Sweet Lassi is a delicious and refreshing Indian yogurt drink! Mango and rose flavors give the lassi a fusion of taste and colors. It's also vegan and can be made in 15 minutes!
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What is lassi
Lassi is a celebrated chilled yogurt drink that's thick and creamy. Yogurt is blended with some spices and can be made sweet or salty. It's a Punjabi (North Indian) drink and an indulgent cousin of buttermilk. I call it the healthy version of a milkshake or a smoothie. It's a popular yogurt drink from India and Pakistan. Before blenders were invented, it was made using a handheld wooden churner.
In India, fresh lassi was sold in stores or food stalls that specialized in selling dairy products or dhabas, besides being sold at restaurants. I always prefer having it at these local stores and dhabas rather than restaurants. A tall glass of thick sweet Punjabi lassi with malai on top is a drink that is so indulgent that it can almost be called a meal and give any dessert a run for its money. Recreating this Punjabi lassi brought back all those wonderful memories.
Varieties of lassi
The three main varieties of traditional lassi are sweet or meetha lassi, salted/namkeen/masala lassi (seasoned with roasted cumin powder and salt), and bhang lassi (a cannabis-infused drink that is mainly served during Holi). I prefer Meetha Lassi because it has a creamy sweet and aromatic taste due to the cardamom and saffron.
Since it's a popular Indian yogurt drink recipe, there are many variations to it. The otherwise plain, sweet, and authentic version can be made exotic by adding seasonal fruits, syrups, nuts, and edible flowers to make it more tasty and colorful. Herbs and spices are added to salted lassi to make it even more flavorful.
Benefits of yogurt
According to Ayurveda, anything with yogurt is said to have gut-healing properties that help soothe the stomach and prevent bloating because of the probiotics. It also has many health benefits because it's rich in vitamins and calcium. Lassi also has calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It's usually enjoyed towards the end of a meal similar to curd rice.
Mango Rose Combo
I have made many dessert recipes with mango and rose separately because I love these flavors. Mango Mastani is one of my favorite recipes to make with mangoes. When it comes to rose flavor, I love using rose syrup in recipes like Rose Lemonade, Coconut Rose Ladoo, Rose Sandesh, Raspberry Rose Hot Chocolate, and Rose Basundi, and rose jam (called gulkand) in recipes like Gulkand Shrikhand Tarts and Gulkand Ice Cream.
This time I thought of blending these two cooling flavors to create a firecracker dessert drink recipe called Mango Rose Lassi. The light and aromatic flavors of rose lassi combine very well with the thick and creamy mango lassi making it an amazingly refreshing beverage! It's not just appetizing to look at, even the flavors are the BOMB! You have got to try this! Like I have mixed these two flavors, you can also get creative and make your colorful variations.
Why make this
- A quick and easy non-alcoholic beverage
- Vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free drink
- Made with few simple ingredients and in 15 minutes
- Ideal for large groups and parties
- Is considered healthy and aids digestion
Ingredients needed🧾
Yogurt - Since this is a vegan lassi recipe, I have used plain unsweetened almond milk yogurt from Kite Hill. The consistency of this dairy-free yogurt works best in this recipe. There is no need to add additional water or milk. It gives a natural creaminess to this Indian yogurt drink. Just remember to use chilled yogurt.
If you are not vegan, use regular whole milk yogurt/curd or Indian dahi that's either homemade or store-bought. If you are sensitive to lactose, you can use Fage lactose-free yogurt. Full-fat, Low-fat yogurt, or Greek yogurt can also be used in this meetha lassi recipe. If you want to make it without yogurt, you can use kefir.
Sweetener - Fine or powdered sugar is what you will need. Instead of refined sugar, you can also add brown sugar, jaggery, honey, or maple syrup. Condensed milk can also be used instead. It will give the mango rose lassi a creamier texture as well. If you use sweetened yogurt, then you can skip adding additional sugar when making this sweet mango rose vegan lassi recipe.
Mango - You can use mango in any form - fresh/frozen mango chunks, or fresh/canned mango pulp. Indian Alphonso or Kesari mangoes or mango pulp will give this Indian yogurt drink the best flavor. Chef Tip - If your mango is not naturally sweet, you can add more sugar to get the desired sweetness.
Rose flavor - I have used Rooh Afza, a herbal rose syrup from India. You can use any brand of rose syrup. If it's not available, add edible rose water, rose essence, and pink food color.
Cardamom is very significant to this Indian sweet lassi recipe. It gives it that unique flavor and aroma. Please do not skip it. I have used cardamom powder, but you can also crush a fresh pod and use it.
Garnish - Dried rose petals, saffron strands, sliced almonds, and chopped pistachios are some ingredients that make great toppings when making this Punjabi lassi recipe. You can add them all or add whatever you have at hand.
