Who but the Indians would know the best drink for a hot summer day? It’s the lassi, popular throughout India in savory and sweet varieties. I love mango lassis (who doesn’t?) but discovered the strawberry lassi this spring and have been making them throughout strawberry season. Now that peaches are in here’s another great lassi variation: the peach lassi, topped with slightly chopped pistachios:
peach lassi garnished with pistachios
Lassis are traditionally made with yogurt but other cultured dairy milk products also work. For a vegan version use soy or almond yogurt. I’ve been favoring unsweetened kefir lately, so that’s what I used.
I usually avoid any sweetener except fruit in a smoothie. I have smoothies for breakfast and I don’t like to put anything sugary into my empty stomach. For me, starting the day with sugar can lead to sugar cravings all day. But a lassi doesn’t taste like a lassi to me without the sweetening. I think of a lassi as more like a dessert and I have it with my dinner, when I’m open to having a little sugar (I used honey here). If you use sweetened yogurt or kefir there will be more than enough sugar from that without adding any more.
- 1 lb. fresh ripe peaches, halved, pitted, sliced
- 1 cup unsweetened kefir, yogurt, or buttermilk (or soy or almond yogurt)
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. rosewater (omit if you don't have it)
- ½ tsp. ground cardamom
- pinch salt
- 1 cup crushed ice
- pistachios, slightly chopped, to garnish
- Combine peaches, cultured milk product of choice, honey, rosewater, cardamom, and salt in blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Add crushed ice, blend again until smooth.
- Taste, adjust salt, honey, or rosewater as desired.
- Serve, top with pistachios. Makes 2 small or 1.5 large smoothies.
Related Posts:
peach lassi with pistachio 
Strawberry Peach Smoothie with Cider You can really taste the peach flavor in this smoothie recipe, made with a frozen peach, a handful of strawberries, non-dairy milk, and apple cider.
Non-Dairy Yogurt Honey Dressing A honey yogurt dressing made with non-dairy yogurt (coconut milk yogurt or almond milk yogurt).
Greek Yogurt Honey Dressing An honey yogurt dressing made with Greek yogurt, basil, shallot, Dijon mustard, celery seed, and honey.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Fantastic recipe. Love the topping of pistachios! 🙂
Joanne recently posted..I Felt A (Capital “A”!) AMAZING!
Honestly, I don’t think I have ever heard of a lassi, but it looks good! I am the same way with sugar early in the morning … just makes me crave sugar all day! I will have to try this .. looks so refreshing!
I hate yogurt, but I love mango lassis. Had I known what they were made with, I probably never would have tried them to begin with, but the Indian restaurant we used to go to listed them as Mango Milkshakes on their menu. 🙂 Mangoes are not looking good at the supermarket lately, so peaches are a good substitute! I love the addition of pistachios too.
Kiersten recently posted..Garden Update | Long Beans: Delicious But Slightly Creepy Looking
They sucked you right in with the ‘mango milkshakes’! Yes, the pistachios are good, I keep spooning them off the top and adding more to my glass.
For all the Indian restaurants we go to I still haven’t tried a mango lassi! I really need to. Peach looks delicious, too.
Oh Mary, this looks so refreshing. I have never had a Lassi and can’t wait to try this one. The peaches, cardamom and rosewater are a magical flavor pairing. …Susan
Susan S. Bradley recently posted..Perfect Homemade Mayonnaise & Twenty Variations
Thanks! I know you are a big fan of cardamom!