See how to make the perfect smoothie with this basic recipe. It uses just 4 ingredients and takes 5 minutes to make.
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Recipe Highlights
- A smoothie is a pureed drink made with liquid, a creamy add-in ingredient, leafy greens, and frozen fruit. It takes just 5 minutes to make in a blender.
- Smoothies are a tasty way to enjoy fruits and vegetables. Have them as a snack, breakfast, or meal replacement.
- To make the perfect smoothie, it’s important to use the right amount of each ingredient. This will make your drink creamy, smooth, and delicious.
- This basic smoothie formula will list the best ingredients for healthy smoothies and how much you should use.
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Ingredient Notes
Liquids
- Milk
Milk is a creamy, protein-rich option for a liquid base. You can use whole fat, 2%, or nonfat milk, depending on your preference. - Plant-based milk
If you want a non-dairy smoothie, use plant-based milk. Popular examples include almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, and coconut milk. Almond milk and soy milk contain more protein than other options. Be sure to use unsweetened and unflavored plant milk, which will work best with other smoothie ingredients. - Juice
Fruit juice adds natural sweetness to smoothies. It’s high in vitamins and balances the earthy flavor of leafy greens. Tasty options include pineapple juice, orange juice, apple juice, and grape juice. For the healthiest option, use 100% fruit juice with minimal sweeteners.
Liquid Ingredient Health Benefits
Liquid ingredients, including milk and juice, contain water. This means smoothies can add to your daily water intake and help keep you hydrated.
Milk is high in protein and calcium. Plant milks, such as almond milk, offers essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory fats, and some plant-based protein.
Fruit juice is also high in antioxidants and vitamin C. Pineapple juice also offers bromelain, a compound that helps protein digestion.
Leafy Greens
- Spinach
To make your smoothie even healthier, add a handful of baby spinach. It had a mild flavor that tastes great with many types of fruits. - Kale
Kale is a popular ingredient for nutritious smoothies. It has a more earthy flavor than spinach, but adding naturally sweet ingredients can help balance it out.
Leafy Green Health Benefits
Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens are some of the healthiest foods you can eat. They’re high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Regularly eating leafy greens is also linked to a lower risk of cancer, brain disease, and heart disease.
Frozen Fruit
- Frozen banana
One of the best ingredients for healthy smoothies is frozen banana. It blends easily with other ingredients and adds a creamy texture. Frozen banana also has a naturally sweet flavor. - Frozen mango
Frozen mango adds a tropical taste to homemade smoothies. When fresh mango is not in season, frozen mango is an excellent choice. - Frozen strawberries
The sweet, slightly tart flavor of strawberries tastes delicious in smoothies. You can use whole or sliced frozen strawberries.
Frozen Fruit Health Benefits
Fruit is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, fresh fruit loses these nutrients over time.
Freezing fruit can help retain those nutrients and make your smoothie very healthy.
Add-Ins
- Nut butter
Nut butter adds a creamy, rich texture to smoothies. It’s high in protein and comes in many types, including almond, cashew, and peanut butter. If you don’t eat nuts, try sunflower seed butter for a similar flavor. - Protein powder
For a protein-rich smoothie, add protein powder or collagen powder to your drink. It will help thicken your drink while making your smoothie even healthier. In most smoothies, unflavored or vanilla protein powder will taste best. - Seeds or Nuts
Seeds and nuts add extra fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats to smoothies. One example is chia seeds, which soak up liquid and create a thick texture. Popular options for nuts include cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts. Always use unflavored and unsalted nuts in smoothies.
Add-In Ingredient Health Benefits
Smoothie add-ins like nut butters, protein powders, and seeds or nuts are high in protein. This is important because protein is an essential nutrient. It’s needed for overall health and keeping you full.
Nut butters, nuts, and seeds also have healthy fats that reduce inflammation.
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Blender Notes
To make the perfect smoothie, use a high-powered, quality blender with a powerful motor and blades.
In general, blenders at higher price points will do a better job at properly blending ingredients together.
