Learn how to make a smoothie in just 3 easy steps. The result is a creamy, healthy, vibrant blend of flavors you can enjoy on the go.
Making your own smoothies at home can be done in just a few easy steps. And the benefits are unlimited.
Nourishing: Smoothies are an easy way to take in a bunch of nutrients at once so that you give your body the building blocks it needs.
Delicious: no matter what fruits you choose, you can easily make a thick, creamy smoothie.
Healthy: by using my special formula below for how to make a smoothie, your smoothies will not only be tasty, but healthy and well-balanced too.
Building Blocks of Smoothies
The tutorial below walks you through 3 simple steps that result in a delicious, nourishing smoothie.
With this knowledge in your back pocket, you’ll enjoy healthy smoothies of all kinds for a long time to come!
Choose a Liquid For Your Smoothie
There are a few liquids to choose from when you’re looking to make a smoothie. All of the options below can work, much of the choice is simply preference, dietary choice and what you have on hand.
Milk: If you have no dairy sensitivities, regular cow’s milk is a great choice. It’s packed with protein so you don’t necessarily have to add that back in later.
Full-fat coconut milk: This is one of my favorite dairy-free options though make sure to use the coconut milk from the can. If you’re using it as your only liquid, stir the cream into the water to get a more milk-like consistency.
Almond milk: If you’re buying a non-dairy almond milk in the carton, go for the unsweetened original flavor. It’s much better to add your own level of sweetness from natural sweeteners to the smoothie later on. If you make your own almond milk, this is a great use for it and we have plenty of ideas for how to use almond pulp.
Other milks: Options like cashew milk, oat milk, rice milk and soy milk can all be used interchangeably. Choose whichever you have or love but always try and opt for the unsweetened versions of all these non-dairy milks.
Kefir: As a middle ground in texture between milk and yogurt, kefir is a wonderful fermented option for a smoothie base. Its natural probiotics offer great gut-health benefits and it creates an indulgently creamy smoothie as a result.
Greek yogurt: Another protein-packed liquid option that creates a thick, smooth texture.
Fruit juice: Not feeling the milk base? Go for some natural fruit juice! Orange juice is one of my favorites, but any fruit juice will do. Keep in mind these are much sweeter than the milk bases so you’ll definitely want to be mindful of your fruit and sweetener add-ins later on.
Coconut water: If you’re making a smoothie after a workout, coconut water is a great choice. As a natural electrolyte, it’s extremely hydrating. I like to use it in combination with fruit juice.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Get the Ratios Right: For 1 smoothie serving, you’re going to want about 1-1 1/2 cups of a liquid base. And don’t forget, you can combine multiple bases such as milk and yogurt to create your perfect texture.
Choose the Fruit and Vegetables to Add In
The choice between fruits and vegetables is as much about flavor as it is nourishment. If you’re using milk as your base, you’ll want to add fruits in so that the smoothie comes out delicious.
If you’re using fruit juice as your base, you may not need as many fruits. Below are some fruit and vegetable options that blend well and can be used to create a healthy smoothie.
Spinach: Loaded with vitamins K, A, iron, and with virtually no calories. Baby spinach blends the best into a smoothie and you can’t even taste it.
Kale: This green has a bit more prominent flavor than spinach and unless you have a high-end blender, chances are you’re going to taste the gritty texture from it. If you’re really looking to get into green smoothies, invest in a Vitamix so that texture isn’t an issue. Similar to spinach, kale is also packed with vitamins K, A and C.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Always use at least some frozen fruit. This is preferred over adding ice to the blender as it creates a better texture and doesn’t water down the smoothie.
Berries: Any berry makes a great addition to your smoothie. Frozen wild blueberries are a personal favorite as they’re packed with even more antioxidants than a regular blueberry. Likewise, frozen berries are a great option for winter-time smoothies when nothing is in season, and as a bonus, they add a bit of “iciness” to your smoothie without having to water it down with actual ice.
Bananas: Unless you’re adverse to them for some reason, bananas are a great smoothie staple. With a milk base, they’re the perfect natural sweetener. With a fruit base, they provide some staying power the other fruits don’t necessarily give you. They also help create an ultra-thick texture.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Ratio Needed: As a rough estimate, for 1-1 1/2 cups of liquid, 4 cups of packed greens is usually a good amount. If you’ve used fruit juice as your base, you may not even want any additional fruit. If you’ve used a milk as your base, 1 cup of fruit is a good addition.
Smoothie Extras and Add-Ins
The extras are where you make the smoothie “yours” and get the chance to add in extra nutrients or flavors. From sweeteners to flavor enhancers to nutritional boosts, this is your chance to play around.
Protein powder: If you haven’t used a milk or yogurt base and want some protein in your smoothie, whey or pea protein powder are great options depending on your preference. I keep vanilla and chocolate Nuzest on hand as my plant-based option and Paleo Valley’s bone broth protein powder as an animal-based option, adding anywhere from 1 to 2 scoops to my smoothies. The amount should be adjusted based on your protein needs.
