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: 3 large mangos (fully ripe (750 grams / 1.7 lbs)); 1/2 cup tapioca pearls (small uncooked kind (not minute tapioca)); 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (or sweetened condensed coconut milk); 13.5 floz coconut milk (whole fat kind, at room temperature); fresh mint leaves (optional garnish)

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Chewy tapioca pearls with creamy coconut mango pudding. This quick and easy mango sago dessert is ready in 30 minutes with just 4 ingredients. A sweet and refreshing treat for all the mango lovers. Great to impress guests with.

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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💬 Reviews

Mango Sago is a chilled Cantonese dessert from Hong Kong made of sweet mango purée, condensed milk, coconut milk and tapioca with fresh mango chunks!

It's naturally sweet, creamy and packed with contrasting textures thanks to the bouncy tapioca pearls! I love this dessert with a passion and I could eat it everyday.

This refreshing Asian dessert was created in the 1980's by a Chinese restaurant called "Lei Garden". The leading chef created this dessert for Singaporeans to enjoy and cool off in the hot weather. Since it's innovation, it's swept Asia with its popularity.

You'll love this easy mango recipe because it's:

quickly made in 30 minutes with only 4 ingredients if you don't count the mint!
so delicious and refreshing especially for the summer months.
great dessert idea to impress guests or for parties.
fantastic during mango season (May to September).
dairy-free adaptable with a simple substitute listed below.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Fresh Ripe Mangoes: that smell sweet, vibrant in color and tender. Avoid hard ones with a lot of greening or they will be too sour. I recommend Ambika mangoes, or ataulfo mangoes but use what's available to you. Or substitute with frozen mangoes as a last resort.
Small Tapioca Pearls: these are white dried pearls made of tapioca starch sold at the Asian market. Or substitute with large tapioca pearls and prepare to package directions. Avoid minute tapioca!
Sweetened Condensed Milk: a thick and sweet concentrated creamy milk. If you're dairy-free, substitute with condensed coconut milk.
Room Temperature Whole Fat Coconut Milk: Or substitute with whipping cream or heavy cream (35%). Avoid light coconut milk as it's not thick enough for the mango purée.
Fresh Mint Leaves: optional garnish.

Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

Expert Tips

Boil the tapioca until fully translucent! If you see a small white dot in the center of the tapioca, let it soak in the hot water covered for another 2-3 minutes or more until the dot is gone.
Keep cooked tapioca in submerged in cold water to prevent sticking until you're ready to strain and make the coconut sago mixture.
Use a high power blender for the best results. This ensures a smoother mango purée.
Run the mango mixture through a fine sieve for extra smoothness (optional).
Use a blender stick or spatula to move the components around if they get stuck in the blending process but make sure to turn off the blender.
To easily dice your mango, slice off the widest sides of the mango. Make 1-cm vertical and horizontal slits with a sharp knife into mango flesh. Then glide a large spoon between the mango flesh and the mango skin to remove the diced mango.

Instructions

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

In a medium size pot filled with 5 cups of water, bring to a boil on high heat. Add tapioca pearls and reduce to medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then turn off the heat, cover and rest for 10 minutes on the heat source, until the pearls are fully translucent. If you see a small white dot in the pearls, let them sit in the hot water covered for another 2-3 minutes.

In a medium size pot filled with 5 cups of water, bring to a boil on high heat. Add tapioca pearls and reduce to medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then turn off the heat, cover and rest for 10 minutes on the heat source, until the pearls are fully translucent. If you see a small white dot in the pearls, let them sit in the hot water covered for another 2-3 minutes.

Strain the cooked pearls using a fine mesh sieve. Rinse off the excess starch with cold running water. Then strain out excess water. Transfer cold tapioca to a large bowl.

Strain the cooked pearls using a fine mesh sieve. Rinse off the excess starch with cold running water. Then strain out excess water. Transfer cold tapioca to a large bowl.

Combine the room temperature coconut milk with the tapioca and mix well. This is your sago mixture. Set aside.

Combine the room temperature coconut milk with the tapioca and mix well. This is your sago mixture. Set aside.

Next peel and slice only 2 of the 3 mangos removing the pit. Place mango into a blender or food processor with condensed milk. Blend until smooth. Use a blender stick or spatula to loosen the mixture if mango gets stuck. Set aside.

Next peel and slice only 2 of the 3 mangos removing the pit. Place mango into a blender or food processor with condensed milk. Blend until smooth. Use a blender stick or spatula to loosen the mixture if mango gets stuck. Set aside.

Peel and dice the last mango into 1-cm cubes. Set aside.

Peel and dice the last mango into 1-cm cubes. Set aside.

Divide and pour the mango mixture into 4 dessert bowls or glasses. Then divide and pour the sago mixture on top of the mango layer. Top off with the cubed mangos. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf and enjoy cold! (You can also mix everything in a large bowl and serve).

Divide and pour the mango mixture into 4 dessert bowls or glasses. Then divide and pour the sago mixture on top of the mango layer. Top off with the cubed mangos. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf and enjoy cold! (You can also mix everything in a large bowl and serve).

Storage

Mango sago is best enjoyed fresh as the tapioca pearls will expand and become less chewy over time.
Leftovers can last up to 2 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. Please note with time, the sago will soften and become less chewy. You can store each component into separate containers to avoid soggy sago.
Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing mango sago as the cooked tapioca pearls will not be chewy anymore.

Pairing Suggestions

Mango sago serves well with:

coffee, milk, tea, bubble tea or boba tea
fresh fruit
strawberry sago or jello cakes like my Vegan Fruit Jelly Cake, Lychee Coconut Jelly, Pandan Coconut Jelly
cakes, desserts, pastries, cookies or other sweet baked goods

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Mango sago can be up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. I recommend storing the different layered components into separate airtight containers so the sago doesn't become soggy.

How to prepare mango sago for a party?

I would suggest doubling or tripling the portion depending on the size of your party. Then prepare the components but store them individually in airtight containers in the fridge up to a day in advance. Anymore than that and the cooked tapioca will lose its chewiness. Close to serving time, assemble your dessert layers by layering everything together or mixing all the components together in a few large bowls.

Can I substitute the mango with another fruit?

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

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