Besides these ingredients, you will also need a blender. Also, serving them in shot glasses or small glasses will make them look even more appetizing.
How to make it 🔪
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To make Mango Lassi
- In a blender add one cup of vegan yogurt.
- Add the chopped frozen mango.
- Then add one tablespoon of powdered sugar, one-fourth teaspoon of cardamom powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Blend until smooth, creamy, and frothy. Transfer to a bowl. Straining is not needed but you may do so if you want.
To make Rose Lassi
- In the same blender add one cup of vegan yogurt.
- Add the rose syrup.
- Then add one tablespoon of powdered sugar, one-fourth teaspoon of cardamom powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Blend until smooth, creamy, and frothy. Transfer to a bowl. Straining is not needed but you may do so if you want.
- Fill half the serving glass with mango lassi.
- Fill up the remaining glass with rose lassi.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Garnish with saffron, chopped nuts, and rose petals. Dairy-free Mango Rose Lassi tastes best when served chilled. Keep the serving glasses in the fridge till it's time to serve them. To make it more indulgent, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It's the perfect summer drink!
Enjoy this delicious vegan lassi post a meal, for breakfast like a smoothie, or serve it as a dessert. You can serve this fusion dessert drink when entertaining family and friends, at parties, on date nights, at brunches, on Valentine's Day, Holi, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion! It's a great nonalcoholic beverage for large groups. This lassi will also instantly refresh you and help you cool off on a hot sunny day!
Top recipe tips 💭
If the vegan lassi is not sweet add another tablespoon of sugar to it. If the mango lassi is not yellow (because of the kind of mango used), add a teaspoon of turmeric powder or yellow food color to get that beautiful hue. To give the lassi a slight sourness and balance the sweetness, add half a teaspoon of lemon juice or a pinch of salt.
There is no need to add any water or milk but if it's too thick you may add it. The consistency of mango rose lassi should be like a smoothie - thick and creamy. If you make it too thin, you cannot layer it when serving. If that is not a requirement, you can make the lassi thin by adding oat milk, coconut milk, regular milk, creamer, half and half, or water.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Indian Alphonso mangoes will give this lassi a delicious and best flavor. But if that is unavailable, use any sweet variety. They can be in any form - fresh/frozen mango chunks, or fresh/canned mango pulp. Chef Tip - If your mango is not naturally sweet, you can add more sugar to get the desired sweetness. You can also enjoy this as an Indian mango smoothie!
Leftover lassi can stay in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also put it in the freezer. If you have leftovers, there are many ways you can consume this sweet lassi. Drink it like a smoothie, add oats to it, and serve it like overnight oats, use it to make cheesecake, panna cotta, pudding, ice cream, or popsicles. If you plan to use this mango and rose lassi in any of these recipes, I suggest storing them separately rather than mixing them.
For a different flavor, you can also add vanilla extract when making the mango lassi. For the rose lassi, you can add kewra water, rose essence, and red food color if you don't have rose syrup handy. Add a teaspoon of gulkand to the rose lassi for more flavor. Similarly, you can add any other syrup to flavor the lassi. You can make a variety of colorful lassi and serve them at your next party.
You can skip using the blender if you want, Instead, use a whisk or a traditional wooden churner to blend it all. For mango lassi, use mango pulp. Not using the blender will also ensure that the yogurt doesn't thin down too much and stays thick and creamy.
To make it sugar-free, skip adding sugar of any kind. Bananas can also be used instead of sugar to give a natural sweetness to this Punjabi lassi. You can also make and serve them separately - mango lassi and rose lassi. Indian sweet lassi tastes best when served chilled. Give it ample time in the fridge to chill before you serve.
More mango recipes
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Recipe 📖
Sweet Lassi With Mango & Rose
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold vegan plain unsweetened almond milk yogurt
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar adjust as per desired sweetness
- 1 cup frozen chopped mango
- 2 tablespoon rose syrup
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- 2 tablespoon chopped nuts
- Few rose petals for decoration
Instructions
To make mango lassi
- In a blender add one cup of vegan yogurt.
- Add the chopped frozen mango.
- Then add one tablespoon of powdered sugar and one fourth teaspoon of cardamom powder.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
To make rose lassi
- In a blender add one cup of vegan yogurt.
- Add the rose syrup.
- Then add one tablespoon of powdered sugar and one fourth teaspoon of cardamom powder.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
Assembly
- Fill half the serving glass with mango lassi.
- Fill up the remainder with rose lassi.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Vee says
Looks delicious, where would I get rose syrup? Do you make your own?
Priya says
I have linked to the product that I use. Will link it again here - https://amzn.to/3tMWkcI