Lassi
An Indian yogurt drink blended with water or milk, made sweet, often with mango or rose, or salted and spiced. It is frothy, cooling, and served with meals.
| Category | Yogurt & Cultured |
|---|---|
| Maker / Origin | India |
| Storage | Keep sealed and refrigerated. Stir or shake before serving, as it separates. |
| Shelf life | Best fresh. Bottled lassi keeps about 1 week refrigerated; homemade, drink within a day. |
| Best uses | Drinking with spicy meals, mango desserts, and cooling summer drinks. |
| Substitutes | Drinkable yogurt for the sweet version; ayran for the salted one. |
| Pairings | Curries, biryani, samosas, and mango desserts. |
| Last checked | October 18, 2026 |
About it
Lassi is older than the blender by centuries, churned in a clay pot with a wooden whisk. The sweet version is a dessert drink; the salted version, chaas in some regions, is thinner and spiced, closer to ayran with cumin.
Storing it
Lassi does not freeze well. Make it in the quantity you will drink; the yogurt base keeps longer than the finished drink.
Using it
Blend yogurt with water or milk, ice, and either sugar and fruit or salt and spice, until frothy. Serve immediately, very cold.
Swaps & pairings
Bottled drinkable yogurt approximates sweet lassi. Salted lassi swaps closely with ayran plus roasted cumin.
More from this maker: India