Looking to drink your daily fruits and veggies? Try this Detox Smoothie, chock full of all natural, fresh ingredients! This green puree is 100% fruits and vegetables: no weird powders or supplements (and no detox diets). It’s perfect for when you want to infuse your body with good-for-you ingredients: and bonus: it tastes amazing too. The burst of tangy, sweet tart flavor made us instant fans. It quickly jumped to the top of our favorite smoothies list (even our green-veggie averse son loved it).

What is a detox smoothie?

This Detox Smoothie is not related to a detox diet: nor do we recommend them! A detox is a short term period of fasting followed by a period of eating fruits and vegetables. However, there’s not evidence that these types of cleanses and detoxes provide any tangible benefits, and often they can cause harm (per Healthline).

Instead, here we’ve defined a Detox Smoothie as a smoothie that’s made of 100% vegetables and fruits! This way, you can easily infuse good-for-you ingredients into your lifestyle (and it tastes great). There are no supplements, powders, or other substances required: just nourishing whole foods!

Ingredients in this detox smoothie

What’s in this detox smoothie? This recipe quickly jumped to the top of our favorites list because of the burst of tangy, sweet tart flavor with simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to whiz together in a blender:

• Apple
• Banana
• Spinach
• Water and ice
• Frozen pineapple
• Fresh ginger (optional)
• Chia seeds
• Lemon juice

Tips for working with ginger

Fresh ginger root might not be a mainstay in your refrigerator, but it adds a big punch of flavor to this detox smoothie! While it’s optional, we highly recommend using it here. Pick up some in the produce section of your grocery (and use the rest for these ginger recipes!). It can be tricky to peel, so we’ve got some tips for you:

• Peel with a spoon! This works much better than a vegetable peeler! Use the edge of a spoon to peel off the skin of the ginger.
• Grate it: Then use a grater or microplane to grate the ginger into a pulp.
• Or mince it: If you don’t have a grater, use a large chef’s knife to slice thin slices in one direction, then chop in the other direction until the ginger is minced into small pieces.

Chia seed nutrition

The only other ingredient you might not already have on hand for this detox smoothie is chia seeds! Why add chia seeds here? The smoothie doesn’t have any dairy or natural source of protein, so we decided to add a bit of chia seeds for a protein and fiber boost. Here’s what these little seeds have to offer (source: Healthline):

• Chia seeds are very high in fiber. 2 tablespoons of chia seeds have 11 grams of fiber, a whopping 44% of your daily need!
• Chia seeds are high in protein. 2 tablespoons have 4 grams protein or about 8% of your daily need.
• Chia seeds are high in antioxidants. Researchers agree that this is a good thing: read more about it here.

Detox smoothie storage

Can you make this smoothie in advance? Yes! This detox smoothie is best after 1 day in the refrigerator, so you can blend it up and enjoy later. You can get by with a 2 day storage time, just make sure to shake it before serving as it may separate naturally when refrigerated.

More green smoothie recipes

Some of our favorite detox smoothies are green smoothies that focus on natural, whole foods. Here are a few more similar smoothie recipes to try:

• Try a Spinach Smoothie or Kale Smoothie
• Mix up a Celery Smoothie
• Go for a Broccoli Smoothie
• Opt for an Avocado Green Smoothie
• Try this Glowing Green Smoothie

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Best Spinach Smoothie

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Best Kale Smoothie

03

Glowing Green Smoothie

04

Celery Smoothie

This detox smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Green Detox Smoothie

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies or 1 large

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Description

This detox smoothie is a tasty way to infuse fruits and veggies into your day! The sweet tart green puree is full of good-for-you ingredients.

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Ingredients

• 1 small apple
• 1 banana, room temperature
• 2 cups spinach
• ¾ cup water
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 ½ cups frozen pineapple
• ½ teaspoon peeled and grated ginger (from fresh ginger root), optional
• 1 to 2 tablespoons* chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Chop the apple, leaving the skin on. Break the banana into pieces and place them both in the blender. Add the spinach and water and blend until smooth. Add the ice, frozen pineapple, ginger, chia seeds, and lemon juice. Blend again until smooth.
2. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days, shaking if the smoothie separates.

Notes

*We like this recipe with 1 tablespoon chia seeds, but you can add up to 2 tablespoons chia seeds for more protein and fiber. 2 tablespoons of chia seeds have 11 grams of fiber (44% of your daily need) and 4 grams protein (8% of your daily need).

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Drink
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Detox smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Looking for ways to use kefir? Try this Kefir Smoothie! This tangy drink is a great way to get all the benefits in kefir while enjoying a fruity beverage. Blend it up with strawberries, banana and pineapple, and it makes a sweetly sippable puree. Or, substitute any frozen fruit you like, like blueberries, peaches or mango. The sky’s the limit! Here’s how to use kefir in a smoothie.

