How to Make a Smoothie

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Co-authored by Marjan Mahallati, RHN, AADP and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: February 20, 2024 Approved

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Blending up a smoothie might be one of the tastiest ways to get your daily fruits or vegetables. Fortunately, you don't really need a recipe to make a delicious smoothie. Consider what you have on hand and what flavors you'd like in the smoothie. For example, blend yogurt with peaches for a creamy smoothie or include peanut butter if you want a protein-rich drink. Make substitutions according to your diet and enjoy your custom smoothie!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Creating a Custom Smoothie

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If you put the liquid into the blender first, the machine will have an easier time combining the ingredients. Although milk and juice are common smoothie liquids, you could use water, coconut milk, yogurt, or non-dairy milk, such as soy, hemp, or almond milk.^{[1]
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If you'd like to cut some of the smoothie's sweetness, you could use cold tea, vegetable juice, or 1/2 juice and 1/2 water
2
Put 2 to 3 cups (350 to 525 g) of fruit into the blender. Most smoothies include fruit and you can choose a single type or a combination. You can also decide if you'd like to use fresh or frozen fruit. Frozen fruit will make your smoothie slightly thicker, so you may want to leave the ice out when you blend it. Keep in mind that some fruits, such as bananas or mangoes, are so sweet that you might not need to use additional sweeteners. Try making a smoothie with any of these fruits:^{[2]
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- Berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
- Citrus: oranges, grapefruits
- Pears
- Stone fruit: peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries
- Mangos
- Bananas
- Papayas
Tip: Always remove the peels, stems, or pits from the fruit. If you're using large fruits, cut them into chunks before putting them in the blender.

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3
Scoop in additional dairy if you'd like to thicken the smoothie. Instead of pouring in more milk, which will make the smoothie thinner, add a scoop of Greek yogurt or frozen yogurt. The Greek yogurt will add protein and firm up the smoothie while the frozen yogurt will make the entire smoothie taste creamier and thick.
- Experiment by using different flavors of yogurt. You could match the flavors of the fruits or use complementary flavors. For example, make a peach smoothie with peach Greek yogurt or try a peanut butter smoothie with chocolate frozen yogurt.
4
Include spices, herbs, or flavorings to make a unique smoothie. You'll get a lot of delicious flavor from the produce you use, so you don't have to add spices unless you want a very specific flavor. For example, if you want warming flavors, add a few pinches of cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, or cardamom. For a strong herbal flavor, put 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh herbs, such as basil or lavender.
- For a detox smoothie, add 2 to 3 cups of greens, such as spinach or kale.
You could also add a few drops of an extract. Try vanilla, lemon, mint, or almond extract.
5
Add nut butter, oats, or nuts to give the smoothie a filling texture. If you'd like more protein in your smoothie, add 1 to 2 spoonfuls of your favorite nut butter, rolled oats, or tofu. You might want to include interesting textures by mixing in a handful of nuts or seeds, such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Once you've blended the smoothie, you may want to include even more unique textures. You could stir in a handful of dried fruit, a few spoonfuls of toasted coconut, a small scoop of mini-chocolate chips, or a handful of crushed graham crackers.
- Superfoods such as ginger, chia seeds, protein powder, or hemp seeds are usually great ingredients for a healthy smoothie.
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Include a scoop of protein powder or your favorite supplement. If you'd like to add protein, but don't want your smoothie to taste like peanut butter, add about 2 tablespoons (28 g) of protein powder. The powder will quickly dissolve in the smoothie. This is also a great chance to use any powdered nutritional supplement you're taking.
- Try blending your collagen supplement into your morning breakfast smoothie, for instance.
7
Mix in your choice of sweetener according to your taste. You can use your favorite type of sweetener to enhance the flavor of your smoothie. If you don't want to use standard sugar, try adding a few soft dates or dried figs, prunes, or apricots. You can also drizzle honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup into the smoothie.^{[3]
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- If you're unsure how much sweetener to add, you may want to blend the smoothie and then taste it. This will give you a better idea of how much sweetener to use.
8
Add about 1 cup (220 g) of ice. If you'd like a thick smoothie, start with at least 1 cup (220 g) of ice and add more as needed. If you're using frozen fruit, you could leave the ice out since the frozen fruit will act like ice. Keep in mind that if you leave the ice out with fresh fruit, your smoothie will be more like juice.^{[4]
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- You can freeze any of the smoothie ingredients to help the drink firm up. For example, instead of using fresh berries, open a bag of frozen berries and pour them directly into the blender.
9
Cover the blender and blend the smoothie for about 1 minute. Keep blending until the ingredients are combined and as smooth as you like. Then, pour the smoothie into 1 or 2 serving glasses and enjoy!
- If you need to store extra smoothie, pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 8 months. Keep in mind that the smoothie will begin to melt in the fridge and you may want to blend it with more ice before you serve it. To serve the frozen smoothie, transfer it directly to the blender and mix it until it's smooth.
If you like, garnish your smoothie with a piece of the fruit you used to make it. For example, place an orange wheel on the rim of the glass if you made a citrus smoothie.
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Add vegetables if you'd like a fresh-tasting smoothie that isn't very sweet. Cut back the amount of fruit you use so you use a total of 2 to 3 cups (350 to 525 g) of fresh produce. You might use 1 cup of fruit (175 g) and 1 cup (175 g) of vegetables, for instance. Leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, blend easily.^{[5]
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- You could also try celery, cucumber, or bell peppers.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Trying Specific Combinations

