Healthy Mango and Vanilla Protein Ice Cream

About this recipe

Creamy, healthy mango vanilla protein ice cream made with simple ingredients. A delicious high-protein treat perfect for breakfast or a guilt-free dessert. Get the easy recipe now.

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Hey everyone! Protein ice cream is a game-changer in the world of healthy desserts! Seriously, what’s not to love about a voluminous bowl of deliciousness! The best part is that this is so easy to make, and you don’t need to freeze the final product before serving! Actually, I encourage you to gobble this up right away for the best deliciousness!

If you know me, you know that one of my favourite fruits is mango. I love the flavor so much! Unfortunately, I’ve found that the mangoes in Canada aren’t as sweet as they are in India. In India, summertime is mango season. Everyone has mangoes for dessert after some indulgent curries! It’s so light and refreshing, you just can’t say no to them! I’ve had so many in a sitting just because I really couldn’t stop myself!

Mango and vanilla make for a great combination! As much as I love chocolate, I just don’t think it really goes with mangoes! I’ve tried chocolate and mango before and I find the lovely bright color of the mangoes disappears. Of course I’ll always say do what you like, but that’s just my opinion!

So in this protein ice cream recipe I’m really going to let the mangoes shine! As much of a chocoholic I am, I’ve been hooked on vanilla cake protein flavor! We’re going to use some of the vanilla protein powder for this ice cream and as an extra touch, I’m going to incorporate some Madagascar vanilla bean paste. A little bit of vanilla bean paste really goes a long way! I find it really makes this healthy version of ice cream taste just a bit more like ice cream! I’m also going to be adding some honey as a natural source of added sweetness.

Ingredients for Healthy Mango and Vanilla Protein Ice Cream

All right, you won’t need too much for this protein ice cream recipe! Here’s what you’ll need for a great mango vanilla protein ice cream:

Milk
Xanthan gum or Guar gum
Frozen mangoes
Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste
Vanilla protein powder
Honey
Ice

Ingredients for mango vanilla protein ice cream: honey, milk, protein powder, xanthan gum, vanilla bean paste, Madagascar vanilla extract, and diced mango.

If you don’t have the vanilla bean paste, then substitute with vanilla extract. Just be sure to double the vanilla extract, as the vanilla bean paste is much stronger!

Additionally, although I have not tried it myself, guar gum is a substitution for xanthan gum if you don’t have that on hand.

How to Make Mango and Vanilla Protein Ice Cream

This protein ice cream is extremely easy to make, and you’re going to love the results! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe so that you can see the measurements and save it for later!

Add the mangoes into the blender.

Frozen mango chunks in a blender with the blade attachment ready to blend.

Then, add the scoop of vanilla protein powder.

Blender containing diced yellow mango and black protein powder scoop being added during ice cream preparation.

Add the xantham gum or guar gum.

Vanilla protein powder being scooped into a pink bag of ingredients with a measuring spoon.

Pour your vanilla bean paste.

Vanilla bean paste being drizzled from a spoon into a dark glass jar of ice cream mixture.

Mango chunks and vanilla protein powder in a blender with guar gum being added.

Add a drizzle of honey.

Golden honey drizzled from a spoon into a glass jar of vanilla bean paste.

Honey being drizzled into a blender with mango chunks, vanilla paste, and flour for ice cream.

Pour in the milk.

Milk being poured into food processor with mango, vanilla, and other ingredients for protein ice cream.

Finally, add the ice cubes.

Blender filled with mango chunks, ice cubes, and milk ready to blend into protein ice cream.

Blend at a high speed until smooth.

Blender filled with creamy mango protein ice cream mixture being blended until smooth.

Blended mango and vanilla protein mixture in a blender pitcher, showing creamy pale yellow consistency.

Immersion blender mixing creamy mango protein ice cream in a blender container with ice cubes.

If your mixture is not becoming smooth, remove the lid and scrape the sides, then power on the blender again. You want a consistency that resembles the images below.

Creamy mango protein ice cream blending in food processor until smooth consistency.

Creamy mango protein ice cream being scooped from a blender, showing smooth, frozen consistency.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with sliced almonds and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Vanilla protein ice cream topped with sliced almonds in a glass bowl on granite countertop.

How to Make This Healthy Protein Ice Cream Dairy-Free

In this recipe, I used dairy milk and a whey protein powder. If you don’t consume dairy for whatever reason, no worries! Substitute the milk for any dairy alternative milk, such as almond milk or coconut milk. For the protein powder, you can use your favourite vanilla plant-based protein powder.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this a 'healthy' ice cream?▼

It's blended from frozen mango and vanilla protein powder, sweetened with just a tablespoon of honey — so you get a creamy, ice-cream-like treat with a protein boost and no churning or heavy cream.

What does the xanthan or guar gum do?▼

Just a quarter teaspoon thickens the blend into a smooth, scoopable, ice-cream texture rather than a thin, icy smoothie. It's a small amount that makes a big difference to how it holds together.

Do I need an ice cream maker?▼

No machine needed — everything goes in the blender and gets served straight away. The frozen mango and ice cubes do the work of giving it that thick, frosty, soft-serve consistency.

Why frozen mango instead of fresh?▼

Frozen mango is what gives it the cold, thick, ice-cream-like body. Fresh mango would make it too loose and warm, so reach for frozen (and keep some ice on hand) for the best texture.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra