Blueberry Banana Smoothie
by Katie Webster
August 9, 2023 Jump To Recipe
If you have 5 minutes, then this easy Blueberry Banana Smoothie is a fast, healthy and high-protein way to make breakfast or snack. The creamy banana and blueberries blend together to make one delicious smoothie!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Banana Smoothie
If you love a good smoothie, then you are not alone! I love having a smoothie for breakfast or snack any time of year. In the summer it is a great way to use seasonal produce, and in the wintertime I always have frozen fruit stocked in my freezer just for smoothies!
This Blueberry Banana Smoothie is one of our stand-bys. You really can’t go wrong with the creamy thickness of banana with cheerful bright purplish blue color and tangy taste of fresh blueberries!
We’ve added in protein powder for a kick of convenient protein and to give this low-calorie smoothie a bit of staying power. We divide it into two glasses for a snack portion, or you can enjoy the whole batch to make it a meal!
Make sure to check out our Nutritional Boosts for many ways you can customize your smoothies! From chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp hearts to peanut butter, we have a lot of great ideas to add in more nutritious goodies into your glass!
Ingredients For Blueberry Smoothie with Bananas
Banana
The banana in this smoothie makes the texture of this smoothie creamy and thick and adds natural sweetness. Frozen banana can be used if you like but you will need to add an additional 1/4 of milk to the blender to help the mixture get moving.
Fresh Blueberries
The star of this recipe is fresh blueberries. To prepare the berries, give them a good wash by running cool water over them in a fine mesh sieve or colander. If you do not have fresh blueberries, you can use frozen, but please read our tips on how to make this smoothie with frozen fruit below.
Almond Milk, Oat Milk or Milk of Choice
Feel free to use whatever milk you like for this. I have been keeping unsweetened almond milk on hand because it is low calorie and relatively neutral-tasting. But if you prefer cow’s milk, oat milk or coconut milk feel free to use that instead.
Ice
I add in a half cup of ice to these smoothies because I like how it really thickens up the texture and makes them super cold. As I said, if you use frozen blueberries you can skip it as they will make the smoothies icy enough.
Protein Powder (or Honey)
I like to use vanilla protein powder in this smoothie because it helps make it sweet and it adds protein to help with satiety and fullness. Feel free to use a collagen, whey or vegan powder depending on your preference.
If you are not a fan of protein powder you can skip this altogether. If so, you may want to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey to sweeten the smoothie.
Nutritional Boosts To Add To Your Smoothie
To give an added nutritious bonus to your Blueberry Banana Smoothie add one to two of the following boosts:
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 to 2 teaspoons flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon maca powder
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter or another nut butter
- 3 tablespoons oats (quick oats work best in smoothies)
- Use coconut water, kefir or kombucha instead of milk
- Instead of protein powder, add a generous scoop of Greek yogurt for added protein
How To Make a Banana Blueberry Smoothie
Step 1: Combine Ingredients in a Blender
Break the banana into a couple of pieces and drop it into the jar of a blender. Add in milk, berries, ice and protein powder (or honey). If using any boosts, add them in now. Cover the blender with the lid.
Step 2: Combine Ingredients in a Blender
Turn the blender on medium speed, and gradually increase the speed to high. Blend until there are no large chunks of blueberry skin visible and there is no sound of ice chunks, about 25 seconds. (See our Expert Tips below for tips on blending this recipe using frozen fruit)
Step 3: Pour and Enjoy
Pour the smoothie into two tall glasses. Garnish with fresh berries if you like and enjoy immediately.
FAQs and Expert Tips
I happen to prefer my smoothies when they are thick and icy cold, so I do not make mine ahead, but if you do not mind leftover smoothies, you definitely can make this ahead. If planning to do so, omit the ice. Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Stir well before enjoying. The texture will be thinner and the smoothie will not be as cold but the flavor will still be great.
If you do not have fresh blueberries, you can use frozen ones. We love how vibrant the smoothie turns out with frozen berries. Note that the smoothie will be a lot thicker with frozen berries, so you will need to add an additional 1/4 cup of milk to thin it out when blending. Same goes for bananas. Add 1/4 cup extra milk for frozen bananas. If using frozen blueberries (or bananas) we like to use the stirring paddle that came with our blender to help get the chunks mixed down into the liquid. If you do not have one, make sure to turn off the blender before removing the lid and stirring with a spoon.
Yes, you can. Note that flavored protein powders usually include a nonnutritive sweetener and it makes the smoothie taste sweet. If you omit the protein powder, you can add 1 tp 2 teaspoons honey or another sweetener such as monk fruit. If you are not sure if you need the added sweetness, try the smoothie first, then blend in sweetener if you feel it needs additional sweetness.
More Blueberry Recipes and Healthy Smoothies
- This Super Green Tea Antioxidant Smoothie has strawberries and green tea in it!
- Our Green Mountain Smoothie has a protein punch from Greek Yogurt so it’s great for a post-workout mini-meal.
- This recipe for Chocolate Recovery Shake is low in calories but great for a light post-workout snack.
- Our Peach Cobbler Smoothie is made with Oats for a satisfying and high-fiber smoothie.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Blueberry Banana Smoothie
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 22 ounces 1x
Description
If you have 5 minutes, then this easy Blueberry Banana Smoothie is a fast, healthy and high-protein way to make breakfast or snack. The creamy banana and blueberries blend together to make one delicious smoothie!
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup ice
- 3/4 cup almond milk or oat milk, or another unsweetened milk of choice
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, optional
- 2 teaspoons honey, optional
Instructions
- Combine banana, blueberries, ice and milk in a blender. Add in protein powder and/or honey if using.
- Puree in high until smooth and there are no longer any chunks of ice.
- Pour into two tall glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
If you want to make this with frozen fruit instead of fresh, omit the ice to begin. Use an additional ½ cup milk. Once the mixture is liquified, add the ice and continue to blend. It will be quite thick, so we found using the plunger that came with our blender was helpful to get the smoothie moving!
If using protein powder with sweetener (non-nutritive or otherwise) you will not need the honey. If not using the protein powder, add the honey to taste.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: na
- Category: breakfast
- Method: Small Appliance
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11 ounces
- Calories: 125
- Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
I love finding new and healthy breakfast recipes, especially something like this smoothie that’s quick and easy to make! Can’t wait to try this tomorrow, I already have all of the ingredients I need luckily!
Looks exactly like the kind of smoothie my kids would love! Can’t wait to try this recipe out, thanks for the easy recipe!
Had this for breakfast after my workout. What a burst of FLAVOR! And love the color!
This is one of my daughter’s favorite breakfast smoothies. I love how easy it is to make.
What a great flavor combo for a smoothie! The color of this is absolutely gorgeous. 🙂