Sweet puréed mango and chewy sago with creamy coconut milk. This delicious, easy mango sago coconut drink recipe uses minimal ingredients, is ready in 30 minutes, and is cheaper than the bubble tea shop. It's a refreshing cold dessert drink that's family-friendly and perfect for summer or mango season. This recipe can be dairy-free with a simple swap.
This mango sago coconut drink is a sweet, creamy mango coconut beverage with bouncy sago or tapioca in every sip. The sweet mango is perfectly balanced with the coconut milk.
It's a popular chilled Asian dessert drink served at many bubble tea shops. Countries like China and Thailand have a variation of their own. Some contain colorful jellies and others are runnier in consistency.
This mango drink can easily be made at home with simple ingredients, saving you at least $7-8 at the bubble tea shop.
This recipe is easy and after testing various proportions of the drink components, I've landed on a version that's perfectly balance in taste. Be sure to check out my tips below!
For this recipe, you can use either small tapioca pearls or sago. Sago and tapioca are often confused as they look very similar, but sago is made from palm stems and tapioca is made from cassava root.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Mangos: It's crucial to use fresh, fully ripe, sweet-smelling mangos without any green on the skin - unripe mangos will taste tart and ruin the drink. Ripe mangos are tender, allowing you to easily leave a thumbprint in the flesh. I recommend using Ataulfo, Alphonso, Ambika or Nom Dok Mai mangos. Mango season (May - September) is also the best time to shop for this fruit.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Small Tapioca Pearls: These are dry, tiny, white, round flavorless balls made of cassava root starch that are 2 mm wide. I recommend using the Cock Brand. Do not use minute tapioca - the results won't be the same. Or use sago and cook according to package directions.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk (aka Coconut Cream): Or use light coconut milk and omit the cold water below.
- Cold Water
- White Granulated Sugar: Or use granulated cane sugar.
- Ice Cubes: This is optional depending on how cold you'd like the drink to be.
Variations
- Dairy-free version: Substitute the condensed milk with canned condensed coconut milk.
- Low-calorie version: Omit the water and full-fat coconut milk and replace both with light coconut milk.
- Strawberry version: Replace the mangos with fresh, ripe, and hulled strawberries.
Expert Tips
- Choose fresh ripe mangos for the best taste! Avoid using ones that are not ripe or the drink will be too tart.
- Have the full-fat coconut milk at room temperature - this prevents the solid fat from separating from the liquids.
- To easily remove the mango flesh, slice off the larger sides of the unpeeled mango close to the pit. Then score between the skin and flesh with a large steel spoon and the flesh should pop out.
- Use a high-power blender to blend the mango and condensed milk and run the mixture through a fine sieve for a smooth texture, so you don't taste the fruit fibers.
- To check if the tapioca is cooked through, it should be totally clear. If you see a small white dot in the center, leave it submerged in the hot cooking water covered with the heat turned off. Let it sit for another 2-3 minutes until the dot is gone.
- To prevent the cooked tapioca from sticking to each other, rinse it off with cold running water and leave it submerged in the cold water. Then when you're ready to assemble the drink, strain the pearls well.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make mango coconut sago drink:
- In a small pot filled halfway with water, bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it's boiling, add the tapioca pearls and reduce to medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Then turn off the heat, cover and let the tapioca sit in the cooking water for another 10 minutes until they are softened and completely translucent. If you see a small white dot in the center, let them sit in the cooking water, covered, for another 2-3 minutes until fully translucent.
- Strain the cooked pearls with a fine mesh sieve and rinse off the excess starch with cold running water until cool to the touch. Leave the cooked pearls submerged in water to prevent them from sticking. When you're ready to assemble the drink, strain them well.
- Meanwhile in a blender, add mango and the sweetened condensed milk. Blend on high until completely smooth. Feel free to run this mixture through a fine sieve to remove mango fibers. Divide and spoon the mango mixture into two (12-oz.) serving glasses.
- Then add equal portions of the strained tapioca into each glass. Add 2-3 ice cubes into each glass and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, cold water, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the coconut liquid into each glass. Mix to enjoy!
Storage
- Coconut mango sago drink is best enjoyed fresh or within 1-2 hours, or the tapioca will taste soggy over time.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1-2 days in an airtight container. I recommend storing the different components in separate containers to preserve the chewy texture of the tapioca.
- Freezer-friendly? This mango sago coconut drink is not ideal for freezing as the tapioca pearls will change in texture.
FAQ
This dessert drink is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare the coconut milk liquid and the mango mixture up to 2 days in advance and store these components separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Closer to serving, prepare the tapioca pearls according to the recipe card and assemble the drink.
A white dot in the center of the tapioca means that the tapioca is not fully cooked. Fully cooked tapioca is totally translucent. If you notice this white dot, let the cooked tapioca sit in the cooking water for another 2-3 minutes, covered, until the dot is gone.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Mango Sago Coconut Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup mango ripe and peeled
- 2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk or use condensed coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon tapioca pearls small uncooked kind - don't use minute tapioca!
- 1 cup coconut milk full fat, room temperature
- 1 cup water cold
- 2.5 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 4-6 ice cubes
Instructions
- In a small pot filled halfway with water, bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it's boiling, add the tapioca pearls and reduce to medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Then turn off the heat, cover and let the tapioca sit in the cooking water for another 10 minutes until they are softened and completely translucent. If you see a small white dot in the center, let them sit in the cooking water, covered, for another 2-3 minutes until fully translucent.
- Strain the cooked pearls with a fine mesh sieve and rinse off the excess starch with cold running water until cool to the touch. Leave the cooked pearls submerged in water to prevent them from sticking. When you're ready to assemble the drink, strain them well.
- Meanwhile in a blender, add mango and the sweetened condensed milk. Blend on high until completely smooth. Feel free to run this mixture through a fine sieve to remove mango fibers. Divide and spoon the mango mixture into two (12-oz.) serving glasses.
- Then add equal portions of the strained tapioca into each glass. Add 2-3 ice cubes into each glass and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, cold water, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the coconut liquid into each glass. Mix to enjoy!
Irina
Amazing! 👏
christieathome
So happy to read this! Thank you so much for making my recipe!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This looks so refreshing and delicious on a 115 degree summer day. I really love how I can make it at home for so much less!!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
This drink looks so refreshing!! I love mango and especially the combo of mango and coconut. Yum! A perfect summer drink!