Easy fresh mango juice recipe - how to make it at home

7.7.22 | Recipe by Renz


Refreshing fresh mango juice, using three ingredients. The perfect type of juice to quench your thirst in the hot summer days. Making a refreshing glass of mango juice is very easy. All you need is a blender, fresh ingredients, and some time.

  
Glasses and a jug filled with fresh mango juice with a cherry and mint as garnish


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The heat of these summer days is horrible. We need all the drinks we can get on a hot day and, to me, the best drinks are homemade juice.

Most people's go-to is orange juice but I can assure you that pure mango juice is just as great with just the right tropical fruit flavor of juice and freshness you want to have on hand. And making it is also very easy.

Mango season is a huge season in the Caribbean. People actually wait to get their buckets of mangoes so that they can show them off to family and friends. These become the replacement for many breakfast options. We, mango lovers, will not just eat them straight but we also use them to make a lot of other goodies like refreshing mango juice, mango ice cream, mango sour, and even mango sponge cake.

We know that you can easily buy mango juice at the grocery store, but I just love having fresh juice, especially during the summertime with the heat. Nothing beats something cool, refreshing, and delicious.

Having grown up surrounded by many mango trees and different varieties of mangoes. We eventually figured out many ways to use the fruit. We use ripe mangoes and green mangoes at all stages. We make snacks, drinks, and even desserts. But juice is my favorite.

You can drink this homemade mango juice straight or you can also use it to mix and create many other juice combinations.

   

Mango Juice Benefits


I think mango is really the king of fruits. Not only is it delicious, but it is also full of great health benefits.

Mangoes contain many essential vitamins and minerals that are a great advantage to humans. It is rich in minerals and has a lot of fiber, a great source of magnesium, antioxidants, nutrients, and other vitamins like Vitamin C.

Its health benefits include improving digestive health heart health, immune system, and eye health, even lowering the risk of certain cancers with its beta carotene, and regulating blood pressure. It is also said to be good for diabetes and blood sugar levels but I'm not too sure about that since I am sure eating a lot of sweet mangoes can be an issue.


The best type of mangoes to use


First off we want to use ripe mangos to make this delicious juice. Ones that are juicy and have as little string to the flesh as possible for the best taste.

It is also best to use the mango at a very ripe stage. We will avoid unripe or "green" mangoes. We want ripe mangoes to the point where the skin can start to get dark.

We would want to avoid ones where the skin is bruised or split, as they could be rotting of the mango pulp.

If you have access to mango trees, I would pick the mangoes when they are just about ripe, and then leave them to ripen inside. This would help avoid birds picking at them as they ripen then falling on the ground and rotting.

Look for large mangoes so that you can use less than having to get from a lot of small ones. So I would avoid mangoes like little par or starchies.

What you'll need for homemade mango juice


  
Ingredients to make fresh mango juice at home.


This is a very simple recipe with just three main ingredients. Here are some details on the main ones.

Mangoes - choose your favorite fresh ripe mangoes that are naturally sweet. Some ones I like to use are big beef, honey mango, Alphonso mangoes, or julie mangoes.
Sugar - I prefer to use granulated sugar over brown sugar so that I get a light-coloured drink, but any sweetener can be used. Other sweetener options can be maple syrup, honey, or agave.

Equipment


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How to Make Mango Juice?


This is really an easy recipe. It can be made in less than thirty minutes. I've broken down the process into grouped steps to make it easier.

How to remove mango flesh for juicing


To make this juice, our main concern is getting the mango flesh out so that we can blend it. There are two ways I do it.

Method 1:


Peel the skin off of the mango. Then cut a cheek off and cut that into chunks. Do the same for the other cheek. Then remove any excess flesh of the remaining mango as close to the seed as possible.

  
A collage of images of mango with the skin on and then the mango peeled.

