If you love chewy sago, sweet mango and coconut milk then this cold dessert drink is for you! This quick and easy mango sago coconut drink is so refreshing and ready in 30 minutes with minimal ingredients! (Dairy-free adaptable)
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This mango sago coconut drink is a sweet creamy mango-based drink with bouncy sago in every sip. This chilled dessert beverage is a popular drink from Asia and interestingly enough, each Asian country, like China and Thailand, has their own variation of it!
Some versions are runnier and some are thicker. Either way, this dessert drink is so good and perfect for hot summer months or when it's mango season! It's become such a popular drink that it's sold at many bubble tea shops in North America.
This is my favourite dessert drink when I am craving something fruity and creamy! It's so simple to make at home and it really hits the spot as the sweet mango is balanced by the milky coconut.
Also, this drink is more affordable to make at home than to buy at the bubble tea shop, which will cost you at least $7-8! So if you love mango, you need to try making this!
Ingredients & Substitutes
- Ripe Mangoes: pick ripened mangos for this recipe otherwise the drink will be too tart. To pick ripe mangoes, look for tender ones that are mostly yellow, orange or red in color without much green that smell sweet. Avoid picking firm ones. You should be able to leave a thumb imprint into the mango flesh. Mango season is also between May - September.
- Condensed milk: or substitute with condensed coconut milk in the can for a dairy-free version.
- Small pearl tapioca: these are sold dried at the Asian market or online. Or substitute with the larger tapioca pearls or bobas if you don't mind the texture but follow package directions to prepare them.
- Whole fat coconut milk: or substitute with light coconut milk and omit the cold water.
- Cold water
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with cane sugar
- Ice cubes: or omit if you prefer this enjoyed at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Keep the canned coconut milk at room temperature for this recipe. This prevents the coconut fat from hardening or mixing properly with the clear coconut liquid.
- Use fresh ripened mango for the best taste! Avoid using ones that are not ripe or the drink will be too tart.
- To easily remove the mango flesh, slice off the larger sides of the unpeeled mango as close to the pit as possible. Then take a large spoon and glide it between the mango skin and flesh and it should come out relatively smoothly.
- Use a high-power blender to blend the mango mixture. This will smoothly break down all the fruit fibres or you can run the mango mixture through a fine sieve to remove the pulp.
- Make sure the tapioca is cooked through and completely translucent. If you see a small white dot in the center of the pearl, leave it submerged in the hot boiling water covered while the heat is turned off and 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.
- Whisk coconut milk, water and sugar until smooth so there are no fatty coconut milk clumps. This usually is caused when the coconut milk is stored in a fridge or a cold area.
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 the hot water reaches boiling point, add tapioca pearls. Reduce to medium heat or to a rolling boil, boil for 10 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally.
- Then turn off the heat, cover and let it sit for another 10 minutes until the pearls have softened and are completely translucent. If you see a small white dot in the center of the pearls, let them sit in the hot water covered for another 2-3 minutes to become fully translucent.
- Strain the cooked pearls in a fine mesh sieve and rinse off the excess starch with cold running water until cool to touch. Leave the cooked pearls submerged in water to prevent them from sticking. When you're ready to assemble the drink, strain them well.
- In a blender, add mango and condensed milk. Blend on high until smooth. Divide and spoon the mango mixture into the base of your serving glasses.
- Then divide and spoon the strained tapioca between the glasses. Add 2-3 ice cubes per glass.
- In a large bowl, whisk together canned coconut milk, cold water and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Pour the coconut milk liquid into each glass. Mix and enjoy!
Storage
- This dessert is best enjoyed fresh or at least within the same day as the tapioca pearls will expand and become less chewy.
- However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. I recommend storing the different components in separate containers.
- Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend this freezing mango sago coconut drink as the tapioca will change in texture.
Pairing Suggestions
Mango sago coconut drink serves well with:
- fresh fruits like lychee, dragon fruit, star fruit, rambutan, passion fruit, melons, and berries or cherries.
- desserts like cakes, cookies, pastries or danishes, ice cream, frozen yogurt, shaved ice or popsicles
- coffee or tea
FAQ
This dessert drink is best enjoyed fresh but you can prepare the coconut milk liquid and the mango mixture up to 3 days in advance and cook the tapioca pearls on the same day of serving.
Yes, feel free to substitute the mango with ripe strawberries.
Other recipes you may like
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Mango Sago Coconut Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup mango ripened and peeled
- 2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk or condensed coconut milk for dairy free version
- 2 tablespoon tapioca pearls small uncooked kind (do not use minute tapioca)
- 1 cup coconut milk full fat kind at room temperature
- 1 cup water cold
- 2.5 tablespoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 4-6 ice cubes
Instructions
- In a small pot filled halfway with water, bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once the hot water reaches boiling point, add tapioca pearls. Reduce to medium heat or to a rolling boil, boil for 10 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally.
- Then turn off the heat, cover and let it sit for another 10 minutes until the pearls have softened and are completely translucent. If you see a small white dot in the center of the pearls, let them sit in the hot water covered for another 2-3 minutes to become fully translucent.
- Strain the cooked pearls in a fine mesh sieve and rinse off the excess starch with cold running water until cool to touch. Leave the cooked pearls submerged in water to prevent them from sticking. When you're ready to assemble the drink, strain them well.
- In a blender, add mango and condensed milk. Blend on high until smooth. Divide and spoon the mango mixture into the base of your serving glasses.
- Then divide and spoon the strained tapioca between the glasses. Add 2-3 ice cubes per glass.
- In a large bowl, whisk together canned coconut milk, cold water and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Pour the coconut milk liquid into each glass. Mix and 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!