Benefits of kefir

Kefir is a drink made from fermented milk. It’s similar to Greek yogurt with its tangy flavor, but it has a thinner, drinkable consistency. Here are a few of the potential benefits of kefir (source):

• It has 30 species of probiotics, bacteria that improve gut health and may aid in digestion.
• It is high in protein. 1 cup of kefir has 7 grams of protein, or 14% of the daily value.
• It may have heart health and cholesterol lowering benefits. Read more here.

Ingredients in a kefir smoothie

Kefir is ideal to add to a smoothie, since you get all the benefits of this probiotic-rich drink while sipping on a fruity smoothie. Using kefir you won’t need to add other liquid like milk or juice, in contrast to our yogurt smoothies which need liquid for blending. Here’s what you’ll need for a kefir smoothie:

• Banana: All you need is a room temperature banana: no need to freeze in advance!
• Frozen strawberries and pineapple: Or, substitute any type of frozen fruit you like!
• Kefir: A hefty amount of kefir means no need for extra liquid
• Honey or maple syrup: Sweeten this beverage to your tastes with natural sweetener
• Ice cubes: Ice cubes round out the frothy texture

Flavor variations

This kefir smoothie is delicious with the strawberry pineapple flavor, but there are so many more fruity flavors to try! Here are a few more ideas for blending up fruity variations:

• Strawberry mango, strawberry blueberry or strawberry peach
• Mixed berry
• Raspberry pineapple, raspberry mango or raspberry peach
• Blueberry mango, blueberry pineapple, or blueberry peach
• Mango pineapple, mango coconut

Smoothie storage

You can blend up this kefir smoothie in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Some smoothie recipes last for a few days, but this kefir smoothie is best eaten immediately or within 1 day for best flavor. If it starts to separate while refrigerated, give it a shake before drinking.

More smoothie recipes

And that’s it! We hope you love this kefir smoothie as much as we do. Here are a few more tasty smoothie recipes you might enjoy:

• Try a sunny Tropical Smoothie Recipe
• Go for Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie or Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
• Try Strawberry Peach Smoothie, Peach Mango Smoothie or Banana Peach Smoothie

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Tropical Smoothie Recipe

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

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Strawberry Peach Smoothie

04

40 Best Smoothie Recipes

This kefir smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Kefir Smoothie

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small or 1 large

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Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen strawberries*
• 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 banana (room temperature)
• 1 ¼ cup kefir
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, plus more to taste
• 6 ice cubes

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary and adding a tablespoon or so of water if necessary.
2. Taste and adjust the sweetness as desired. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 1 day, shaking if the smoothie separates.

Notes

*Or substitute 2 cups total of the frozen fruit of your choice.

• Category: Smoothie
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Kefir smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a bright and beautiful smoothie: try this Tropical Smoothie recipe! This bright yellow puree tastes like a bit of sunshine, starring the juicy flavors of mango, pineapple, banana and coconut. It’s simple to blend up and the flavor is just what you need on a gray day: or even better, as a tasty sun-drenched breakfast on the patio. We’re big fans of smoothie recipes and this one has become a favorite in our arsenal (our son can’t get enough of it). Here’s how to blend up this tasty tropical drink!

Ingredients in this tropical smoothie recipe

This tropical smoothie recipe brings together sunny, tropical fruits into an irresistibly creamy puree. Unlike many of our smoothie recipes, this one uses coconut milk as part of the liquid elements to bring in a floral and fruity undertone. Here’s what you’ll need for this smoothie recipe:

• Ripe banana: room temperature, no need to freeze!
• Frozen mango
• Frozen pineapple
• Canned coconut milk
• Orange juice (or pineapple juice)
• Ice

Simply blend the ingredients until creamy! You can adjust flavors to taste: add a handful of coconut flakes for more coconut flavor, or a bit of honey for more sweetness. Pineapple juice adds a nice sweetness if you happen to have it on hand.

Coconut milk and a few substitutes

Coconut milk is a liquid that’s extracted from fresh coconut pulp. Canned coconut milk has a very high fat content, which makes it super creamy and smooth. The 2/3 cup of canned coconut milk in this recipe adds 240 calories and 24 grams fat. If you prefer using a substitute, here are a few ideas:

• Boxed coconut milk also works. Boxed coconut milk is more diluted than the kind that comes in a can.
• Or, use oat milk or almond milk and raw coconut. You can also use another non-dairy milk like oat milk and almond milk. Add in a handful of coconut flakes to get that tropical, fruity flavor!
• Dairy milk also works! It adds protein as well. Make sure to add raw coconut if you’d like a coconut flavor.

