Mango Sago

Hey there! Today I want to share a recipe that is just pure happiness in a bowl: Creamy Mango Sago.

If you’ve never had it, let me try to explain. Picture a rich, smooth mango soup. It’s bursting with sweet, tropical flavor. Then, it’s packed with these fun, chewy little tapioca pearls and made extra creamy with coconut milk. It’s a dessert, a snack, and the most refreshing treat all at once.

This dessert actually has a pretty cool backstory. It started in Hong Kong back in the 80s as a simpler take on a famous dessert called 楊枝甘露 (Yeung Ji Gam Lou), or Mango Pomelo Sago. The original has bits of tart pomelo fruit in it, which is amazing.

But the version we’re making today is all about keeping it simple. It’s a love letter to the perfect combo of mango and coconut. I first had something like this from a street vendor on a blazing hot day, and it was incredible. Now, I make it at home all the time. Let’s do it.

What You’re Getting Into

Before we start, here’s a quick rundown. This recipe is super straightforward. It’s almost impossible to mess up, making it great for beginners, but the result is good enough to wow anyone.

• Time Commitment: You’ll need about 50 minutes total. About 30 minutes of that is hands-on stuff like cooking the sago and blending mangoes. The other 20 is just letting the pearls rest and do their thing.
• How Much It Makes: This recipe makes 4 big servings. Need more or less? It’s easy to adjust. Just cut all the ingredients in half for two people or double them for a party.
• Difficulty Level: On a scale of 1 to 5, this is a solid 1. Seriously. The hardest part is just being patient while the tapioca cooks.
• What You’ll Need: No fancy equipment necessary!
  • A regular saucepan
  • A blender
  • A fine-mesh strainer
• Don’t have a blender? No problem. I’ve used a potato masher before to crush the mangoes. Just whisk everything together afterward. You’ll get a more rustic, chunky texture, which is also delicious. No fine-mesh strainer? A slotted spoon works if you’re careful not to lose any pearls down the drain!
• Want to prep ahead? You totally can. Cook the sago pearls a day before and keep them in the fridge in some water so they don’t stick. The mango base can also be blended and stored in the fridge. When you’re ready, just drain the sago and mix it all together.

Scaling Your Mango Sago

Servings	Tapioca Pearls	Ripe Mangoes	Coconut Milk	Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Servings	½ cup	1-2	¾ cup	1-2 tbsp
4 Servings (This Recipe)	1 cup	3	1 (13.5 oz) can	2-3 tbsp
8 Servings	2 cups	6	2 (13.5 oz) cans	4-6 tbsp

Let’s Talk Ingredients

The secret to this dessert is using good ingredients. Since there are only a few, each one really shines.

First, you need 1 cup of mini white tapioca pearls (sago). These little guys are what give the dessert its signature chewy, fun texture. It’s really important to get the small white pearls. Don’t grab the big black ones for boba or the “minute” tapioca—they cook differently and won’t work here.

Next up, 3 ripe yellow mangoes. The kind of mango you use makes a huge difference. My absolute favorite for this are Ataulfo mangoes, sometimes called honey or champagne mangoes. Why? They are super sweet, have almost no stringy fibers, and their color is this gorgeous deep yellow. If you can’t find them, no worries. Any sweet, ripe mango you enjoy eating will do the job. Just give it a gentle squeeze; it should be slightly soft and smell sweet.

For that incredible creaminess, we need one 13.5-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk. Please, please, please use the full-fat kind! The “light” version just won’t give you that rich, satisfying texture we’re going for. This is a dessert, after all!

And finally, our little secret weapon: 2-3 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. It adds a special kind of richness and sweetness that plain sugar can’t match. You can play with the amount based on how sweet your mangoes are.

Step-by-Step: Let’s Get Cooking!

Alright, grab your apron. I’ll walk you through everything.

Part 1: Cooking the Sago Pearls

This is the most important part, but I promise it’s easy.

First, fill a medium pot with 6 cups of water and bring it to a rolling boil. And I mean a real boil—lots of bubbles. If the water isn’t hot enough, the pearls can just dissolve into a starchy goo.

Once it’s boiling, pour in your 1 cup of tapioca pearls. Immediately turn the heat down to a medium-low simmer and stir them well so they don’t stick to the bottom. A common mistake is not stirring enough. I learned that the hard way once and ended up with a giant sago blob. Not good.

Let them simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. You’ll watch them go from solid white to mostly clear. You want to see a tiny white dot right in the center. If you see that, they’re perfect.

Now, turn off the heat, pop a lid on the pot, and let the pearls just sit in the hot water for another 15-20 minutes. This is my secret trick! The gentle heat finishes the job, making the pearls perfectly chewy and clear all the way through.

Once they’re done, pour them into a strainer and rinse them really well with cold water. This stops them from cooking any further and washes off extra starch so they don’t get all sticky. Set them aside.

Part 2: Making the Mango Base

While the sago rests, let’s get the mangoes ready. Slice the “cheeks” off the mangoes around the pit. Use a big spoon to scoop out the flesh. Take about a quarter cup of the mango and dice it into small cubes. We’ll use these for a pretty topping later.

Put the rest of the mango flesh into your blender. Pour in the coconut milk and add 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. For an instantly cold dessert, you can throw in 3-4 ice cubes right now. Blend for a minute or two until it’s totally smooth and silky. You should have a bright, sunny yellow puree.

Now, taste it. Sweet enough? If your mangoes were a little tart, go ahead and add that extra tablespoon of condensed milk.

Part 3: Putting It All Together

The final, super satisfying step.

Pour your creamy mango puree into a big bowl, or go ahead and divide it between four serving bowls. Add the cooked and drained tapioca pearls. Give it a gentle stir. I love watching the clear pearls float around in the creamy mango. It just looks so good!

To finish, sprinkle those diced mango cubes you saved on top of each serving. And that’s it! You’ve made a beautiful, delicious, and super creamy mango sago.

Ways to Mix It Up

One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to change. Here are a few ideas:

• Go Classic Hong Kong Style: Add some pulp from a pomelo or a pink grapefruit. The little burst of citrus is a great contrast to the sweet mango.
• Add More Texture: Stir in some coconut jelly (nata de coco) or even some small cubes of a firm fruit jelly.
• Make it Vegan: Super easy. Just leave out the sweetened condensed milk. Use granulated sugar, maple syrup, or agave to sweeten it instead. Start with a tablespoon and add more until it tastes right to you.
• Try Other Fruits: When mangoes aren’t in season, this dessert is amazing with other fruits. A Peach Sago in the summer or a Strawberry Sago in the spring would be fantastic.

Serving and Storing

This dessert is best when served fresh and chilled. I like to put it in clear glass bowls so you can see all the pretty layers and textures. It’s a perfect light dessert after a spicy meal.

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just a heads-up, the texture will change a bit. The sago pearls will keep absorbing the liquid, making the whole thing thicker and more like a pudding. It’s still delicious, just a different vibe!

And one last tip: do not freeze this dessert. Trust me. The mango and sago get really watery and weird when they thaw.

I hope you have fun making this! Enjoy every single sunny spoonful.

Print