Here’s the perfect banana smoothie recipe: frothy, creamy, and just the right sweet flavor! It’s made with unfrozen bananas so it’s made in minutes.

Tired of the same old ways to eat a banana? (Out of the peel is so outdated.) Enter: this banana smoothie! To us, this is the most perfect banana smoothie. It’s got just the right creamy texture and beautifully banana-forward flavor. Because here’s the thing: smoothies aren’t as easy to throw together it seems. Throwing random quantities of banana and milk into a blender is not the way to do it. (Trust us: we tried.) Instead, we tinkered with this recipe to make it just right. And consider the code cracked.

Why make this banana smoothie recipe?

Out of all banana smoothie recipes, why choose this one? Let us tell you why this one deserves to be part of your smoothie repertoire.

It’s made with unfrozen bananas. It’s our pet peeve to open a smoothie recipe and find it calls for frozen bananas. That requires thinking ahead, and you want your smoothie now! This recipe removes the need for freezing those bananas. (Yay.)
Frothy and creamy texture. You’ve got to have just the right combo of ingredients to get a creamy texture that’s not runny or gooey. This one nails it.
Sweet and banana-forward, with no added sugar! If not formulated correctly, a banana smoothie needs added sugar to bring out the banana flavor. But this one has just the right amount of fruit to be sweet enough on its own.

Ingredients for this banana smoothie

Now that you’re convinced it’s worth a whiz in the blender, here are the ingredients you’ll need for this banana smoothie! It’s just 4 ingredients:

Ripe bananas at room temperature: No need to freeze a banana here! You can whip up this banana smoothie on the spot.
Ice: A hefty quantity of ice counteracts the need for frozen bananas.
Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt gives this recipe a protein boost and helpful probiotics. It also makes for a perfect creamy texture.
Milk: Just the right amount of liquid makes this smoothie blend up perfectly. You can also use non-dairy milk (see below).

Make it plant based / vegan!

You can make this banana smoothie plant-based or vegan by doing two swaps:

Use vegan yogurt or another ½ banana. Use your favorite brand of plant-based yogurt or try another half banana to get just the right texture.
Substitute non-dairy milk for the milk (1 for 1). We like using oat milk or almond milk. Another good option here would be coconut milk, since the flavor pairs well with banana.

Optional add-ins & variations

You can mix in whatever you’d like to customize your healthy banana smoothie! But if you want it to be perfect, you’ve got to use flavors that work. Here are some ideas on mix-ins that pair well with banana:

Peanut butter. A classic combination! Use about 1 tablespoon to keep it mild, 2 tablespoons for a stronger peanut flavor (it will turn the smoothie a little more brown).
Vanilla. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla to heighten the flavors.
Cinnamon. Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon to add spice.
Pineapple. Add ½ cup canned pineapple to the mix.
Oats. Add a handful rolled oats to make the smoothie even more filling.
Coconut or toasted coconut. Coconut pairs well with banana. Especially tasty is toasted coconut, which heightens the flavor and takes only 3 minutes. (You’ll see it as the garnish here.)

Smoothie storage

Smoothies are best eaten immediately. But this banana smoothie actually lasts 1 to 2 days refrigerated, stored in a sealed container or a mason jar with the lid on. It may separate, which is perfectly natural. Just shake it up and you’re good to go!

This banana smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, see the recipe for variations.