Adding protein to this tropical smoothie recipe

Because it doesn’t use dairy-based milk, this tropical smoothie recipe doesn’t have much protein on its own. Protein makes it a more filling drink, suitable for a breakfast or post-workout snack. Here are the best ways to add protein here:

• Add yogurt or dairy milk. Use a combination of yogurt and milk (or just milk) in place of the coconut milk. Greek yogurt is very high in protein, which is why we use it in many smoothie recipes.
• Add protein powder. A scoop of vanilla protein powder adds loads of protein and a bit of sweetness.
• Add chia seeds. You can add plant-based protein and fiber with chia seeds: 2 tablespoons chia seeds add 4 grams protein and 11 grams fiber.

More tropical smoothie recipes

There are lots more smoothie recipes that riff on the flavors of mango, pineapple, banana, and other tropical fruits! Here are a few ideas that you might enjoy:

• Try Pineapple Smoothie or Mango Pineapple Smoothie
• Go for Mango Smoothie, Mango Banana Smoothie, or Peach Mango Smoothie
• Opt for Dragon Fruit Smoothie or Kiwi Smoothie

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Pineapple Smoothie

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Mango Smoothie

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Dragon Fruit Smoothie

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Kiwi Smoothie

This tropical smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Tropical Smoothie Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies or 1 large

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Description

This tropical smoothie recipe makes a fruity, creamy puree! Mango, pineapple and coconut come together in perfect harmony.

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Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1 ½ cups frozen pineapple
• 2/3 cup canned coconut milk
• ½ cup orange juice (or pineapple juice, for a sweeter smoothie)
• 6 ice cubes
• Coconut flakes, for garnish (or to blend)

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary and adding a splash more coconut milk or juice if necessary.
2. Taste and adjust flavors as desired (blend in coconut flakes for a more coconut-forward flavor, or add a bit of honey for more sweetness). Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days, shaking if the smoothie separates.

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Tropical smoothie recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Got cranberries? Here’s a great way to use them: a Cranberry Smoothie! This recipe was inspired by the leftover frozen cranberries in our freezer from this cranberry salsa, and it was the best way to use them. This bright crimson puree is frosty and tangy, with bold berry flavor. Sweeten it to taste with maple syrup or honey, so this drink can range from very tart to mildly sweet. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients in a cranberry smoothie

This cranberry smoothie is beautifully bold and tart, featuring the flavors of cranberry, orange and vanilla. You can adjust the sweetness to taste, so you can customize it to make a very tart or mildly sweet drink. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Frozen cranberries: Frozen are key for the texture in this smoothie. If all you have fresh cranberries, pop them in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
• Banana: Make sure the banana is ripe: you can use it room temperature since the berries are frozen.
• Yogurt: Yogurt adds protein, making this smoothie more filling. You can use Greek, plain or vanilla yogurt. See below for a vegan variation!
• Orange juice (or milk or cranberry juice): Orange juice has a nice contrast to the berries. If you use sweetened cranberry juice, add maple syrup or honey to taste.
• Vanilla extract: It’s optional, but it add a nice balance to the flavors.
• Honey or maple syrup: Add just as much as you need to balance out the tart berries. See the section below for more!
• Ice cubes

Then, it’s just a matter of blending it up! Add a little more liquid if it’s not able to blend.

Customizing the sweeteness

Sweetness is needed to balance the tart berries in this cranberry smoothie, but the amount is up to you! The quantity in the recipe below is optimized for Greek yogurt and orange juice, and has a tart flavor. Add more sweetness to taste, or balance with vanilla yogurt or cranberry juice for a sweeter drink.

On using cranberry juice

We like the zippy flavor of orange juice in this cranberry smoothie, but you can also use cranberry juice! Keep in mind that cranberry juice comes sweetened and unsweetened. Here are a few tips on using it:

• If using 100% natural cranberry juice, it is very tart. Add the honey or maple syrup quantity specified in the recipe below.
• If using sweetened juice, it tastes very sweet. Add the honey or maple syrup to taste.
• Need more ways to use cranberry juice? Try our Best Cranberry Cocktail Recipes.

Add orange zest for a flair

Want to add even more nuance in flavor? Add a hint of orange zest! If you have a fresh orange on hand, it adds a nice bold citrus flavor. Use just a few grates of zest (about ⅛ teaspoon if you like to measure things). Then add more to taste!

Variations on this cranberry smoothie

Want a vegan smoothie? Or want to add more protein to this cranberry smoothie? Here are a few ideas:

• Make a vegan smoothie! Simply add more juice or non-dairy milk in place of the yogurt.
• Add more yogurt. Double the Greek yogurt quantity to add more protein (and add more liquid as necessary).
• Add protein powder. A scoop of vanilla protein powder adds loads of protein and a bit of sweetness.

More smoothie recipes

Want to blend up tasty purees all colors of the rainbow? Pick from one of these tasty smoothie recipes:

• Browse our 40 Best Smoothie Recipes
• Go green with 9 Favorite Green Smoothie Recipes
• Opt for 15 Smoothie Recipes with Yogurt or Vegan Smoothie Recipes to Try
• Grab 25 Best Fruit Smoothie Recipes

Want more with cranberries? Try 20 Tasty Cranberry Recipes!