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1
Create a creamy smoothie with mangoes and peaches. Make a refreshing fruit smoothie by blending 3 cups (495 g) of chopped mangos with 2 cups (450 g) of chopped peaches, 1 cup (285 g) of plain Greek yogurt, ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of milk, and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of grated ginger. Then, taste the smoothie and add honey until it's as sweet as you like.^{[6]
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- If you'd like a slightly minty taste, add 4 fresh mint leaves before you blend the smoothie.
- Substitute any type of yogurt you like. For example, use peach yogurt for an extra fruity flavor.
2
Make a classic strawberry banana smoothie. This naturally sweetened smoothie is a popular smoothie for good reason. You'll need to blend 2 cups (300 g) of frozen strawberries with 1 fresh banana, 1 cup (240 ml) of milk, 1 cup (220 g) of ice, and 1 tablespoon (21 g) of honey. You can taste the smoothie and add more honey if it's not sweet enough for your taste.^{[7]
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- For a really strong strawberry flavor, try using strawberry milk!
- If you're a big fan of berries, you can make other berry smoothies as well, including mixed berry and raspberry varieties.
3
Blend spinach with berries to make a vegan green smoothie. Smoothies are a great way to sneak in your daily veggies. Put 2 cups (450 g) of fresh spinach into a blender along with 1 frozen banana and 1/2 cup (50 g) of mixed frozen berries. Then, add 1 tablespoon (7 g) of flaxseed meal, 1 tablespoon (16 g) of natural peanut butter, and ¹⁄₂ to ³⁄₄ cup (120 to 180 ml) of plant-based milk, such as soy or hemp milk, before you blend the smoothie.^{[8]
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- If you don't like flaxseed meal or peanut butter, you can leave them out or use your favorite nut butter or spread.
- To make this smoothie thicker, add 1 tablespoon (16 g) of extra peanut butter at a time. To thin it, blend in 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 44 ml) of liquid at a time.
4
Mix frozen blueberries with coconut milk for a refreshing smoothie. For a smoothie that doesn't contain dairy, milk, or bananas, blend 1½ cups (232 g) of blueberries with ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of unsweetened coconut milk, 1 tablespoon (1 g) of fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lime juice, 1 teaspoon (7 g) of honey, and 1 cup (220 g) of ice.^{[9]
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- Use any type of berries in this smoothie. For example, try blackberries or raspberries.
Variation: To make this smoothie creamier and more filling, add 1/2 cup (122g) of plain or fruity yogurt and 1 tablespoon (6 g) of oats.
5
Combine cold coffee with milk for a coffee protein smoothie. Instead of reaching for a cup of hot coffee in the morning, make a filling coffee smoothie. Blend 1 cup (240 ml) of cold coffee with 1 cup (240 ml) of almond milk, 1/2 of a frozen banana, 1 tablespoon (14 g) of light chocolate or vanilla protein powder, and 2 ice cubes.^{[10]
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- If you don't like almond milk, use any type of milk, such as cow's milk, soy milk, oat milk, or hemp milk.
- For an even heartier smoothie, add 1/4 cup (22 g) of rolled oats.
6
Blend citrus fruits with mango and pineapple for a sunny-looking smoothie. Peel and quarter 1 orange and 1/4 of a lemon. Put the citrus into a blender along with ½ cup of (75 g) pineapple chunks, ¼ cup (60 g) of frozen mango chunks, and 1 cup (220 ml) of ice cubes. Then, blend the ingredients until the citrus fruits release their juice and the mixture is smooth.
- If you'd like an even creamier smoothie, add 1/2 cup (140 g) of plain or flavored yogurt.
7
Whip up a rich chocolate peanut butter smoothie. Peel 2 bananas and put them into a blender along with 1/4 cup (62 g) of creamy peanut butter, ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of milk, 1/2 cup (120 g) of plain or vanilla yogurt, 2 tablespoons (14 g) of cocoa powder, and 3/4 cup (165 g) of ice. Blend the ingredients until the banana is smooth and combined.^{[11]
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- Try making this smoothie with your favorite nut butter. You could use almond, hazelnut, or cashew butter for a change.

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How can I prepare smoothie using pineapple?

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It's really up to your individual taste, but I mix pineapple with apple juice, banana, spinach and avocado. It's delicious.

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Can I refrigerate a fruit smoothie and eat it a day later?

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If you refrigerate a smoothie for a day it might get really thick and won't really be a smoothie anymore. It's best to finish it the day you make it.

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Does the quantity of fruits effect the thickness of the smoothie?

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Yes. The more fruit you add, the thicker it will become. However, fruits that have a high water content, such as watermelon and strawberries, will cause less thickness.

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Tips

Drink your smoothie immediately after you blend it. Most smoothies will start to separate if they're stored in the refrigerator after blending.

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If you're diabetic or watching your sugar intake, avoid adding extra sweetener, such as honey. Remember that fruit will break down into sugar when your body digests it.

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You can use a smoothie as a base while drinking tangy tonics like malt vinegar.

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