Method 2:


This method doesn't require you to peel the skin. Cut the cheeks of the mango off with the skin on. Then take a spoon, dig into the flesh, and scoop it out in small pieces. Try not to dig too deep into the skin. Then remove the rest of the skin from around the seed and remove as much remaining flesh as you can.

  
A bowl of mango flesh peeled and cubed.


Making fresh mango juice


Once you have removed all the flesh add it to your blender jar and blend till smooth.


   
A collage of mango cubes in a blender then showing an image of blended mango pulp.


Remove the mango puree from the blender and strain. If you want a thick juice then you do not have to strain the pulp.

I prefer the thinner juice so I strain out as much liquid as possible. I actually take about a cup of water and add it to the pulp to help strain it out.

  
An image of me holding a strainer to get get the juice from the blended mango.


Once strained add sugar if needed. Then add water and sugar to the mixture as needed.

Chill and serve your glass of mango juice over ice and garnished with fresh mint leaves and cherries.

And if you're looking for some more fresh fruit juices? Then check out this lime juice, papaya juice, cucumber juice, mixed fruit juice, soursop juice, and pineapple cucumber juice.

How to Store Raw Mango Juice?


Though I usually drink this out quickly, storing is also very easy. Keep in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 5 days maximum.

I wouldn't say to freeze the mango juice itself, but if I get an abundance of mangoes, I take the pulp, blend it, and then freeze that to be used at some other time to make mango juice.

You can freeze it in a ziploc bag, or use an ice cube tray and freeze them into blocks then store them.

   
Pouring a glass of mango juice with another filled glass garnished with mint and a cherry.


Optional Add-ins and Variations

Here are some other ingredients that can add some additional flavor.
  • Coconut water - Water is used to help thin out the juice. A great replacement for water would be some coconut water. It would also add some more nutrition to the drink.
  • Pineapple juice - Add some fresh pineapple to the mango juice to give it some additional flavor.
  • Fresh ginger - add a knob of ginger when blending to add a hint of spiciness and additional tropical flavor.
  • Passion fruit - add some passion fruit juice to make a great mango passion fruit combination.
  • Essence and bitters - you can add a little vanilla essence and/or a dash of Angostura bitters to help elevate the taste.
  • Lime or lemon juice - a squirt of lime into the glass when you are just about to serve also adds a nice tanginess to the drink.

Tips


  • Water and sugar amounts will vary. It depends on how ripe and juicy your mango is and also how sweet. So make sure to taste as you are making and adjust amounts.

  • If you want this to be chilled right away, after straining, add the pulp back to the blender, along with some sugar, ice, and water, and blend it all together.


Frequently Asked Questions



What if I don't have fresh mangoes?


If you don't have fresh ripe and juicy mangoes then there are other options you can use.

Mango nectar is one substitute. This is sold in stores. We are looking for the frozen one with no artificial flavors and added sugar. Follow the instructions to defrost the juice then add your water and sugar as needed. Nectar is thicker than the juice so you may need more liquid to get it to the consistency you prefer.

Frozen mango - This is also sold in the frozen section in most stores. These to me are the last resort as I find they do not have the full flavor of fresh mangoes or even the mango nectar. If you do use this as an option, I suggest using a little mango essence to help add some additional flavor.

I've never tried canned mango pulp but I am sure it can also be a great substitute.

The best sugar to use to make juice?


If you are going to use cold water, it's best to use superfine sugar, like castor sugar. This would be easy to dissolve in the water. Another great choice would be to make a simple syrup.

Should I strain the juice?


If the type of mango you use does not have that many strings, then you do not have to strain the drink. If you make it a thick drink (don't use as much thinner like water/juice/coconut water), then you can serve it over ice cubes so that as it melts it thins out the drink making it easier to consume.


  
Overhead view of mango juice poured into glasses with mint garnish.


Make sure you try this fresh mango juice recipe. And if you do and like it, please let me know that it's the best mango juice you've ever had in the comments, and leave a rating so others can know you loved it!!


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