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40 Best Smoothie Recipes

02

10 Favorite Green Smoothie Recipes

03

25 Best Fruit Smoothie Recipes

04

15 Smoothie Recipes with Yogurt

This cranberry smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, see the modifications above.

Cranberry Smoothie

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies

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Description

This cranberry smoothie recipe is tart and creamy! It’s simple to blend up and bursts with bold berry flavor.

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups frozen cranberries
• 1 ripe banana (room temperature)
• ¼ cup yogurt (Greek, plain or vanilla)
• ½ cup orange juice** or milk (or sweetened cranberry juice and use sweetener to taste*)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
• 12 ice cubes

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary and adding a splash more juice if necessary.
2. Taste and adjust sweetness as desired. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Notes

*Cranberry juice comes sweetened and unsweetened. If using 100% natural cranberry juice, add the honey or maple syrup. If using sweetened juice, add the honey or maple syrup to taste.

**Want to add more of a bold orange flavor? Add a hint of orange zest (a little goes a long way).

• Category: Smoothie
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Cranberry smoothie, cranberry smoothie recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Need a healthy sweet treat? Try the Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie: made with good-for-you ingredients but tastes like a milk shake! We can’t resist smoothies that taste like dessert, like our Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie and Peanut Butter Smoothie. Put them together and you’ve got this one! It’s rich and chocolaty, but made with bananas, oats and honey. Blend it up for busy mornings or afternoons where you need a quick pick-me-up: it even doubles as a healthy dessert!

Ingredients in this chocolate peanut butter smoothie

This chocolate peanut butter smoothie relies on just a few good-for-you ingredients to make magic in the blender. Make it with milk or the non-dairy milk of your choosing. You can even make it with coffee (more on that below!). Here’s a run-down of the easy ingredients you’ll need:

• Frozen bananas: This is the only step you’ll need to do in advance! Slice and freeze them on a baking sheet for at least 1 ½ hours. Or you can buy frozen bananas!
• Old Fashioned oats
• Cocoa powder or Dutch process (dark) cocoa powder: we prefer dark; more on that below
• Peanut butter
• Milk of choice (dairy, oat, or almond milk) or coffee: coffee adds a fun variation, much like this Coffee Smoothie! You can also add half milk, half strong coffee or espresso.
• Honey or maple syrup
• Ice

Dutch process vs standard cocoa powder

Use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand for this chocolate peanut butter smoothie. But we like it best with Dutch process cocoa powder, aka dark cocoa powder! This type has been treated with an alkali to make it pH neutral, which gives it a darker color and milder flavor. It makes the flavor ultra chocolaty: which we love!

• Where to find it? It’s easy to find Dutch process cocoa powder at your local grocery next to the regular cocoa powder. Or buy it online: try Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder or Ghiradelli Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.
• What else can you use it in? Try recipes like Chocolate Banana Muffins, No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, Ultimate Mug Cake, and Healthy Chocolate Pudding.

Step it up with shaved chocolate

Serving this chocolate peanut butter smoothie as a treat? Top it with a sprinkle of dark chocolate! You only need about 1 tablespoon, and when you stir it in it makes for tasty chocolate chunks in each sip. It’s optional, but a fun way to take it up a notch! Then add a drizzle of peanut butter to take it over the top.

Ways to add more protein

This chocolate peanut butter smoothie has a decent amount of protein from the peanut butter, but we’ve tried to use just enough to get great flavor without loading on calories. Here are a few other options for adding protein:

• Chia seeds. You can add plant-based protein and fiber with chia seeds: 2 tablespoons chia seeds adds 4 grams protein and 11 grams fiber.
• Vanilla or chocolate protein powder: Protein powder works well too! We use this protein powder that has natural ingredients and a flavor that’s not too artificial. Just remember to dial back the maple syrup or honey, because protein powder adds sweetness.

More sweet smoothie recipes

Looking for more smoothies that taste like a treat? Here are a few more you might enjoy:

• Try a Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
• Opt for a Chocolate Banana Smoothie or a Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie
• Go for a Peanut Butter Smoothie or Vanilla Protein Smoothie
• Try a Coffee Smoothie

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Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

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Chocolate Banana Smoothie

03

Peanut Butter Smoothie

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Coffee Smoothie

This chocolate peanut butter smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies

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Ingredients

• 2 medium frozen bananas (sliced and frozen on a baking sheet for at least 1 1/2 hours)
• ¼ cup Old Fashioned oats
• ¼ cup cocoa powder or Dutch process (dark) cocoa powder (we prefer dark)
• 1 ½ tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 cup milk of choice (dairy, oat, or almond milk) or coffee*
• 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• ¾ cup ice
• For the garnish: 1 sprinkle chopped dark chocolate (optional), 1 drizzle of peanut butter

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary. Resist the urge to over blend: blend until it just comes together. Taste and add the additional ½ tablespoon sweetener depending on the sweetness of the bananas.
2. If desired, top with 1 tablespoon chopped dark chocolate (it makes for a nice mix in but it’s totally optional). Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days.

