20 Simple Smoothie Recipes

by Liren Baker on January 17, 2022 | 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links. Please see Affiliate Disclosure in my Terms of Service.

Looking for a wholesome pick-me-up? Try these 20 Simple Smoothie Recipes and learn tips for how to make a good smoothie at home!

Looking for a wholesome pick-me-up? There’s nothing simpler than a smoothie! Try these 20 Simple Smoothie Recipes and blend up healthy smoothies, smoothie bowls, and smoothie popsicles for breakfast, before a workout, after school, or when you just need a refreshing snack!

Someone once asked me what foods I must have every day, and without missing a beat, I responded that a good smoothie is one of them. My obsession with smoothies began many years ago when my little ones were toddlers, and our blender has been whirring every day ever since.

What better way to get your daily dose of fruits and veggies than in a delicious smoothie?

Even to this day, my daughter makes herself a green smoothie every morning for breakfast, and I always make a strawberry banana smoothie for my son when he comes home after school. Then there’s me. I love having a smoothie either before or after a workout, but honestly, I could have one any time of day. If you are looking for some smoothie recipe inspiration, here are some of my family favorites!

How to Make a Good Smoothie at Home

Love smoothies and want to make them at home? It’s easy! With the right tools and ingredients, you can make smoothies that are better than storebought, and much more satisfying. Here is what you need to make a good smoothie at home.

Equipment and Ingredients

Invest in a good blender. Once you start making smoothies, you will find yourself making them often, and for that, I recommend getting a good-quality blender. Since I use my blender several times a day, I highly recommend getting the best blender you can afford. A high-quality blender will last longer and have enough power to blend frozen fruits easily and without jamming. I love and highly recommend my Vitamix blender (affiliate link).
Choose a suitable liquid (aka not water). Milk, whether dairy or non-dairy, makes for the creamiest smoothies. If you choose dairy milk, you can control the creaminess by choosing whole milk for a thick smoothie (think milkshake) or go lighter with fat-free milk. Soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk are delicious plant-based milk options, and you’ll notice that many of my smoothie recipes often recommend almond milk, which is my personal favorite.
Use frozen fruit. I often see recipes for smoothies that use unfrozen fruit, and that is fine. However, these recipes usually use ice to make the smoothies cool and refreshing. Instead, I prefer to use frozen fruit, which not only stores longer and is better to quelch smoothie cravings anytime, but it gives you both the fruit, frostiness, and creaminess needed to make a good smoothie.
Ripe bananas. When a smoothie calls for bananas, make sure you use a perfectly ripe banana. A ripe banana is the key to a sweet and creamy smoothie!
Use baby greens. If you’re making a green smoothie, opt for baby spinach or baby kale. Younger, tender greens will be milder and less bitter. In general, spinach makes for a much sweeter smoothie than kale, which is great if you’re still getting used to green smoothies, but both are absolutely delicious and so good for you.
Dates add extra sweetness. If you find that your smoothies aren’t sweet enough (perhaps your banana isn’t ripe enough, or your fruit is not very sweet), add a few Medjool dates to your smoothie! They add a natural sweetness, and are an excellent source of potassium, too.

Simple Smoothie Recipe Formula

Once you start making smoothies, you’ll notice that my formula for a good smoothie is as follows:

1 cup milk + 1 cup frozen fruit + 1 ripe banana + optional mix-ins (e.g. spinach, seeds, etc) = a delicious smoothie

Here are my favorite recipes to get you started!

Simple Smoothie Recipes

Mango Spinach Green Smoothie

If I had to pick one smoothie to drink for the rest of my life, this Mango Spinach Green Smoothie would be my pick. It is my all-time favorite, the green smoothie I make the most, whether it's to kick-start my morning or to recover after a workout. It's also the smoothie I recommend to anyone who is just getting started with green smoothies - the sweetness from the mango and banana convinces everyone who tries it!

lael.jediael 2 years ago

Your strawberry banana smoothie is so delicious. It makes my day.

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Sabrina 3 years ago

thank you for all of this smoothie inspiration, so many creative ones and a lot different than my strawberry banana classic!

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- Liren Baker 3 years ago
  
  Nothing beats a strawberry banana, Sabrina! But I hope you find some new favorites!!
  
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