Quick & Easy 4-ingredient Mango Sago

Name: Quick & Easy 4-ingredient Mango Sago
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.65 lbs mangos (fully ripe (the amount includes the weight of the mango seed and peel)); 1/2 cup tapioca pearls (small uncooked kind (do not use minute tapioca)); 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (or sweetened condensed coconut milk); 13.5 floz coconut milk (whole fat kind); fresh mint leaves (optional garnish)

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Chewy tapioca pearls in a sweet, creamy coconut mango pudding. This quick and easy mango sago recipe uses 4 simple ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes! A refreshing family-friendly dessert perfect for the hotter months or parties. This recipe is easily adaptable to be dairy-free.

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Why This Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutes
Instructions
Expert Tips
Variations
Pairing Suggestions
Storage
FAQ
More Like This
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Mango Sago is a delicious chilled Cantonese dessert from Hong Kong. It's made of mango purée, condensed milk, coconut milk, tapioca and mango chunks! Naturally sweet, creamy, and refreshing - with a fun contrast in textures from the bouncy tapioca!

This Asian dessert was created in the 1980s by a Chinese restaurant, "Lei Garden". The head chef created it for Singaporeans to cool off in the summer. Since its invention, it has swept Asia with its popularity and it's one of my favorite Chinese desserts!

Why This Recipe

We let the boiled tapioca rest in the cooking water for another 10-15 minutes so the pearls become evenly chewy, tender, and translucent.
I've tested this with various types of mango, and I recommend low-fiber varieties-such as Carabao, Ataulfo, Alphonso, Nam Dok Mai, or Kent-for the smoothest texture.
Most mango sago recipes turn out clumpy; rinsing the cooked tapioca in cold water and straining well before assembly keeps the pearls separate and prevents sticking.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Mangos: It's very important to use fresh, ripe, tender mangos without any green on the skin - unripe mangos can cause a sour tasting pudding. I recommend using Carabao, Ataulfo, Alphonso, Nom Dok Mai, or Kent mangos as these contain less fiber.
Small Tapioca Pearls: 2mm pearls made from tapioca starch extracted from the cassava plant [I recommend EFE or Cock Brand]. Do not use instant/minute tapioca. Substitution: Sago pearls.
Sweetened Condensed Milk (aka Condensed Milk): To add sweetness. Substitution: Condensed coconut milk.
Whole Fat Coconut Milk: To add a milky texture and coconut flavor. Substitutions: Use half-and-half, whipping cream, or heavy cream.
Fresh Mint Leaves: This is an optional garnish.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make mango sago:

Boil tapioca in a pot of water on medium heat for 10 minutes and rest for another 10 minutes covered.

Boil the tapioca: Fill a medium-size pot with 5 cups (1250 ml) water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, add tapioca pearls, and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 10-15 minutes on the heat source, until the pearls are fully translucent.

Strain and rinse tapioca with cold water and strain again.

Strain the tapioca: Strain the tapioca with a fine mesh sieve. Rinse off the excess starch with cold running water. Then strain again and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add coconut milk to the tapioca and mix well. Set aside.

Make the coconut sago mixture: Add the coconut milk to the tapioca and mix until fully combined. If the coconut milk was chilled, stir it first to recombine the fat and liquid, breaking up any solid pieces before adding it to the tapioca.

Blend two mangos with the condensed milk in a blender until smooth.

Make the mango mixture: Peel, de-pit, and slice only two mangos and transfer them into a blender with condensed milk. Then blend until smooth and set aside.

Peel and dice the last mango into small cubes.

Prepare mango topping: For the remaining mango: slice off the wide sides as close to the pit as possible, score the flesh into 1-cm cubes, then scoop them out with a large spoon and set aside.

Assemble the dessert bowls with both mixtures and mango.

Assemble and serve: Divide the mango mixture between four dessert bowls or glasses. Then divide and pour the coconut sago mixture over the mango mixture. Next, top off with cubed mangos. (Alternatively, you can also mix everything except the mint in a large bowl and serve). Garnish with fresh mint and enjoy cold!

Expert Tips

Choose fresh, fully ripe, tender mangos without any green on the skin for a sweet taste.
Choose mangos with less fiber -see "Ingredients" for recommendations.
Boil the tapioca until fully translucent - if you see a white dot in the center, keep soaking it in the hot water until it's gone.
Use a high-power blender to make the mango mixture for a smooth pudding.
Use a blender stick to loosen and blend the mango mixture evenly.
Run the blended mango mixture through a fine sieve for extra smoothness.
To easily dice a mango, slice off the wide sides, score the flesh into 1-cm cubes, then scoop them out with a large spoon.

Variations

Dairy-free version: Replace the sweetened condensed milk with condensed coconut milk.
Pomelo version: Mix ¾ cup of pomelo pulp into the finished pudding for a refreshing citrus taste!
Lychee version: Mix ¾ cup of peeled, pitted, and chopped lychees into the pudding.
Nata de Coco version: Mix 1 cup of strained nata de coco into the finished pudding.
Grass/Pandan Jelly version: Mix in 1 cup of diced grass jelly or pandan jelly into the finished pudding.

Pairing Suggestions

Mango sago pairs well with:

Beverages: Coffee, Tea, Juice, Boba Tea, Grass Jelly Milk, Strawberry Milk, or Watermelon Milk.
Fresh Fruits: Lychee, Rambutan, Starfruit, Longan, Dragon Fruit, or Mangosteen.
Desserts: Earl Grey Milk Tea Pudding, Vegan Fruit Jelly, Lychee Coconut Jelly, Pandan Coconut Jelly, or Japanese Raindrop Cake.

Storage

Leftover mango sago can last up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This dessert is best enjoyed fresh or the sago will lose its chewiness. I recommend storing the sago, coconut milk, and mango mixture in separate containers to preserve the chewy texture.
Freezer-friendly? Mango sago is not ideal for freezing because the sago will change in texture.

FAQ

Can I make mango sago in advance?

Mango sago can be prepared up to 2 days in advance when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend storing the sago, coconut milk, and mango mixture in separate containers to preserve the chewy texture.

How to prepare mango sago for a party?

I recommend multiplying the portions depending on the party size. Prepare the sago, coconut milk, and mango mixture up to 1 day in advance and do not exceed this timeframe. Then store the different components in separate airtight containers in the fridge. To enjoy, assemble the dessert in a large bowl or into smaller dessert bowls.

Can I substitute the mango with another fruit?

The mango can be substituted with ripe strawberries. I share a recipe for strawberry sago here.

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