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Summary
This light and refreshing mango dessert is the perfect guilt-free summer treat.
Based on the popular Hong Kong dessert, this creamy mango sago recipe balances ripe tropical mangoes with velvety coconut and soft chewy tapioca pearls (sago). We use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk, to give you control of the sweetness. Allowing you to choose between sugar or allulose to keep it lighter without compromising flavor. Top it off with our lime-infused coconut whip to elevate the whole thing for the ultimate light, refreshing summer dessert.
It’s naturally gluten-free, egg-free, and totally refreshing on a hot day. The best part? You can make it ahead for entertaining or keep it in the fridge for when your sweet tooth calls.
6
servings20
minutes20
minutes195
kcal30
minutesInspired by the popular Hong Kong dessert, this creamy mango sago recipe balances ripe tropical mangoes with velvety coconut and soft chewy pearls.
Ingredients
180 g ¾ cup coconut cream, unsweetened
93 g ⅜ cup evaporated milk
500 g 3–4 mangoes, flesh only, skin and pit removed, plus additional for topping
91 g ½ cup small tapioca pearls, dry
3 g ¾ tsp vanilla extract
24 g 2 tbsp sugar or allulose
1 g zest of 1 lime (for garnish)
1 recipe Lime-Infused Coconut Whip (optional), see “Before we start” notes
Directions
Before We Start
This recipe optionally calls for our Lime Infused Coconut Froth that can be made with the remaining coconut milk and the juice of the lime.
Using Allulose Instead of Sugar: We love using allulose, since it is a natural alternative to sugar that doesn’t spike your glucose. Using allulose makes this a sugar-free or no added sugar dessert. When substituting the sugar for allulose, use 30 g (3 tbsp) allulose in place of the 2 tbsp sugar.
Tapioca Pearls: Use small white pearls, not large boba-style ones. They’re much better suited for this dessert.
Coconut Whip: See RecipeCook the Tapioca
Bring about 1 quart of water to a boil. Add tapioca pearls, return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 10 mins. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit 3 mins. Strain under cold water and set aside.
Prep the Mango
Cut cheeks off 3 mangos and cube one half from each into ¼-inch pieces. Add to blender with remaining flesh. From 4th mango, cut cheeks, slice into strips, and cut into ~50–70g of rectangular pieces for topping.
Add & Blend
Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, and allulose (or sugar) to blender. Blend until smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Chill for 1 hour if you have the time.
Zest the Lime
Roll the lime, then zest it with a microplane for garnish.Make the Lime-Infused Coconut Whip (Optional)
Combine remaining coconut milk with lime juice and sweetener. Whip 3–5 mins until light and pillowy. See recipe for full details.
Combine
Combine 800g mango puree with 400g tapioca (2:1 ratio). Mix to incorporate. Divide into bowls and top with coconut whip, reserved mango slices, tapioca pearls, and lime zest.
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Additional Details About This Recipe
How long will mango sago last in the fridge?
It keeps well for 2–3 days in the fridge. Tapioca may firm up slightly, but it still tastes great.
Is it authentic?
This version honors the Hong Kong original but with a few health-forward swaps (like allulose) and optional add-ons like our coconut whip. Some traditional recipes use sweetened condensed milk and pomelo instead. Quality pomelo is hard to come by in the USA so we excluded it, and use evaporated milk which is sweetened condensed milk without the sugar. We do this so we can control the sugar contents and the type of sweetener that is used.
You can still add pomelo to your if you can find it. It adds an extra layer of texture, but isn’t necessary to get the essence of the dish.
Can I use frozen mango?
Absolutely! Just thaw before blending and garnish with fresh if you want the best presentation.
Why evaporated milk?
We use evaporated milk instead of the typical sweetened condensed milk, because we wanted to make this healthier by controlling the sweetness by adding natural sweeteners instead. Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk are the same thing, just one adds sugar while the other does not.
Can I freeze mango sago?
Freezing is not recommended—the tapioca texture becomes gummy and unpleasant once thawed.
Nutritional Facts
(Per Serving – 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 195
- Carbs: 34g
- Sugar: 13g
- Fat: 6g
- Protein: 2g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sodium: 28mg