An efficient blend is important for making thick, smooth, and delicious healthy smoothies.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
How to Make a Smoothie
- Pineapple juice
This smoothie recipe uses pineapple juice as a liquid base. It has a naturally sweet and tart flavor, which is delicious in smoothies. For the most nutritious choice, use pineapple juice without added sweeteners. - Kale
This smoothie gets its green color from kale. As a type of leafy green, kale is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. It’s one of the healthiest smoothie ingredients. - Frozen banana
Banana gives this recipe a creamy and smooth texture. Be sure to use frozen banana, which will help chill and thicken the smoothie without ice. If you use fresh banana, the drink will be too watery. - Chia seeds
Chia seeds add thickness and plant-based protein to this smoothie. It’s a great source of anti-inflammatory fats.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- Pour liquid into the blender.
Always add liquids first. - Add add-in ingredients.
- Add leafy greens.
- Add frozen fruit.
- Blend until smooth.
Start on a low speed, then increase to high. - Pour smoothie into a cup. Serve immediately.
Blender Tips
Always add liquid first.
When making a smoothie of any kind, be sure to load the ingredients in the correct order. Start with liquids, which is key for optimal blending. Follow with with softer ingredients, like powders and leafy greens, and finish with heavier ingredients, like frozen fruit.
Cut fruit into pieces first.
Chopped fruit is easier for blenders to handle. If you have a high-end, powerful blender, it should be able to puree larger chunks with no problem. If you have a less powerful blender, you’ll need to cut the fruit into smaller pieces.
Start on low, then increase to high.
To protect the motor of your blender, avoid blending on low speed for too long. Start on low then increase to a higher speed.
Use a blender tamper.
For the smoothest result, push the ingredients toward the blades using a blender tamper. You should only use the tamper when the lid is on the blender. This will prevent the tamper from getting too close to the blades.
Expert Tips
- For a sweeter smoothie, add a Medjool date. You can also use 1-2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup.
- Avoid using too much frozen fruit, which can make the smoothie hard to blend. If using more than one kind of fruit, use one fresh, and one frozen.
- Make sure your leafy greens are fresh. Avoid greens that are wilted, slimy, or discolored, which can affect the taste and color of your smoothie.
- When using add-in ingredients, stick to 1-2 tablespoons to start. This will make your smoothie creamy without overpowering the taste.
- If the smoothie is too thick for your liking, add a small amount of liquid and blend for 10 seconds to combine.
- Smoothies are best enjoyed within 24 hours of blending. If you need to save leftovers, store it in airtight glass jar. Smoothies becomes less fresh and nutritious over time, so be sure to drink it within 1-2 days.
How to Make Smoothies Ahead of Time
Pour a smoothie into an ice cube tray and place it in the freezer until frozen. When you’re ready to enjoy the smoothie, add the smoothie cubes to a blender with a bit of liquid, then blend.
You can also thaw it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour in a jar.
Questions You May Have
When made with whole ingredients like leafy greens and fruits, smoothies are very healthy. They’re a rich source of vital nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
As long as you use enough frozen fruit, you won’t need ice to make a good smoothie. If you want to use ice, only add a small amount. Using too much ice will water down the taste and texture.
Frozen fruit is essential for thick and delicious smoothies. Avoid using only fresh fruit, which will make the drink too watery.
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How to Make a Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup liquid (pineapple juice, dairy milk, or almond milk)
- 1 – 2 tablespoons add-in (seeds or nuts, nut butter, or protein powder)
- 1 cup leafy greens (kale or spinach)
- 1 ½ cups frozen fruit (strawberries, mango, or banana)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put liquid, add-in, leafy greens, and frozen fruit into a blender. Secure lid. Place ingredients into the blender in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth. Start the blender on LOW speed for 10 seconds. Increase speed to HIGH for a full minute.
- Pour smoothie into a cup. Serve immediately.
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- For a sweeter smoothie, add a Medjool date. You can also use 1-2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup.
- Avoid using too much frozen fruit, which can make the smoothie hard to blend.
- Make sure your leafy greens are fresh. Avoid greens that are wilted, slimy, or discolored, which can affect the taste and color of your smoothie.
- When using add-in ingredients, stick to 1-2 tablespoons to start. This will make your smoothie creamy without overpowering the taste.
- If the smoothie is too thick for your liking, add a small amount of liquid and blend for 10 seconds to combine.
- Smoothies are best enjoyed within 24 hours of blending. If you need to save leftovers, store it in airtight glass jar. They becomes less fresh and nutritious over time, so be sure to drink it within 1-2 days.