• Category: Smoothie
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Chocolate peanut butter smoothie, chocolate smoothie, chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie, healthy chocolate peanut butter smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Have you met a perfect strawberry smoothie? Smoothies aren’t as easy to throw together it seems. Sure, you can throw random fruit and yogurt in the blender and whiz it up. But for the perfect creamy texture and the perfect just sweet enough fruit flavor? You’ve got to know something about smoothies. We’ve finally found our perfect strawberry smoothie recipe, which is below. Make it, memorize it, and make a perfect healthy smoothie on repeat!

What makes it a perfect strawberry smoothie?

Here at A Couple Cooks, we’ve been cooking for years and have a vegetarian cookbook under our belt, have mastered techniques like sourdough bread and pizza and lots of cocktails. So we decided: why not master smoothies? We started with this strawberry smoothie recipe. Here’s why it’s perfect, to us:

• Light and creamy texture. It’s easy for smoothies to turn out too icy or thick. This one is light and creamy, with just the right icy and airy texture.
• Subtly sweet, fruity flavor. Often smoothies are too bitter or overly sweet. This strawberry smoothie is lightly sweet, with just the right berry essence.

Ingredients for this strawberry smoothie

Here’s what you’ll need to make this strawberry smoothie! We were careful to choose healthy ingredients for this smoothie: no overly sugary juices or syrups. Here’s what we selected:

• Frozen strawberries: It’s easy to find and store frozen berries, and they add a great icy texture to this smoothie. If you want to use fresh berries, use a frozen banana.
• Fresh banana: Our pet peeve is smoothie recipes that call for frozen bananas, because we never keep them on hand! Usually we want a smoothie recipe now. So we customized this one to use a fresh banana.
• Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt gives this recipe a protein boost and helpful probiotics. (If you love yogurt you could add a touch more.) It also makes for a perfect creamy texture.
• Ice: Here’s the most important part — ice is essential to a perfect strawberry smoothie! It makes just the right frothy texture. We’ve tried it without and it really makes a difference. Do not omit it!
• Milk: You need just the right amount of liquid in a smoothie to get it to blend. Not enough and the blender gets stuck (the worst!), and too much it tastes milky. You can also use non-dairy milk.
• Maple syrup: Adding a hint of maple brings out the sweetness in the berries. If you eat a low sugar diet you could omit, but it doesn’t quite taste sweet enough with no sweetener.

How to make it plant based / vegan!

You can make this strawberry smoothie plant-based or vegan by doing the following:

• Make our strawberry banana smoothie. Try our Strawberry Banana Smoothie: it’s vegan and uses only 2 ingredients!
• Substitute non-dairy milk AND vegan yogurt or ½ banana for the yogurt. We like using oat milk or almond milk. Oat milk is usually a little sweeter and creamier, so it’s our default for smoothies. You could also try coconut milk, which adds a nice coconut essence, or soy milk. For the yogurt, use vegan yogurt or another ½ banana.

Optional add-ins & variations

Of course, you can mix in whatever you’d like to customize your healthy strawberry smoothie! But at the same time: if you want it to be perfect, you’ve got to use flavors that work. Here are some ideas:

• Almond butter. Almond goes well with strawberry. Use about 1 tablespoon, 2 for a stronger almond flavor (it will also dull the color a bit).
• Vanilla. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla to heighten the flavors.
• Mint or basil. Add a few fresh mint or basil leaves for an herbaceous spin.
• Pineapple. Substitute 1 cup of the frozen berries for 1 cup frozen pineapple; see Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie.
• Mango. Substitute 1 cup of the frozen berries for 1 cup frozen mango; see Strawberry Mango Smoothie).
• Banana. Add another ripe banana and remove the Greek yogurt; see Strawberry Banana Smoothie).
• Blueberries. Substitute 1 cup of the frozen strawberries for blueberry; see Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie.
• Chocolate. Add cocoa powder; see Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie.

Things not to add? Handfuls of spinach leaves! They turn this smoothie into an unappealing shade of brown. If you want a green smoothie, go to our Perfect Green Smoothie.

Smoothie storage

Smoothies are best eaten immediately. But this strawberry 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 strawberry smoothie recipe is…

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

Perfect Strawberry Smoothie

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★★★★★

4.8 from 23 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies

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Description

Here’s the most perfect strawberry smoothie you’ll find! It’s easy to blend up and has the best creamy texture and fruity flavor. Variation: try our Strawberry Banana Smoothie (2 ingredients and vegan!).

