Fruit syrup
Mango Syrup
Ripe or frozen mango, briefly simmered, blended and strained. Thick, golden and tropical.
- 20 min total
- 2 cups480 ml
- Keeps 1 week
Quick answer
Mango syrup is diced mango simmered briefly in sugar and water, blended smooth, strained and brightened with lime. Simmer 1½ cups mango with 1 cup sugar and ¾ cup water for 5 minutes, blend, strain, stir in 1 tbsp lime juice and refrigerate for up to a week.
Mango doesn't give up its flavor the way berries do: steep it and you get a pale, faintly sweet syrup. Blending is the trick. A quick simmer softens the fruit and dissolves the sugar, the blender turns it all smooth, and the strainer catches the fibers.
The result is thicker and more opaque than a berry syrup, closer to a nectar, and packed with flavor. Frozen mango works perfectly and is available year-round. A squeeze of lime keeps it from tasting flat.
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The recipe
Mango Syrup
Ingredients for 2 cups480 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, immersion blender, fine-mesh strainer, citrus press, squeeze bottle, ice cube traysmall saucepan, immersion blender, fine-mesh strainer, citrus press, squeeze bottle, ice cube tray
Method
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Simmer
Put the mango, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the mango is soft and the sugar has dissolved. Frozen mango needs 2–3 minutes longer.
1½ cups250 g ripe mango1 cup200 g granulated sugar¾ cup180 ml water
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Blend
Blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute, with an immersion blender right in the pan (off the heat), or in a countertop blender filled no more than half full with the lid held down by a towel.
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Strain
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, stirring and pressing gently with a spatula so the purée passes through and the fibers stay behind.
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Brighten and bottle
Stir in the lime juice and the salt, if using. Taste, and add more lime if it tastes flat. Let it cool, then bottle and refrigerate. Shake before using.
1 tbsp1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Storage. Refrigerate for up to 1 week; thick, pulpy fruit syrups spoil faster than clear ones. For longer storage, freeze it in ice-cube trays and bag the cubes for up to 3 months. A fizzy or fermented smell, or any mold, means it's done.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 24 kcal, 6.3 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Mango margarita
2 oz (60 ml) blanco tequila, 1 oz (30 ml) lime juice and 1 oz (30 ml) mango syrup, shaken hard and strained over ice. A chili-salt rim is optional but recommended.
Mango lassi
Blend 2 oz (60 ml) mango syrup with 6 oz (180 ml) plain yogurt, 2 oz (60 ml) cold milk and a pinch of ground cardamom.
Mango Italian soda
1½ oz (45 ml) syrup in 8 oz (240 ml) sparkling water over ice. Float 1 tbsp (15 ml) cream on top for a mango cream soda.
Mango iced tea
1 oz (30 ml) per 8 oz (240 ml) glass of black or green iced tea.
Mango daiquiri
2 oz (60 ml) white rum, ¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice and 1 oz (30 ml) mango syrup, shaken and strained into a coupe.
Desserts
Drizzle 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) over vanilla ice cream, panna cotta, yogurt or shaved ice.
Gear for this recipe
KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender (KHBV53)
Purée fruit syrups or blend orgeat right in the pot, no pouring hot liquid into a blender. Variable speed limits splatter.
Best for Fruit purées and orgeat
Ninja Professional 72 oz Countertop Blender (BL610)
Best for Orgeat and no-heat syrups
Zulay Kitchen 2-in-1 Metal Lemon & Lime Squeezer
Best for Fresh citrus for sours and lemonade
OXO Good Grips Chef's Squeeze Bottles (12 oz + 16 oz)
Best for Sauces, drizzles and latte art
More gear for this recipe (4)
W&P Peak Silicone Ice Cube Tray
Best for Freezing syrup portions
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
Ellie's Best Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag (12 x 12 in)
Best for Orgeat and pulpy fruit syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Honey (Ataulfo) mangoes are the best choice: smooth, fiber-free flesh and intense flavor. Stringier varieties work too; the strainer takes care of the fibers.
- A ripe mango smells sweet at the stem end and gives slightly when pressed. Skin color isn't a reliable sign.
- If the syrup is too thick to pour, whisk in water a tablespoon at a time. It thickens a little more in the fridge.
- A squeeze bottle handles this thicker syrup better than a narrow-necked bottle.
Variations
Chili-lime mango
Simmer half a sliced jalapeño or a pinch of chili flakes with the mango, then strain. Rim the glass with chili-lime salt for spicy margaritas.
Mango passion fruit
Stir 60 ml strained passion fruit pulp into the finished syrup for a sharper, more tropical blend.
Canned mango pulp
Use 250 g canned Alphonso or Kesar mango pulp instead of fresh. It's usually sweetened, so cut the sugar to 120 g and just warm it until dissolved.
Mango cardamom
Add 3 lightly crushed green cardamom pods to the simmer and strain them out. Made for mango lassi.
Questions people ask
Can I use frozen mango for mango syrup?
Yes, and it's often better than out-of-season fresh mango. Add it straight from the freezer and simmer a few minutes longer.
Why is my mango syrup so thick?
Mango flesh is mostly soft pulp, so much of it passes through the strainer; that's what gives the syrup its body. Thin it with a little water, or let it drip without pressing for a thinner, clearer (but smaller) batch.
Can I make mango syrup without cooking?
Yes. Blend raw mango with cooled 1:1 simple syrup and strain. It tastes even fresher, but keeps only about 5 days.
How long does homemade mango syrup last?
About 1 week in the fridge. Freeze it in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.