• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Paleo Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • All Recipes
    • Instant Pot® Recipe Roundup
    • Paleo Packed Lunch Roundup
    • Whole30® Recipe Roundup
  • My Cookbooks
    • Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go!
    • Ready or Not!
    • Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans
  • Spice Blends
  • Shop
  • Events
  • Paleo Meal Plans
  • About
    • What’s Paleo?
    • About Michelle Tam
    • Nom Nom Paleo in the News

Nom Nom Paleo®

Paleo recipes and more from New York Times bestselling cookbook author Michelle Tam!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Home » Blog » Recipes » Mango Sago (Coconut Tapioca Pudding)

Mango Sago (Coconut Tapioca Pudding)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
A side view of a cup filled with mango sago, a coconut tapioca pudding with fresh mango cubes on top. There is a red banner that says paleo, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Mango sago, an Asian-inspired tropical chilled treat, combines creamy coconut tapioca pudding and sweet and tangy mango chunks in an irresistible paleo and vegan-friendly dessert!

A side view of a cup filled with mango sago, a coconut tapioca pudding with fresh mango cubes on top. There is a red banner that says paleo, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

As a kid, I didn’t really like the Asian desserts that my mom made for special occasions. She’d set a bowl of sweet coconut-infused soup filled with tiny tapioca balls and honeydew melon in front of me, and I’d stare forlornly at it. Couldn’t she tell that I wanted a slice of chocolate cake, just like my friends at school?

Now that I’m older and wiser, I miss those just-sweet-enough Chinese desserts that I used to begrudgingly eat as a kid. Maybe my tastes have changed as I’ve matured, but I’ve come to appreciate—and even crave—the fresh, bright, and subtle flavors and textures of Asian treats. This paleo and vegan friendly mango sago gloriously replicates these flavors—and it hits the spot without too much work!

What is mango sago?

Mango sago is a Cantonese dessert that originated at a renowned Hong Kong restaurant, Lei Garden, back in the mid-1980s. As legend has it, the head chef came up with this chilled creamy and coconut-y tapioca pudding infused with mango and pomelo while opening up a new location in Singapore—he wanted to create a dessert that would appeal to local Singaporean tastes and keep customers cool in the hot, tropical climate.

An overhead shot of someone taking a spoonful of mango sago from a clear glass.

Since its invention, mango sago has spread in popularity across Asia and can be found at many boba shops and Asian dessert parlors across the world. Although there are many variations on the original, the main component remains the same: a creamy, not-too-sweet thin pudding made with coconut milk and infused with tiny tapioca balls, and then mixed with fruit. Personally, I prefer more of a contrast between the creamy coconut pudding and the sweet-tart mango so I don’t blend them together.

Paleo and vegan mango sago

The traditional recipe is made with both condensed milk and coconut milk, but dairy doesn’t agree with me, so I’ve created a version that only uses coconut milk and a smidge of honey (or maple syrup for vegans) to add sweetness. You can use another non-dairy milk in place of coconut, but you won’t feel like you’ve been transported to the tropics! Adding toasted coconut flakes is optional, but I find that it adds a nice crunch to this dessert.

Two hands adding toasted coconut on top of clear glass filled with mango sago, a coconut tapioca pudding with diced mango

How do you cook tapioca?

Cooking small tapioca pearls properly can be a little tricky, so here are my tips:

  • Use small pearl tapioca and not minute tapioca. I use Bob’s Red Mill brand.
  • No need to rinse tapioca pearls ahead of time!
  • Bring the water to a rolling boil, before adding the tapioca. Also, stir occasionally to keep the little pearls from sticking.
  • Simmer the tapioca for 15 to 20 minutes or until the balls are translucent. A few may still have a tiny white dot in the middle and that’s okay.
  • Pour the cooked tapioca into a fine mesh sieve and rinse well with cold running water to keep the tapioca pearls from sticking to each other.

A spoonful of cooked small tapioca pearls. They are translucent and look like small rubber balls.

What other fruit can you use?

Another reason I like to make a coconut milk tapioca pudding first and add the fruit later is so I can change the flavor depending on what I have on hand. Although mangos are my favorite fruit to eat with sago, I also like to serve it with fresh berries or sliced stone fruit. And when I’m too lazy to wash and cut up fruit, I top the sago with frozen fruit!

Can you make mango sago ahead of time?

Yep! You can make the coconut tapioca pudding up to 4 days in advance and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. A thin hardened shell of coconut fat may develop on top, but just take the pudding out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving and stir in the shell. No one will notice it because you’ll be topping the tapioca pudding with crispy coconut flakes and juicy cubes of fruit!