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Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 banana (room temperature)
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt*
• 1 cup milk (or almond milk or oat milk)
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup
• ½ cup ice
• Optional add-ins: 1 tablespoon almond butter, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, fresh mint leaves or basil leaves

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary. If desired, garnish with a frozen strawberry and mint sprig. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Notes

*For vegan: make a Strawberry Banana Smoothie! Blend 2 cups frozen strawberries, 2 bananas (room temperature), ½ cup water and 8 ice cubes.

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Strawberry Smoothie, Strawberry Banana Smoothie

More smoothie recipes

We’ve got lots more where this came from! Here more smoothie recipes to try:

• Berries: Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, Blueberry, or Blueberry Banana Smoothie Full of sweet fruity flavor!
• Greens: Kale, Avocado, Green or Spinach Smoothie The flavor is so irresistible, you’ll forget you’re eating all those healthy ingredients.
• Sweet: Vanilla Protein or Peanut Butter Smoothie They taste a little like milkshakes…but they’re healthy smoothies!
• Fruits: Banana, Pineapple, Mango, Fruit, or Watermelon Smoothie Juicy and lightly sweet: perfectly refreshing.

Another great healthy drink? Try our homemade kombucha: it’s fun to brew your own at home!

Last updated: November 2020

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a smoothie for when you’ve got a chocolate craving: the Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie! Because what’s more fun than chocolate covered strawberries, in drinkable form? This tasty recipe features strawberries, banana, almond butter and cocoa powder, blended up into a lusciously creamy puree. Its rich, fruity flavor made it an instant hit over here, and we gobbled it up like it was a milkshake. The ideal healthy treat!

Ingredients in this chocolate strawberry smoothie

This chocolate strawberry smoothie is made with just a few natural ingredients that you may already have on hand. It’s dairy-free when you use non-dairy milk; we recommend oat milk for smoothies because of its creamy texture and neutral flavor. Here’s what you’ll need for this smoothie (or jump to the recipe below for quantities):

• Frozen strawberries
• Banana
• Old Fashioned oats: optional, but adds a hearty dose of whole grains
• Cocoa powder
• Almond butter
• Milk of choice: dairy, oat milk or almond milk
• Pure maple syrup or honey or agave syrup
• Ice

Blend it up and give it a taste: you can add a splash more milk to get it to blend. The fruity rich chocolate flavor was a big hit over here.

Step it up with a garnish

This chocolate strawberry smoothie tastes incredible as is: but here’s a little trick for stepping it up if you’re making it as a treat. Top it with a sprinkle of dark chocolate! You only need about 1 tablespoon, and when you stir it in it makes for tasty occasional chocolate chunks. It’s optional, but a fun way to take it up a notch!

Ways to add protein

Almond butter brings protein to this chocolate strawberry smoothie without overwhelming the flavor! But you can add more protein especially if you’re using this as a meal replacement. Here are a few options:

• Chia seeds. You can add plant-based protein and fiber with chia seeds: 2 tablespoons chia seeds adds 4 grams protein and 11 grams fiber.
• More almond butter. Add another 1 tablespoon nut butter to add an additional 4 grams protein.
• Vanilla or chocolate protein powder: Protein powder works well here: we use this protein powder that has natural ingredients and a flavor that’s not too artificial.

Variations on a chocolate strawberry smoothie

Once you’ve made the chocolate strawberry smoothie recipe below, try it with a few variations! Here are some ideas:

• Substitute frozen raspberries for strawberries. Instant chocolate raspberry smoothie!
• Use dark chocolate cocoa powder. Substitute Dutch process cocoa powder for the regular cocoa powder for a dark chocolate flavor! You should be able to find it at your local grocery. If you can’t find it, you can buy it online: try Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder or Ghiradelli Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.

More healthy chocolate recipes

Craving chocolate but want to satisfy it with something healthy? Try these tasty recipes:

• Go for a Chocolate Banana Smoothie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie or Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie
• Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries instead (they’re healthy too!)
• Try Chocolate Covered Bananas
• Make fan-favorite Healthy Chocolate Pudding Snack

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Chocolate Banana Smoothie

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Healthy Chocolate Pudding Snack

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

04

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

This chocolate strawberry smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies

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Description

This chocolate strawberry smoothie tastes like a treat, but it’s made with healthy ingredients! Blend up this tasty puree in 5 minutes.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 banana (room temperature)
• ½ cup Old Fashioned oats (optional)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• ¾ cup milk of choice (dairy, oat milk or almond milk)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 cup ice
• For the garnish: 1 sprinkle chopped dark chocolate (optional)

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary and adding a splash more milk if necessary.
2. If desired, top with 1 tablespoon chopped dark chocolate (it makes for a nice mix in but it’s totally optional). Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days.

