A staple in Indian restaurants, mango lassi is a yogurt-based drink renowned for its sweet, rich, and tangy flavor. The mango and yogurt flavors complement each other marvelously, and tapioca pearls reinvent the beverage by giving bubble tea enthusiasts their boba fix.
This mango lassi bubble tea recipe fuses the best of two Asian beverages—spiced mango lassi and bubble tea. The mango, cardamom, and yogurt create a delightful mixture that’s subtly spicy and tangy, while the tapioca pearls give the drink a fun and chewable texture. You can prepare this mango lassi recipe ready in just 20 minutes.
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Spiced Mango Lassi Bubble Tea
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
This spiced mango lassi bubble tea recipe lets you put a homemade spin on this classic beverage. It’s tasty, healthy, and provides a smooth burst of energy, thanks to the jasmine tea base.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup diced fresh mango
- 1/2 cup jasmine tea
- 4 tsp honey (or cane sugar)
- 1 pinch ground cardamom powder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar tapioca pearls
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Put the yogurt, ⅓ of tea, milk, honey, and diced mango in a blender. Blend the ingredients until smooth.
- Put a few ice cubes and the blended mixture into a shaker. Fill the shaker with the remaining tea and a couple of ice cubes. Shake vigorously.
- Taste and add more sweetener as needed.
- Put the cooked tapioca pearls into a serving glass and pour the beverage over them.
- Garnish the drink with ground cardamom and enjoy.
Notes
Using quick-cooking brown sugar tapioca pearls is easiest, but if you prefer to make your own, check out these two recipes:
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
What Does a Spiced Mango Lassi Taste Like?
Mango lassi tastes sweet and tangy thanks to the combination of mango and yogurt. That said, the variety of ingredients also makes their presence known and creates a complex flavor profile you have to taste to believe.
The cardamom creates a subtle earthy and menthol-like note that pairs well with the fruity profile of this beverage. The brown sugar-coated tapioca pearls also bring a pop of chewiness and sweetness to your sips.
The drink’s texture is between an iced tea and a mango smoothie.
Does Spiced Mango Lassi Bubble Tea Have Caffeine?
Yes. Spiced mango lassi bubble tea has a caffeinated jasmine tea base. While jasmine tea contains less caffeine than other teas, half a cup still contains around 20 mg of caffeine.
The caffeine will increase if you use another tea base like green or oolong tea.
Is Spiced Mango Lassi Boba Tea Healthy?
While this drink is prone to being overly sweet, the ingredients used to create this beverage have health benefits that can’t be discounted.
Mango is dubbed a “superhero of fruit” due to its high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, and other heart-healthy compounds. Yogurt is also an excellent source of gut-healthy probiotics, calcium, and vitamins. Additionally, cardamom contains many antioxidants and is linked to improved digestion.
As for the health risks, tapioca pearls are empty carbohydrates and lots of sugar. The sugar sweetener you use may contribute to excessive weight gain and a spike in blood sugar levels. On average, this drink contains approximately 361 kcal.
Which Type of Yogurt Is Best to Use in a Mango Lassi?
Plain, whole-fat milk yogurt is the best base for a mango lassi bubble tea. This type of yogurt gives the lassi bubble tea a thick and creamy texture.
However, you can experiment with other yogurts. Greek yogurt is a great alternative if you want to lower your cholesterol, but you may need to increase the milk content to elevate the flavors. A low-fat yogurt is also viable if you’re trying to shed excess pounds.
Can You Make Mango Lassi Without Yogurt?
Yes, yogurt doesn’t have to be one of the main ingredients of a mango lassi drink. If you want, you can even go vegan and make a delectable dairy-free mango lassi.
Instead of using yogurt, you can use two tablespoons of soaked raw cashew nuts and a pinch of salt in the blender as an alternative. The cashew nuts help keep the drink thick and creamy. We also suggest using more mango cubes to compensate for the lack of yogurt. This can keep the drink sweet and not overly juicy.
You can also use oat milk or coconut milk instead of whole milk if you want to avoid dairy entirely.
Can You Use Frozen Mango Instead of Fresh Mango?
Yes, you can use frozen mango instead of fresh mango chunks in this recipe. You can even use canned mango pulp or puree if that’s all you can find at your local grocery store. They won’t have the same fresh fruitiness as a fresh, ripe mango, but they still give the drink a good flavor.