances the sour taste of fermented yogurt!

I love a refreshing mango lassi drink. It is probably the sweet mango flavors combined with tangy yogurt that makes this blended concoction so unique.  Recipes can differ vastly from sweet to salty, and from simple to infused with beautiful spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom. And although I love my lassi on the sweet side, I don't like any added sugars to overtake the taste of the fruits.

In my world, perfect lassi bursts with sweet mango flavors balanced with slightly sour and tangy notes from the yogurt. So, of course, I had to make a healthy homemade version, preferably a basic recipe that you can experiment with and change according to your tastebuds.

How to make a mango lassi—ingredients

The Yogurt

• A lassi is only as good as the quality of your yogurt. Go for a traditionally fermented yogurt with no added sweeteners, thickeners or other flavors added. I love plain organic Bulgarian yogurt, which has a refreshing tart flavor and all the benefits of healthy probiotics (live acidophilus.) 
• Its taste will allow for the sweet mangoes to completely take over and become the star in this drink.
• Probiotic yogurt has a creamy and a liquid part. Always make sure that you stir well before using it in this recipe, so you get the right thickness—not too thick or too liquidy.

The Mangoes

• I prefer to use semi-ripe mangos, which I store in the fridge for a day or two before making this healthy drink. Semi-ripe mangos look like ripened ones, but don't have that rich sweet smell yet and still feel slightly firm (not hard.) They are less juicy with a semi-sweet and somewhat sour taste. They are easy to find in stores since most mangos have to sit after purchase for a couple of days to ripen further. (Don't focus on the color of the peel, it doesn't tell you anything about its ripeness).
• But if you love your lassi very sweet, then use ripe mangoes. They are soft on the outside with a heavenly sweet smell and are incredibly juicy on the inside. I always use the riper fruits when I make lassi for my daughter or guests.

Additional sweeteners

• I love adding maple syrup instead of honey because it gives a unique, almost caramel-like woody flavor that tastes delicious in this drink. 
• A little goes a long way, so start first with one tablespoon and taste test before you add more. Play around with adding sweets to this drink; you might prefer less of it.
• You can also add stevia powder instead of the syrup, which also works well.

Ginger and Hemp Seeds

• A little fresh ginger adds a slightly tart, almost half lemony taste that balances out the sweetness of the fruits and maple syrup. It is optional, but I highly recommend it.
• I started to add hemp seeds to the mix when offering the smoothie in the morning to my daughter. It just makes this drink exceptionally creamy and nutritious with healthy fats, proteins, and minerals.

Several ways to enjoy this drink

• You can enjoy this lassi anytime during the day as a refreshing drink or as a breakfast. It is fresh, filling, and incredibly satisfying.
• If you are trying to lose some weight or tone up, don't be afraid to add a little traditional fermented yogurt to your diet. It keeps you regular and maintains a healthy gut. Just swap the maple syrup for stevia powder. 
• Serve it chilled in a cute glass, dress it up with extra mango slices and you have a fine beverage to serve to guests.

Now all you have to do is make this basic recipe and make it your own! Enjoy!

MORE HEALTHY DRINKS YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY!

• HEALTHY BANANA TURMERIC SMOOTHIE
• HEALTHY DATE SWEETENED ON THE GO ICED COFFEE (DAIRY-FREE)
• A PROTEIN-RICH BREAKFAST COFFEE SMOOTHIE
• AN ENERGIZING CANTALOUPE-GINGER SMOOTHIE WITH FRESH ALMONDS
• AN ELEGANT NON-ALCOHOLIC NEW YEAR'S DRINK

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