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Chocolate strawberry smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a frosty puree that’s all about flavor: this Almond Butter Smoothie! If you’re an almond butter lover like we are, you’ll adore this way to make it the star ingredient in a smoothie. Of course, you can add a dollop of AB to any type of smoothie you like. But this one goes big on almond flavor, pairing it with banana, pineapple and chai spices for an irresistibly sippable drink. Here’s how it’s done!

Ingredients in an almond butter smoothie

This almond butter smoothie pairs sweet fruits with nutty almond butter for a protein-packed drink. Inspired by our friend’s almond butter company (hey, Revival!), we paired a loose interpretation of chai spices with the nut butter for a cozy, intriguing nuance in flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to put this one together:

• Frozen pineapple
• Banana
• Almond butter
• Milk of choice: we like oat milk for dairy-free
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cardamom or cloves
• Ice

Blend it up, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the sweet, cozy-spiced flavor. The size is a bit smaller than many of our smoothies, so you could likely polish off the entire smoothie yourself! But it also makes 2 small smoothies if you want to store one for later. Speaking of…

Smoothie storage

Can you make smoothies in advance? Yes! This almond butter smoothie is best after 1 day in the refrigerator, so you can blend it up and enjoy later. You can get by with a 2 day storage time, just make sure to shake it before serving as it will separate naturally when refrigerated.

Adding even more protein

Want to add more protein to this almond butter smoothie? This is helpful if you’re planning to drink this smoothie as a meal replacement. Here are a few ideas:

• Chia seeds: You can add plant-based protein and fiber with chia seeds: 2 tablespoons chia seeds adds 4 grams protein and 11 grams fiber.
• Vanilla protein powder: Protein powder works in this smoothie as well. We use this protein powder that has natural ingredients and a flavor that’s not too artificial.

More smoothies with almond butter

You can add almond butter to many different smoothies to add protein and a nutty depth in flavor. It’s often a better choice than peanut butter, which can have a stronger peanuty flavor. Keep in mind: adding nut butter does slightly dull the color of a smoothie, and sometimes it can compete with the pureness of the fruity flavors. But it’s fun to experiment with! Here are a few more smoothies where 1 to 2 tablespoons almond butter works well:

• Banana Smoothie: Make it into an Almond Butter Banana Smoothie
• Berry Smoothie: Transform it into a Berry Almond Smoothie
• Vanilla Protein Smoothie: Swap the peanut butter for almond butter
• Cherry Smoothie: Make a Cherry Almond Smoothie
• Vanilla Date Smoothie: Add almond butter for even more protein
• Cinnamon Apple Smoothie: Make it into an Apple Almond Smoothie

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Perfect Banana Smoothie

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Perfect Berry Smoothie

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Vanilla Protein Smoothie

04

Apple Smoothie

This almond butter smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Almond Butter Smoothie

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies or 1 large

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Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 banana (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• ½ cup milk of choice (dairy, almond milk or oat milk)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon cardamom or cloves
• 8 ice cubes

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces as you add it. Blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day (shake if it separates).

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Almond Butter Smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Got dates on hand? Let’s make a Date Smoothie! Dates are ideal in smoothies: they’re a natural sweetener with a caramelly sweet flavor. They add a great source of fiber and enhance the creamy texture of a smoothie. Here’s how to make a naturally sweet smoothie using this tasty fruit: it comes out creamy and fruity, with a rich vanilla finish.

Ingredients in this date smoothie

This vanilla date smoothie is inspired by a date shake we had in Palm Springs (which is made with ice cream and a whole separate recipe!). We wanted to harness the flavor power of vanilla and dates, but make it into a healthier puree. Here’s what you’ll need for this date smoothie:

• Milk
• Greek yogurt
• Frozen banana
• Frozen pineapple
• Medjool dates (or deglet noor; see below)
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Ice

Blend it up, and you’ve got a tasty smoothie puree that tastes deliciously fruity. The only thing you have to remember: to freeze the banana in advance! You can also use purchased frozen bananas. Frozen banana and pineapple work together to provide a frosty base to this smoothie.

Medjool dates vs deglet noor

Medjool dates are our top choice for this date smoothie. They’re very large, soft dates with an intense caramel sweet flavor. This type of date has become popular for their use in energy bars and they can be used in many types of recipes to add sweetness.

If you can’t find them, deglet noor dates can work too. However, this type of date is much harder in texture and not as sweet. How many deglet noor dates to substitute for Medjool? Use 8 deglet noor dates to equal 4 Medjool dates.

Vegan variation

Want to make this date smoothie into a vegan smoothie? Simply substitute oat milk or almond milk for the milk and Greek yogurt. Use oat milk in place of the Greek yogurt and milk, starting with ¾ cup and adding more as needed.

You also may want consider adding a protein source, since Greek yogurt has lots of protein. Try 1 tablespoon almond butter, chia seeds or vanilla protein powder.

