Name: Vegan Baklava Lassi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup non dairy milk, (I like oat milk or almond milk); 2 tablespoons raw pistachios, plus more for garnish; 2 tablespoons almond flour optional; 6-7 dates; Zest of ½ lemon; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 1 cup non-dairy yogurt (, I like kite hill plain almond milk yogurt); 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar (optional as needed)

two glasses of Indian Pistachio Baklava Lassi

Calling all lassi lovers: Here’s a fresh, summery spin on one of my all-time favorite desserts: Baklava! Have you ever tried it? It is a sweet dessert made of layers of flaky phyllo pastry filled with crushed pistachios and/or walnuts and sweetened with syrup.

I took the flavors of this delicious Middle Eastern dessert – lemon, cinnamon and of course pistachios – and combined them into a delicious refreshing Indian lassi that is perfect for a hot day.

What’s a lassi?

Lassis are a refreshing blended drink originating from the Punjab region. It is usually made with dahi (yogurt), water, spices, and sometimes mint or fruit to add some flavor. It is basically a yogurt-based milkshake or smoothie.

Lassis come in all kinds of flavors, some are salty, while some are sweet. You might have tried the most popular variety – mango lassi – at Indian restaurants. This lemon pistachio lassi is my new favorite flavor! You’ve got to try it!

close-up of a glass of Indian pistachio lassi in a tall glass

If you ask me anytime is a good time for a Lassi but it’s especially soothing after a spicy curry. So next time you’re looking for a light dessert drink to finish a spicy meal, Lassi could be the drink you are looking for.

More refreshing drinks:

nondairy milk – use your favorite kind, I like almond or oat
I like using pistachio nuts for my baklava so I also picked them for making my lassi but walnuts or a blend of walnuts and pistachios would also work
almond flour adds some more nutty flavor. I use it instead of walnuts as those can add a strong flavor
I add some dates for sweetness – Medjool dates blend up the easiest
lemon and cinnamon are quintessential to that typical baklava taste
use your favorite non-dairy yogurt for this recipe – plain allows for the flavors to stand out the most but if you prefer vanilla, use that
for some extra sweetness, I add a small amount of maple syrup in the end but depending on your taste you might not need it. Taste the lassi as you blend it

Tips:

If you want a more milkshake-like consistency and it’s a hot day, either blend in some ice as well or serve over ice cubes.
For a frothy consistency, add some sparkling water when blending
I like to add some vanilla here but cardamom is also a great addition and goes so well with the pistachios
If you don’t have any pistachios, use raw walnuts instead

How to make Baklava Lassi

plant-based milk and pistachios in a nutribullet container

Add the milk, nuts, almond flour and dates to a blender and blend for a minute then let it sit for 5 minutes, then repeat 3 or 4 times until all the nuts are well blended in.

freshly blended pistachio lassi in the container of a blender

Then add yogurt, lemon zest and cinnamon and blend again.

Taste and adjust flavor, add more maple syrup or sugar if you want it sweeter.

side shot of a glass with Indian pistachio lassi sprinkled with pistachios

This pistachio lassi recipe makes a really thick and rich lassi. If you want to lighten things up, add ice cubes to the mixture when you add the yogurt to blend some in so that it becomes a little lighter.

a tall glass with Indian Baklava Lassi sprinkled with pistachios

Baklava Pistachio Lassi

Lassi meet baklava! This creamy, sweet yet refreshing baklava inspired lassi with pistachios, lemon, cinnamon and dairy-free yogurt is the perfect drink for cooling you down on a warm day. Think of it as an Indian milkshake with a Middle Eastern twist.

Serves 2

Prep 5 minutes

Cook 5 minutes

Total 10 minutes