This high-protein mango lassi is a creamy Indian mango smoothie packed with protein from a blend of Greek yogurt and protein powder, freshness from mangoes, and natural sweetness from cardamom and dates. It's the perfect protein boost for your morning or post-workout shake.
What is mango lassi?
Mango lassi is a sweet, tangy, and thick Indian drink that is typically made with dahi or Indian yogurt, mangoes, and cardamom. The word lassi in fact translates to yogurt drink. There are many types of lassi from sweet ones like this mango lassi to savory ones like a salty lassi. This was my go-to drink at Indian restaurants; however, restaurant-style lassi often has heavy cream and lots of sugar incorporated into the drink as well.
What makes this lassi different?
As much I love indulging in the restaurant-style lassi, I wanted to create a healthier version packed with more protein and no added sugar. In this version, there are some less common ingredients like protein powder and dates to add sweetness to replace the artificial sugar!
Ingredients and substitutes
- Mango chunks - Gives this smoothie sweetness and flavor. You can use frozen mango chunks if you have a blender or use kesar mango pulp found at the Indian grocery store.
- Greek yogurt - I prefer the thick and creamy flavor of a high-fat Greek yogurt but lower fat Greek yogurt tends to have slightly more protein. The brand I prefer is Fage because of its fresh flavor, but use your favorite Greek yogurt brand.
- Whey vanilla protein powder - For this recipe, I use a vanilla whey protein. However, a plain protein powder will work just fine for this recipe as well! I use vanilla Premier Protein when I go that route.
- Dates - Medjool dates are the perfect way to add sweetness to the smoothie. They have a low glycemic index which means that adding them to the lassi won't spike your insulin levels as much as processed sugars.
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Making this without a blender
If you don't have a blender, you can substitute mango chunks with kesar mango pulp found at the Indian grocery store and substitute date syrup for the dates. Just remember to mix all of the ingredients together really well with a spoon and enjoy!
Adjusting the sweetness of this recipe
Mangoes and dates are what provide the natural sugars in this recipe. The mangoes add a tart sweetness and the dates a caramel-y sweetness that brings out the flavor of mangoes even more. Mangoes have a high natural sugar content, so if you are trying to reduce the sugar content of this shake, reduce the mango content by half in this recipe. The shake won't be as as yellow/orange but you will still have the taste of the mango in the background. I advise keeping the dates in as they have a lower glycemic index (GI) and they provide a nice balance to the tartness of the mangoes, but you can also experiment with reducing the amount of dates you put in the shake as well.
Meal prepping and storage
This simple recipe requires just four ingredients, making it easy to whip up every morning. If you prefer meal prepping, it’s a breeze! Just be sure to add the protein powder close to when you're ready to enjoy it to ensure that the protein powder doesn't clump up or separate and the protein doesn't degrade in the shake. You can either:
- Measure out and prep deli containers with all of the ingredients and then blend in the morning. I like to add the Greek yogurt and protein powder on top because those will be the easiest to blend and will get the blender going.
- Pre-blend all of the ingredients besides the protein powder. Make a triple or quadruple batch for the week but leave the protein powder out. When you are ready to drink the lassi, simply mix the powder into the drink to incorporate.
If the shake is meal prepped as above where the protein powder isn't added until the very end, it can last up to a week in the fridge!
Other recipes you'll love
Here are other Indian breakfast and snack recipes that you'll love:
FAQ
If you don't add the protein powder, this lassi can be stored to up to a week in the fridge. Simply add the protein powder closer to when you are ready to enjoy!
Yes, you can instead use kesar mango pulp (which is found at the Indian grocery store) and date syrup which will eliminate the need for the blender. The exact substitute measurements are listed in the recipe.
I prefer using whey protein powder that is unflavored and unsweetened for this recipe. However, you can use a vanilla flavor if you prefer.
Reduce the mango quantity in half first and then the date quantity to reduce the sugar content of this shake.
High Protein Mango Lassi Smoothie
Product Reccs
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt (Fage is the brand I love)
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 1.5 cups (207 g) mango chunks frozen or fresh
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ medjool date (pitted)
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (Premier Protein is the brand I use)
Instructions
- Add 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt, ½ cup 2% milk, 1.5 cups (207 g) mango chunks, ⅛ teaspoon cardamom powder, and the ½ medjool date (pitted) to a blender.
- If drinking immediately, add the 2 scoops vanilla protein powder; if meal prepping or making this drink for later, omit the protein powder for now and mix it in by hand later, right before consuming.
- Blend all the ingredients on medium-high until smooth. The smoothie will be thicker if you are using frozen mangoes, so you may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of water or milk if you want the smoothie to be thinner.
- Divide the protein shake between 2 glasses and enjoy now, or, if you left the protein powder out, store it in the fridge to enjoy for up to a week to enjoy later.
Notes and Tips
- Reducing sugar content: If you want to reduce the sugar content of this protein smoothie, decrease the amount of mangoes in this recipe by half. You will still get a subtle taste of mango lassi but the shake won't be as bright yellow/orange. Next, reduce the amount of dates. The dates are important though because they bring out the sweetness in the mangoes while the sweetness of the mangoes is more of a tart-sweet.
- Protein Powder and Greek Yogurt Reccs: The protein powder I used to test this recipe was Premier Protein and I used Fage 5% Greek yogurt. However, make sure to check the back of your protein powder and Greek yogurt to ensure you get your protein intake needs.
Trent
I have been trying to perfect mango lassi like that served at the nearby eatery. I can't get the tang of the yoghurt to shine through. Is it because it is very easy to overmix?
Shri Repp
If you are trying to mimic the one at the restaurant - make sure not to add the protein powder and dates in this recipe. At the restuarant they use Kesar Mango pulp which is key to the mango flavor and sweetness and yogurt plus a pinch of cardamom. Hope that helps!
sid
Kesar mango pulp has so much sugar added, using that completely defeats the purpose of this being a healthy mango lassi recipe.
Shri Repp
Hey Sid, this recipe actually uses mango chunks and not kesar mango pulp. Regardless, I have called out in general that this recipe does have a high sugar content as it has both mango + dates which are both fruits with a higher amount of sugar. However the dates have fiber in it as well which often said to slow spikes of blood sugar.
Amar
Hi Shri, Thanks for this protein rich recipe. I will try it next time.
Also, you have a nice website. Love the details, tips and healthy recipes.