More smoothie recipes to use dates

Want to make a different flavor fruit smoothie using dates as a sweetener? Here are a few great smoothie options where you can use dates as a substitute for the maple syrup or honey in the recipe:

• Try this Strawberry Smoothie with 3 Medjool dates (instead of honey)
• Go for a Spinach Smoothie with 2 Medjool dates (instead of honey)
• Try a Berry Smoothie with 3 Medjool dates (instead of honey)
• Grab a Cherry Smoothie with 1 to 2 Medjool dates (instead of maple syrup)
• Opt for this Glowing Green Smoothie with 2 Medjool dates (instead of maple syrup)

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Perfect Strawberry Smoothie

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Best Spinach Smoothie

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Perfect Berry Smoothie

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Glowing Green Smoothie

Vanilla Date Smoothie

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small or 1 large

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Description

This creamy date smoothie is full of sweet, fruity flavor! Blend it up as a frosty snack or easy breakfast.

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup milk*
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 frozen banana, sliced
• ½ cup frozen pineapple
• 4 Medjool dates**
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup ice cubes

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender in the order listed above, pitting the dates as you add them. Blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day (shake if it separates).

Notes

*For a vegan date smoothie, use oat milk in place of the Greek yogurt and milk, starting with ¾ cup and adding more as needed. Consider adding a protein source like 1 tablespoon almond butter, chia seeds or protein powder.

*Medjool dates are the best for this smoothie. If you can’t find them, deglet noor dates can work too. However, this type of date is much harder in texture and not as sweet. Use 8 deglet noor dates to equal 4 Medjool dates.

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Date smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Cherries aren’t a common fruit in smoothies…but we think they should be. Try this frosty Cherry Smoothie! It’s fruity and sweet, with big cherry flavor contrasting with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. Of course it’s more common to make smoothies with good old strawberries and blueberries. But when you find a bag of frozen cherries: snap them up for this tasty puree!

Ingredients in a cherry smoothie

This cherry smoothie is bursting with sweet flavor and only requires a few ingredients, some of which you might already have on hand. Of course the most important ingredient is frozen cherries! Check the frozen section in your local grocery (they can sometimes be hard to find). Here’s what you’ll need in total:

• Frozen cherries: we used sweet, but you can use frozen tart cherries if you can find them!
• Banana
• Greek yogurt
• Orange juice, or substitute cherry juice if you happen to have it on hand
• Vanilla extract
• Maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• Ice

Blend them up, and it makes a beautiful pink puree: perfect for sipping and full of healthy ingredients. For a dairy-free smoothie, omit the Greek yogurt and add one of the protein adders below (you may need to add a bit more liquid to get it to blend).

Variation: chocolate cherry smoothie

This cherry smoothie is highlighted with vanilla extract, since cherries and vanilla go hand in hand. But what about cherries and…chocolate? Here’s a way to make a smoothie that tastes like a healthy chocolate milkshake:

• Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the recipe below
• Sweeten with 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Ways to add protein

This cherry smoothie has a bit of Greek yogurt for a bit of protein and a creamy texture. But you can add even more protein, especially if you’re using this as a meal replacement. Here are a few options:

• More Greek yogurt. Go up to ½ cup, or even more to taste.
• Almond butter or cashew butter. Add 1 tablespoon nut butter to add an additional 4 grams protein.
• Chia seeds. You can add plant-based protein and fiber with chia seeds: 2 tablespoons chia seeds adds 4 grams protein and 11 grams fiber.
• Vanilla or chocolate protein powder: Protein powder works well too! We use this protein powder that has natural ingredients and a flavor that’s not too artificial.

More smoothie recipes

Love a good smoothie? We’ve made it our goal to try as many smoothie recipes as possible. Here are our favorites:

• Try all our Best Smoothie Recipes
• Opt for a Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie or Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
• Go for Grapefruit Smoothie, Banana Peach Smoothie or Peach Mango Smoothie
• Try a frosty Grape Smoothie or Cranberry Smoothie
• Blend up a Tropical Smoothie or Kefir Smoothie

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40 Best Smoothie Recipes

02

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

03

Peach Mango Smoothie

04

Cranberry Smoothie

This cherry smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, omit the Greek yogurt.

Cherry Smoothie

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2 small smoothies or 1 large

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Description

This cherry smoothie recipe is bursting with fruity flavor! Blend it up to curb a sweets craving or a healthy way to start the day.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen cherries (we use sweet cherries)
• 1 banana (room temperature)
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt*
• ½ cup orange juice (or cherry juice)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 ice cubes

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, breaking the banana into pieces. Blend until creamy and frothy, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary and adding a splash more water or juice if necessary. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Notes

*Variation: For a chocolate cherry smoothie, add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup. For a dairy-free smoothie, omit the Greek yogurt and add one of the protein adders in the post above (you may need to add a bit more liquid to get it to blend).

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Smoothie
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Cherry smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.