Nut butters: Another great way to get some protein (and healthy fat) is through nut butters. Peanut, almond, cashew and even seed-based butters like pumpkin seed butter all work wonderfully. Try to make sure that you use nut butters without any added sweeteners.
Chia seeds: These little guys are filled with omega-3s and a decent amount of protein per serving. A tablespoon is a great little boost to any smoothie. With a high-quality blender, you don’t even need to worry about them getting stuck in your teeth!
Ground flax seed: Another omega-3 packed option, flax seeds are also a good source of fiber. Make sure you choose the ground or milled kind because our bodies can’t absorb the nutrients from the whole seeds themselves.
Hemp seeds: I often use the combination of hemp, chia and flax seeds in all my smoothies. They offer similar benefits of healthy fats, protein and fiber and a tablespoon of each is a great nutritious boost.
Oats: Want some staying power to that smoothie? Adding oats makes your drink more of a meal and will thicken things up a bit. They make this cinnamon chestnut smoothie thick and creamy.
Medjool dates: Dates are really nature’s candy. If you need some sweetness, these are your healthy go-to. One or two pitted dates will do the trick, just make sure to blend really well to fully incorporate them.
Maple syrup and honey: If you don’t have dates and want a sweetener option in addition to fruit, a small amount of maple syrup or honey can be used. Always start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Extracts: Vanilla, almond or any other pure extract is a great way to get some flavor into a smoothie without calories or bulk. You can’t go wrong with 1/2 a teaspoon or so of one of your favorites. Almond extract really makes the flavor pop in this cherry vanilla almond smoothie – a healthy dupe to Ben & Jerry’s cherry Garcia ice cream flavor.
How To Make A Smoothie
As a healthy snack or breakfast, smoothies come together in under 5 minutes which makes them an easy choice for busy days.
Add the ingredients: Place all the ingredients into a high-powered blender like the
Blend: Blend until all the ingredients are combined and the texture is smooth. Depending on the items used in your smoothie, you may need to stop and scrape down the sides or use the tamper to push them down as it blends.
Enjoy: Portion into a glass and top with anything you wish. Granola is one of my personal favorites.
I'm partial to my Vitamix, I've had this blender for 10 years and it's still kicking. It gets almost daily use with my breakfast smoothies and there's pretty much nothing it can't blend. Seriously, it once pulverized a rogue stone in my coffee beans.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Make a Smoothie
A healthy smoothie should have a good balance of fats, protein and carbohydrates. You need to ensure that you have a liquid base along with any other fruits, vegetables and add-ins you want to use.
Ice cubes are not necessary in smoothies but they can help make them thicker and more refreshing. If you’re not using frozen fruit, add some ice cubes so that the smoothie is chilled. With frozen fruit, ice cubes don’t need to be added.
Any fruit can be used to make a healthy smoothie. Bananas will help sweeten the smoothie and create a thicker texture but fruits like mango, berries, apples, peaches and pears can all be used as well.
While water can be used in a pinch, I don’t recommend it as the only liquid in your smoothie. The result won’t be as flavorful.
25 Simple and Nutritious Smoothie Recipes
Easy Blackberry Smoothie
3-Ingredient Mango Pineapple Smoothie
5-Ingredient Pumpkin Banana Smoothie
Prune Smoothie
Butternut Squash Smoothie
Easy Tropical Spirulina Smoothie
Gut Healing Smoothie
Key Lime Smoothie
Beet Smoothie
Layered Strawberry Ginger Peach Smoothie
Hydrating Berry Green Smoothie
Tart Cherry Coconut Recovery Smoothie Bowl
Guava Pineapple Smoothie
Wild Blueberry Beet Smoothie
Roasted Apricot Green Smoothie
Pear Smoothie
Avocado Pineapple Smoothie Bowl
French Toast Smoothie
Detox Green Smoothie
Pineapple Kiwi Mint Smoothie
Orange Date Smoothie
Coconut Lime Smoothie
Almond Butter and Jelly Smoothie
Cold Buster Smoothie
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Trying dates as a sweetener in my smoothie was a new experience for me, and I loved it! It added a rich caramel-like flavor that was so satisfying. I also went with Greek yogurt as my liquid base, and it made the smoothie wonderfully thick and creamy.
Just tried this smoothie with a kefir base with bananas and it was so creamy and flavorful. I also add a scoop of nut butter for that extra protein. It’s so quick to make and very healthy!
Thanks for the idea on using dates! I don’t know why I’ve never done that. So much good info here. I made your spirulina smoothie and loved it. Especially the color! I’m going to try the gut-healing smoothie next. I’m supposed to be on AIP, but it’s so hard. 😖 That smoothie looks great, though! I’ll just omit the few non-AIP ingredients.
Made a smoothie with my homemade almond milk and spinach. It was so creamy and delicious. I tossed in some berries for a little sweetness. So yum! Trying the layered strawberry ginger peach smoothie next.