Mango Smoothie with Turmeric, Ginger, and Passion Fruit

Mango season has officially begun, and where I live in Taiwan, we have an abundance of them this year. When I can stop myself from eating them right out of the skin, I love using them for cool and creamy popsicles and smoothies.

This mango smoothie recipe is one of my summer favorites because it's easy, delicious, and a great way to get in some extra ginger and turmeric. These two roots have lots of antioxidants, plus compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Just six simple ingredients (plus water) are all you need to make this refreshing smoothie. Want to make a substitution? Check this section for my suggestions.

Mangoes: I like to use fresh in-season mangoes, then cut and freeze them, but you can also buy frozen chunks from the freezer aisle. Mangoes come in many varieties that vary in how sweet they are. I used Irwin mangoes for this recipe; I recommend using a sweet variety like Irwin, Kent, or Ataulfo (Honey) mangoes. See "Buying and Freezing Mangoes" for more tips.

Banana: To maximize this smoothie's natural sweetness, use a ripe banana. Cut it into blendable pieces and freeze it along with your mangoes for the creamiest smoothie. If your mangoes are on the tart side, you could also add more banana pieces to balance the flavor.

Passion fruit pulp: This can be fresh or frozen; to use fresh pulp, just cut a ripe fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds. I like the crunch of the seeds, so I include them in my smoothie, but you can strain them out if you prefer. If you can't get passion fruit pulp, you can also use pineapple (fresh or frozen) or orange juice. Lime juice would work as well, but I'd reduce the amount to 2 tablespoons.

Ginger: Peel your ginger root, then use a box grater to grate it into fine pieces. You may need to increase or decrease the amount of ginger according to your taste, since ginger is a bit spicy. You can also leave the ginger out, if you prefer.

Turmeric powder: This spice is added more for color and nutrition than for flavor. If you have fresh turmeric root, you can add 1 tablespoon of that (peeled and grated) instead. Like the ginger, you could also skip it, but I recommend reading the next section first to see why it's included.

Cashews and water: Instead of plant milk, I designed this smoothie with raw, unsalted cashews and water. I've found that my blender can create a creamy smoothie without pre-soaking the cashews, but if yours can't, just soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain. The cashews create an even creamier texture, and their fat helps your body absorb the turmeric's anti-inflammatory substance, curcumin. You can use 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk instead of water and cashews, but for better curcumin absorption, look for milk with a high fat content, like Oatly full-fat oat milk. 

Why Add Ginger and Turmeric to Your Mango Smoothie?

Aside from enhancing the flavor and color of your smoothie, ginger and turmeric may be beneficial to your health.

They've been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, and modern medicine has found evidence that they can both reduce inflammation in the body. Both have been shown to reduce arthritis pain, and ginger can help with nausea. 

If you're using turmeric in your smoothie, you should also include a healthy fat source (like cashews). Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is difficult for your body to absorb, but eating it together with healthy fats can increase absorption. You can also add a little black pepper to your smoothie, which will help your body absorb even more curcumin.

Customize Your Smoothie

This smoothie is already an incredibly delicious blend of fruits, nuts, and roots. But if you need to customize it, here are some ideas for you:

Change or add fruits. Mango also pairs well with:

• strawberries
• blackberries
• raspberries
• peaches
• pineapple
• kiwis
• papayas
• lime juice

Add protein powder. If you want to up the protein content, you can add a little unflavored protein powder. You could also add almond milk, soy milk, or high-protein vegan Greek yogurt in place of the water. 

Make it sweeter. If you're using a sweet variety of mango, you probably won't need any additional sweetener. However, if you want to add some extra sweetness, you can:

• increase the amount of frozen banana
• add a few dates (soak them if they're dry)
• add a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave

Buying and Freezing Mangoes

Because mangoes come in so many varieties and sizes, it’s hard to say how many fresh mangoes you’ll need for this smoothie. Mangoes have large pits inside, so if you’re buying fresh, I’d double the weight: about 420 grams (1 pound) of mangoes. If you end up with too much for the smoothie, you can eat the extra pieces fresh or freeze them to make more smoothies later.

To cube fresh mangos, start by cutting your mango in half length-wise and cutting out the pit. Then, cut the mango into square sections (without cutting the skin) by cutting vertical and horizontal lines into the flesh. Finally, use a spoon to scoop out your mango chunks.

Once you’ve cut your mangoes, put them on a parchment-lined baking tray (don’t let the pieces touch each other). Freeze them for 3 to 4 hours, then transfer your frozen chunks to a freezer bag.

Tips for the Best Mango Smoothie

Freeze your mangoes and banana. Frozen fruit makes colder, creamier smoothies. If you can't freeze both, then freeze the mangoes, since they make up the bulk of the smoothie. If you can only use fresh fruit, you may want to add some ice cubes to make sure your smoothie doesn't get too thin.

Adjust the thickness. This recipe creates a thick and creamy smoothie. If you want it a little thinner, just add some additional water or non-dairy milk.

​Help it blend. If your blender is struggling, you can use a tamper (if you have one) to help push the fruits to the blades. You may also need to add some additional water or non-dairy milk to help it along.

Storing Your Mango Smoothie

Like most smoothies, this mango smoothie is best served fresh. However, if you can't drink it all at once, you can keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a day or two. I like to use mason jars.

You can also freeze the smoothie in an airtight container or freezer bag, then defrost it the night before you want to drink it. For a smoothie that's ready even faster, put the smoothie in ice cube trays or popsicle molds before freezing. When you're ready to drink it, blend the frozen pieces in the blender and enjoy!

More Refreshing Summer Smoothies and Drinks

• Watermelon Banana Smoothie
• Passion Fruit Iced Tea
• Pineapple Ginger Açaí Smoothie
• Chocolate Smoothie
• Coconut Margarita
• Strawberry Açaí Smoothie
• Mint Chocolate Chip Shake