Strawberries are in season for a short while here in India. Therefore we are making the most of the strawberry season. Even though I enjoy eating them as such, I love incorporating them in recipes too. Today’s strawberry lassi recipe calls for 5 ingredients and can be made in 10 minutes. It is absolutely yummy and kid-friendly. My kids have been enjoying a glass of this strawberry yogurt drink often since last week. Lassi is like an Indian version of a smoothie that originated in Punjab, India. Traditionally, it is made by churning curd/yogurt with sugar and milk/water using a madani (wooden hand churner). Another popular variant of lassi is mango lassi, which happens to be quite popular in most Indian restaurants across North America. If the weather is too cold to enjoy a glass of this strawberry lassi, no worries! Just make sure you freeze bags of seasonal strawberries so that you can enjoy this lassi often during the scorching summers season.
Why you will enjoy this lassi recipe?
This strawberry lassi; ☑ Is a simple and fuss-free recipe ☑ Makes for a quick breakfast, perfect for busy mornings ☑ Is also great as a post-workout snack or after school snack ☑ Can be topped with some whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy it as a dessert ☑ Can be easily scaled
Ingredients needed to make this strawberry yogurt drink
Strawberries: I have used fresh strawberries, but frozen will also work well. In fact, it will make the lassi thicker, so you may need to adjust the consistency by adding milk or water. There is no need to thaw frozen strawberries. Use them as such. Sweetener: I’ve used castor sugar, as it dissolves easily. Traditionally, lassi is sweetened with sugar. If you avoid refined sugar in your diet, you can use other sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, honey, agave, or maple syrup. Feel free to use any sweetener of your choice. Yogurt/dahi: Try and use fresh yogurt, make sure that it is not too sour. I also suggest using full-fat yogurt for best results. You can also use low-fat yogurt but the lassi won’t be as creamy. Milk: Milk is added to adjust the consistency of the lassi. Cardamom powder: It adds a lovely sweet floral flavor that compliments the strawberries beautifully. Skip it if you wish to. Strawberries are a great source of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants. Yogurt is a great probiotic, it helps in improving gastrointestinal health and boosting immunity. Overall, this strawberry lassi is a pretty healthy beverage if you leave out the sugar.
How to make Indian strawberry lassi – Step by step process
Step 1:Strawberry puree
Add 250 grams chopped strawberries and 2 tablespoons castor sugar to a blender, blend to a smooth puree.
Step 2: Blend the puree with the rest of the ingredients
Add 250 grams full-fat yogurt, 30 ml of milk, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder, blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. You can add some crushed ice or ice cubes in a serving glass and then pour the lassi.
Storage suggestions
Strawberry lassi or any kind of lassi tastes best when it is freshly made. So try to consume it immediately. If you do have leftovers, refrigerate for up to a day.
Recipe tips
Strawberries: Be sure to use ripe, plump, and firm strawberries that have a bright red color. Avoid using strawberries that are soft, wrinkly, and those that have bruises. They will ruin the taste of the lassi. Prep the strawberries ahead of time by chopping them and placing them in an airtight container a few hours before you intend to make the lassi. The reason for this brings us to the next tip below. Make sure the ingredients are cold: If you start with cold ingredients, you can skip adding any ice. I personally don’t like to add ice cubes while blending the lassi since it waters the lassi down. If the lassi is not too cold for your liking, then add some ice in a serving glass and pour the lassi. More strawberry flavor: The strawberry flavor is quite prominent in this lassi. However, if you’d like more strawberry flavor, you can add strawberry crush, strawberry jam, or strawberry flavored yogurt. If using flavored yogurt, adjust the sweetener accordingly because they already contain sugar. Sweetness: The strawberries that I used were pretty sweet so 2 tablespoons of sugar were enough for us. If you prefer a sweeter lassi, increase the sweetener to your liking. Richer and creamier lassi: You can add about 1/4 cup of cream along with yogurt to make the lassi more creamy. Cardamom powder: I’ve used store-bought cardamom powder which does not tend to be as strong. If using homemade cardamom powder, reduce it to 1/8 teaspoon or it may overpower the delicate flavor of the strawberries. Vegan: Swap the yogurt and milk with your favorite plant-based yogurt and milk. Mint leaves: For a refreshing flavor, lightly crush some mint leaves in a glass, then pour the lassi. You could also use dried mint leaves.
Variations
Greek yogurt: You could also use Greek yogurt to make this lassi. Adjust the consistency by adding milk or water. Strawberry mango lassi: Swap half of the strawberries with mango chunks or mango pulp. Blueberry lassi: Swap the strawberries with blueberries for another fun fruity flavored lassi. Instead of just using blueberries, you could use a mix of berries. Rose-strawberry lassi: You can add a little rose syrup or rose water to add a floral note to this lassi. The floral and fruity pairing works amazingly well in this lassi.
You may also enjoy these fresh strawberry recipes
Strawberry Fool Strawberry Cream Strawberry topping for Cheesecake Instant Pot strawberry jam ★ Did you enjoy this Indian strawberry lassi recipe? If you try it out, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Thanks so much 🙂 You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
