This easy, healthy Strawberry Banana Smoothie is a thick, creamy treat that’s so easy to make!
You need just 4 ingredients and a blender. The fruits are already sweet so you don’t even need to add any sweetener.
And you can use dairy or easily make it dairy-free/vegan/paleo.
Plus this gluten-free smoothie is a great healthy treat for kids and they can even help make it!
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Strawberry Banana Smoothie
As I explain in this list of Unhealthy “Healthy” Foods, smoothies can be a great alternative to drinking fruit juice. Juice filters out the fiber of the fruit which helps you digest the fruit’s sugars. Without the fiber, you’re basically just drinking sugar water.
By including whole fruits in smoothies, you’re getting the fiber as well as the sugar. Plus you can add healthy fats like almond milk or yogurt which helps absorb the fruit’s nutrients.
This easy smoothie recipe is so simple. All you have to do is blend your ingredients and that’s it!
What you need to make this Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients:
- Fresh or frozen strawberries (no need to thaw if frozen)
- Frozen bananas
- Whatever milk is your favorite. I go with unsweetened plain almond milk but you can use regular, skim, 2%, whole, cashew, hemp, soy, etc.
- Whatever plain yogurt you like. Yogurt adds extra thickness and creaminess, plus a little tang to balance the sweetness. I use a dairy-free coconut milk yogurt.
If you want to know how to thicken smoothies, use frozen bananas instead of ice. Ice will literally water down your smoothie. Frozen bananas add a perfectly thick, creamy texture as well as natural sweetness.
To freeze bananas, peel and chop into chunks. Place in an air-tight plastic baggie (I don’t bother using a freezer-safe baggie, I just use a regular one and if it happens to get a little freezer burn, that’s fine). Freeze for up to 6 months. Squish the bag a bit to break up the chunks before adding to the blender.
Equipment:
- Blender – I like to use a sturdy blender with a reliable ice-crushing feature, as that will help really blend in the frozen fruits. (I love this Breville blender – not nearly as expensive as a Vitamix but still does a great job.)
- A measuring glass
- A measuring cup
- A small paring knife
- A cutting board
- A colander for rinsing the strawberries (I love this one, recommended by America’s Test Kitchen)
- A towel for drying the strawberries
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This smoothie recipe with yogurt, milk, frozen bananas and strawberries can be made so many ways to fit your needs:
Nut butters – Try adding a big scoop of peanut butter, almond butter or, for a nut-free treat, sunbutter.
Orange juice – Replace half the milk with orange juice for its bright flavor and extra vitamin C.
Change up the yogurt – Try vanilla yogurt for extra flavor. If you really want to pump up the strawberry flavor, use strawberry yogurt. Keep in mind any flavored yogurt will add extra sugar.
Omit the yogurt – If you’d rather have a smoothie without yogurt, just leave it out. Reduce the milk to 1/2 cup at first to see if the smoothie is thick enough. Add more milk if necessary.
Seeds – Add in 1-2 tablespoons of hemp, chia or flax seeds for extra fiber and healthy fats.
Protein powder or collagen peptides – Add 1-2 scoops of either for extra protein or collagen in your diet. (Learn more about collagen here.)
Honey or agave – With bananas and strawberries, I don’t think this smoothie recipe needs any additional sweetener. But you can always add honey (or agave for vegan) if your strawberries aren’t very ripe.
This healthy smoothie recipe will actually stay thick and creamy in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can freeze the smoothie in an airtight baggie or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Re-blend to loosen, if necessary.
Other smoothie recipes
You’ll also love:
Chocolate Tahini Smoothie – A chocolate smoothie made with tahini, but you can also use peanut butter or almond butter.
Morning Glory Smoothie – With apples, carrots, coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon, this tastes just like a morning glory muffin!
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie – This Paleo/dairy-free treat tastes just like pumpkin pie but is so much easier to make.
Sweet Potato Smoothie Bowls – A healthy, energizing way to start the day!
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk or dairy-free unsweetened plain milk of your choice, plus more if necessary
- ½ cup (4-5 oz.) plain yogurt or dairy-free plain yogurt
- 2 peeled and chopped frozen bananas (see notes)
- 1 cup (6 oz.) hulled and chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. If your blender has an ice function, start with that first to break down the frozen bananas, then switch to a normal blending function. If you'd like it a little thinner, add more milk.
Jennifer says
So yummy, everyone in the family will love this one! My husband is a smoothie freak and obsessed with making sure we have enough frozen banana chunks, it’s so funny. He just loaded the stash up last night . . plus I have fresh strawberries (that are A+ too) can’t wait to make your smoothie
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Your husband is a smart man! I do the same thing, too. I always make sure we have a stash of frozen bananas ready to go.
Stacey Crawford says
It is officially smoothie weather! I love the frozen banana and yogurt addition as it makes it so creamy and frosty!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Exactly!
linda spiker says
Delicious and gorgeous color!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Yes, love the color! 🙂
ChihYu says
The taste of summer in a glass! Cool, sweet, icy and so delicious!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Yes, well said! 🙂
Raia says
Love how simple this smoothie is! Perfect for breakfast, lunch, snacks, light dinner…. pretty much any time. 😉
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Totally! You’re exactly right.
Joni Gomes says
Can’t go wrong with a classic strawberry and banana smoothie for summer! I was always wondering about measurements, thanks for the recipe!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Hope this helps. 🙂
yang says
Strawberry banana smoothie is so YUM! I make it often, great choice for breakfast.
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Yep. I add in some protein powder and my breakfast is ready to go.
Jean Choi says
You can’t ever go wrong with this combo. So delicious!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
It’s a classic for a reason!