Other Asian-inspired paleo desserts

Looking for more not-too-sweet paleo desserts with an Asian flair? Here are some of my faves:

  • Coconut Jelly (Dairy-Free Melo Melo Copycat)
  • Matcha Mug Cake
  • Black Sesame Mug Cake
  • Matcha Pudding
  • Matcha Coconut Gummies
  • Bloody Eyeballs (Blueberry Stuffed Longans in Berry Sauce)

Let’s make mango sago!

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water
  • ⅓ cup small pearl tapioca
  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (for vegan)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
  • ¼ cup toasted coconut flakes (optional)

Equipment

All my favorite kitchen tools are listed here.

Method

Bring 6 cups of water in a large saucepan to a rolling boil over high heat.

A stainless steel saucepan is filled with boiling water on a stovetop.

Once the water is boiling, pour in the tapioca.

A hand is adding small tapioca pearls into a saucepan filled with boiling water.

Lower the heat and maintain a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes…

A closeup of a large saucepan filled with boiling water and small tapioca pearls. A red spatula is stirring the contents of the pan.

…or until the tapioca is translucent, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.

A closeup of a silver spoon with small tapioca pearls inside. The tapioca pearls are clear and no longer white colored.

Pour the tapioca into a fine mesh sieve…

A closeup of a saucepan pouring cooked small tapioca pearls into a fine mesh sieve in a colander.

…and run cold water over it to keep the balls from sticking.

Running water is being poured into a fine mesh sieve filled with cooked small tapioca pearls.

Pour the coconut milk into the empty saucepan. Add the honey, vanilla and salt.

A hand is adding vanilla extract from a measuring spoon into a saucepan filled with coconut milk.

Bring the coconut milk to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the honey and salt.

A yellow spatula is stirring the contents of a saucepan filled with coconut milk, honey, vanilla extract, and salt.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked tapioca.

A yellow spatula is spooning cooked small tapioca pearls into a saucepan filled with sweetened coconut milk.

Transfer the contents to a sealed storage container.

A shot of someone transferring coconut milk tapioca pudding from a saucepan into a glass square container.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

A woman in a gray apron is putting a lid on a square glass container filled with coconut sago.

When you’re ready to serve, take the coconut sago out of the fridge and give it a stir in case there’s a thin layer of hardened fat on the top…

A spoon is lifting up a spoonful of coconut milk tapioca from a square glass container.

…and cut up a mango.

A closeup of someone cutting peeled mango into cubes on a rubber cutting board.

Grab some glasses and layer the coconut sago and diced mango.

A front shot of someone layering coconut sago with diced mango in a clear glass cup.

Top with toasted coconut flakes and dig in!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Print Recipe
4.83 from 41 votes

Mango Sago (Coconut Tapioca Pudding)

Mango sago, an Asian-inspired tropical chilled treat, combines creamy coconut tapioca pudding and sweet and tangy mango chunks in an irresistible paleo and vegan-friendly dessert!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Chilling time2 hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Dairy-free, dessert, gluten-free, nom nom paleo, nomnompaleo, paleo, paleo dessert, Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 333kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water
  • ⅓ cup small pearl tapioca
  • 13.5 ounces full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (for vegan)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt 
  • 1 mango peeled and diced
  • ¼ cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes optional

Instructions 

  • Bring 6 cups of water in a large saucepan to a rolling boil over high heat.
  • Once the water is boiling, pour in the tapioca.
  • Lower the heat and maintain a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tapioca is translucent, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
  • Pour the tapioca into a fine mesh sieve and run cold water over it to keep the balls from sticking.
  • Pour the coconut milk into the empty saucepan. Add the honey, vanilla and salt.
  • Bring the coconut milk to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the honey and salt.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked tapioca.
  • Transfer the contents to a sealed storage container. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
  • When you’re ready to serve, take the coconut sago out of the fridge and give it a stir in case there’s a thin layer of hardened fat on the top and cut up a mango.
  • Grab some glasses and layer the coconut sago and diced mango. Top with toasted coconut flakes and dig in!

Video

Notes

  • You can make the coconut tapioca pudding up to 4 days in advance and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge.
  • Although mangos are my favorite fruit to eat with sago, I also like to serve it with fresh berries or sliced stone fruit. And when I’m too lazy to wash and cut up fruit, I top the sago with frozen fruit!
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g
94

Thrive Market   LunchBots   Real Plans

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adrianne says

    February 23, 2021 at 6:19 pm

    My kids love tapioca pudding when the tapioca is cooked with the coconut milk (we can’t do dairy, either). They tried some at an Asian restaurant and didn’t like it (I think it was the lychee) but I’m going to give this a go and see what they think. Such fun to have a new way of cooking an old favorite!

    Reply
  2. jessie says

    February 24, 2021 at 9:10 am

    Hi Michelle I love sago pudding but didn’t cook properly thank you for the information will go and buy and make. Love it.

    Reply
  3. jessie says

    February 25, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    Hi Michelle I love sago or tapioca pudding made this its so good. I now know how to make the perfect dessert. I added 1 tablespoon chia seeds. perfect.

