My homemade mango sorbet is rich, creamy, and bursting with sweet tropical mango flavor. It's a delicious way to beat the heat! The best part? It's super easy to make, and you don't even need an ice cream maker!
Confession time: sorbet has never been my favorite. Why eat something light and fruity when you can eat ice cream? I've found this particularly true in recent years, now that vegan ice cream is everywhere, and since I've discovered how easy it is to make homemade vegan chocolate ice cream. This sorbet is different, though!
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Why is it different, you ask? One word: mango. Throw a mango into pretty much anything, and it instantly becomes my favorite. That goes for sweet recipes like my vegan mango lassi and vegan mango cheesecake, as well as savory ones, like my mango salad and mango curry. With mango being the star of this sorbet recipe, it's no surprise that I absolutely love it!
This stuff is really easy to make. I do have an ice cream maker, but it's one of those appliances that lives in a cabinet in the basement, and honestly, most of the time I can't be bothered to dig it out. So I challenged myself to create some homemade no-churn mango sorbet. With just five ingredients and a few clever hacks, this recipe turns out incredibly creamy, fruity, and totally refreshing, and there's no fancy equipment required.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Mangoes. You have two options here! If you can get ahold of good, ripe mangoes, and are up for a little extra work, use them! If you need guidance when shopping, read my guide on how to pick a ripe mango. If you'd like a shortcut and/or can't find good mangoes, just buy a bag of frozen mango.
- Coconut milk. We're using full-fat coconut milk, and I don't recommend making any substitutions. The fat will help prevent ice crystals, keeping your sorbet super creamy without any churning.
- Sugar. We're using organic sugar, since conventional sugar is often processed in ways that aren't vegan-friendly. You can substitute other types of vegan granulated sugars, like coconut or turbinado, if you'd like.
- Lime juice. Fresh lime juice is best! Please don't use bottled.
- Salt. Just a pinch will enhance the flavor of your mango sorbet.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1. Freeze the mango. You can optionally skip this step, and just buy frozen mango. If you're freezing it yourself, dice it up and place it on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet, then into the freezer. This prevents the pieces from sticking together and freezing as one big chunk!
Step 2: Blend. Put your frozen mango pieces into a high-powered blender or food processor bowl, along with all of the other ingredients, then blend until smooth. This part is tricky! You'll need to stop the machine a few times to move things around before it really gets going. Have patience!
Tip: I very strongly recommend making this recipe using a high-powered blending device. I'm using a Vitamix blender. If you don't have something very powerful, you may want to let your mango sit out of the freezer for a few minutes to soften, but be aware that this can result in your sorbet having more ice crystals.
Step 3: Freeze. Once the mixture is fully blended, you can transfer it to a suitable container and stick it in the freezer. Give it at least four hours in the freezer.
Step 4: Serve. Take your sorbet out of the freezer about ten minutes in advance. It'll need some time to soften up before you can scoop it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yup! This sorbet has no gluten-containing ingredients!
It'll keep for about two months in an airtight container in the freezer. You can help prevent ice crystals by pressing a sheet of parchment paper over your sorbet.
This can happen if your mango wasn't very ripe, or you made a change to the recipe, like using a lower fat type of non-dairy milk, reducing the amount of sugar, or using a liquid sweetener. Let it sit out for a few extra minutes and it should be soft enough to scoop!
Sure! Simply skip the step of freezing it, and instead place it in your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions to churn your sorbet.
Variations
- Pineapple mango sorbet. Replace up to two cups of your mango with frozen diced pineapple.
- Cardamon-spiced mango sorbet. Add a bit of cardamom! Cardamom packs a punch, so start with just ¼ teaspoon and adjust to taste.
- Boozy mango sorbet. Add up to two tablespoons of liquor. Rum and coconut rum work great here! This will not only add flavor, but it will help make your sorbet scoopable right from the freezer.
More Frozen Vegan Treats
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📖 Recipe
Easy Mango Sorbet
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced ripe mango (about 4 large mangoes)
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup organic granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mango pieces in a single, even layer on the baking sheet so they don't stick together as they freeze. Place the baking sheet into the freezer until the chunks are frozen, about 4 hours (Notes 1 and 2).
- Place your frozen mango into a large, high-powered blender or food processor (Note 3). Add the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, stopping the machine frequently to scrape down the sides and redistribute the mixture. It will seem like it's not coming together at first, but keep going. After a few minutes, it will become thick and creamy.
- Once the mixture is completely blended and there are no mango chunks remaining, transfer it to an airtight container (Note 4). Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours, or ideally 4, until firm enough to scoop.
- Remove the sorbet from the freezer and let it sit out for about 10 minutes to soften before serving.
Notes
- Alternatively, you can buy a bag of frozen mango at the store.
- If you're not planning on making your sorbet right away, transfer your frozen mango to a sealed freezer bag, then place it back in the freezer until ready to use. The mango can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- If your blending device isn't high-powered, consider letting the mango sit out for a few minutes before blending to begin softening. Dicing it up super finely will also help. Your sorbet might have more ice crystals, but it will still be delicious.
- Pretty much any airtight container will do. I lined a lidded, freezer-friendly glass baking dish with parchment paper, which isn't required, but makes it easier to get the last few bits of sorbet out of the container when serving.
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Fantastic! 95 degrees F out today, and this was the perfect antidote. No need to worry about storing left-overs.
I feel the same way about sorbet vs ice cream, but mango always draws me in!
Question for you - where do you buy your cardamom? I have a hard time finding it in the store, and I think the one time I saw it it was really expensive. Is that normal? Thanks!
I'm usually able to get it at the supermarket, though it is pretty pricey. The jar I have right now is made by Spice Islands and I think I paid about twelve bucks for it. I always look for it at spice shops and Asian markets, as it tends to be a bit cheaper and you can buy in small quantities, because I've also discovered that it really loses flavor if it sits around too long. You could also skip the cardamom or try a different flavor - my husband requested I include ginger next time.
Thank you so much!!!
Definitely making this ASAP! Eager to try the chocolate ice cream, too!
this recipe is so yummy, I love cardamom on desserts especially creamy ones but it normally means I eat too much