    Thank you for the recipes

    Reply
  4. Vince says

    February 26, 2021 at 2:31 am

    5 stars
    So, I made it precisely according to the recipe, but mine is watery after two hours in the fridge. It tastes great though. Any idea where I went wrong?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      February 26, 2021 at 2:44 am

      You didn’t do anything wrong! Sago isn’t super thick like Western tapioca pudding because the tapioca isn’t cooked with the coconut milk. It will thicken up though if you leave it overnight in the fridge.

      Reply
  5. J says

    March 3, 2021 at 1:50 pm

    5 stars
    This stuff is delicious (my teens loved it), it will go into regular rotation at our house. The tapioca takes some practice though, the first time I made it I cooked the tapioca full to clear and the end result was more soupy. The second time, I left a substantial white dot in the tapioca, and then as it sat in the frig it absorbed all the coconut milk and was very thick. I had to thin it before serving so I prefer method 1.

    Reply
  6. Syde says

    March 10, 2021 at 3:02 am

    Thank you so much for sharing this delicious pudding. I will buy this ingredients of pudding and cook this at home later.

    thanks too for that notes, so important for me! 🙂

    Reply
  7. T H says

    March 25, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for my kids and they loved it! Thanks for a great, kid friendly recipe!

    Reply
  8. Regina Salazar says

    May 13, 2021 at 1:36 am

    Can you use condensed milk as opposed to honey or maple syrup? If so, how much? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      May 13, 2021 at 5:04 am

      I haven’t tried it!

      Reply
  9. Nichole says

    July 13, 2021 at 12:22 am

    Does the size if Tapioca pearl matter? And can it be the quick cooking kind?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      August 5, 2021 at 8:17 pm

      Don’t use the quick cooking kind. Small tapioca pearls work best in this recipe.

      Reply
  10. Rev says

    July 14, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    5 stars
    I was always nervous about trying to cook sago dreading that it would end up in a big sticky lump. Thankfully this recipe and instructions worked out perfectly. Thanks a lot.

    Reply
  11. kokila Admanathan says

    November 14, 2021 at 5:44 am

    This is so yum!!!

    Reply
  12. Anne says

    March 19, 2022 at 2:51 am

    This is such a yummy dessert. Has anyone doubled it

    Reply
  13. Jody says

    May 23, 2022 at 3:38 am

    5 stars
    Excellent. I didn’t have a mango so I used defrosted frozen strawberries and it was wonderful! Thanks.

    Reply
  14. Jennifer says

    July 13, 2022 at 10:56 pm

    FYI, tapioca pearls are not the same as sago. Sago is an edible starch that is made from the pith of the sago palm tree or other tropical trees.Tapioca pearls, on the other hand, are made with tapioca or the starch from cassava, a root crop. Most people use tapioca nowadays when they say sago, but I just wanted to point out there is some confusion regarding the terms. Either way, I look forward to making this dessert!

    Reply
  15. Therese Metlege says

    September 20, 2022 at 9:36 am

    I love this dessert and got excited to make it with your recipe
    After making it last night and leaving it in the fridge tonight it was very thick
    Can you suggest how to avoid that for next time please?

    Reply
    • Regina Chan says

      September 20, 2022 at 11:50 pm

      Per Michelle’s blog post she recommends taking them out 30 minutes before serving. If a thin hardened shell of coconut fat developed, just stir in the shell.

      Reply
  16. Chichi Lee says

    January 28, 2023 at 1:24 am

    5 stars
    I love your recipe because it’s not creamy and thick (like the traditional hot cantonese dessert) but fresh and tastes lighter when the starch is drained after boiling the tapioca. Keeping the coconut milk cooking separate without soaking the tapioca/sago in it makes a big difference.

    I like both versions but for a cold dessert, your version is unbeatable. Thank you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Logged in as . Log out? Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Archives

About Nom Nom Paleo Nom Nom Paleo Cookbooks Nom Nom Paleo App Nom Nom Paleo Spices
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Posts

  • A slice of paleo and Whole30 sausage breakfast casserole on a white plate. Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole (Whole30, Gluten Free)
  • An overhead shot of two hands holding a sheet pan filled with chicken, Brussels sprouts, and bacon. Sheet Pan Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
  • An overhead shot of a frying pan filled with Egg Roll In A Bowl (also known as Potsticker Stir-Fry), a keto, paleo, and Whole30 one-pan meal. Egg Roll in a Bowl (Keto, Whole30, Gluten Free)
  • An overhead shot of Paleo Potstickers and a dipping sauce Paleo Potstickers (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

Footer

COPYRIGHT© NOM NOM PALEO LLC. All rights reserved. The content on this website may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission.

HOME  •  PRIVACY POLICY  •  CONTACT

Copyright © 2023