Easy Fruit Smoothie

Learn how to make this easy fruit smoothie and you'll always have a quick, wholesome breakfast option at your fingertips - in just minutes! As long as you know the right formula of fruits to liquids and mix-ins, you can create delicious, fresh smoothies right in your blender with just about anything you have on hand.

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How to Make a Fruit Smoothie

It's no secret that smoothies are one of my favorite foods! They're a wonderful easy breakfast, a mid-day snack, or even a healthy sweet treat. With so many options and possibilities, smoothies never get old!

The natural sweetness of fruit makes it to where I often don't even need to use sweeteners. So fruit smoothies are always kid-friendly and an easy way to get extra vitamins, minerals, and nutrients into your diet.

My go-to most mornings is a strawberry banana smoothie, but it all comes down to what's in my fridge, freezer and pantry. I've learned that when I have berries about to go bad, mixed berry smoothies are the answer. And it's always really fun to lean into unique smoothie flavors or working with in-season produce, like this green apple smoothie in the fall!

Smoothie recipes are great (and I have loads of them) but I completely sympathize with the frustration of going to make a smoothie and realizing you don't have some ingredients needed.

When you know the right formula of a simple fruit smoothie, you can pivot and use a variety of different ingredients! Let me show you exactly what I've learned over the years, and how I make delicious smoothies with whatever I have on hand.

Fruit Smoothie Formula

While you may have a few go-to smoothies that you make, you can create ANY combo when you use a few key ingredients. Think of a fruit smoothie like a simple equation:

Liquid (1½ cups) + Fruit (1 cup) + Thickener (½ cup, optional) + Sweetener (to taste) + Add-ins (optional)

liquids: If you try to blend fruit on its own, you'll end up with a really pulpy mess. Some kind of liquid is all you need to help thin out the thicker consistency of your smoothie. Use anything from orange juice to unsweetened almond milk. You can even use water! Add a splash more.

fruit: Fresh fruit and frozen fruit both work to make smoothies. Berries and bananas are most popular type of fruit used in smoothie recipes, but you can use any kind of fruit that you want.

thickener: But fruit and liquid alone aren't enough to get that thick, succulent texture most people expect from a smoothie. Frozen fruit is the easiest way to add body and chill at the same time. If you're working with fresh fruit, a handful of ice can help thicken things up. Greek yogurt is another option if you're using dairy, and bananas - fresh or frozen - are especially good at creating a smooth, blended consistency.

sweetener: I often find that fruit, especially ripe fruit, has so much natural sweetness, that it may not require any extra sweetener. Honey, maple syrup and agave nectar are my go-tos, but you could use sugar or an alternative sweetener like stevia.

add-ins: Once you've built the base of your smoothie, any extras are completely optional. Mix-ins are an easy way to adjust flavor, texture or how filling the smoothie feels. Popular add-ins include protein powders, nut butters, and seeds like chia or flax. You can also blend in greens, such as spinach or kale, without overpowering the fruit.

Common Smoothie Ingredients

There are hundreds of recipes out there for almost any smoothie combination. But the beauty of this smoothie formula is that you don't need a recipe. Below are some of the common ingredients I like adding to smoothies.

Fruit

Choose fruits that are in season together, or that are in the same family. For example, different berries grow around the same time, and tropical fruits grow in a similar climate. Here are some popular choices:

• Berries: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
• Tropical fruits: bananas, mango, pineapple, kiwi
• Stone fruits: peaches, apricots, cherries, avocado
• Orchard fruits: apples, pears, apple sauce
• Citrus: oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruit, limes
• Other seasonal fruits: cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes

Liquids

If you want your smoothie to have a creamy consistency, your best bet is to blend fruit with some kind of milk or yogurt, but fruit juice can create an even fruitier texture. Here are a few tasty options to use in a fruit smoothie:

• Dairy milk: skim milk, 1%, 2%, whole milk, kefir, yogurt
• Plant-based milk: almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk
• Juices: Orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice
• Water: water, coconut water
• Coffee: cold brew, cooled espresso

Mix-ins

If you want your smoothie to be on a simpler side, then you can skip over this section! But if you're looking for ways to mix things up or add different flavors and textures to your smoothie, here are some tasty additions:

• Powders: protein powder, collagen peptides
• Seeds: hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds
• Nut butters: peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter
• Yogurt: dairy-free yogurt, Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt
• Greens: spinach, kale
• Spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
• A pinch of salt can also balance the flavors

Fruit Smoothie Combinations

So, now the question is - what fruit smoothie combinations actually work? Well, we're glad you asked! Here's a few tasty combos to try:

Fruit and Fruit Juice

Keep in mind, using just fruit and fruit juice can leave a smoothie lacking that super creamy consistency. And if you want this smoothie to be thick, then you'll need to add frozen fruit, ice, or a banana. But there's lots of fun combos to make.

My kale frozen fruit smoothie has greens in it, but I use applesauce and water in it. So easy, so tasty and packed full of fruit. Or you can try my pineapple smoothie that uses pineapple juice!

Fruit and Milk

With this combination, you can use any type of milk you want. A dairy-free milk substitute works wonderfully in smoothies. You can also use whole milk or skim milk. I use unsweetened almond milk and frozen peaches in my peach smoothie and it always has the most incredible flavor and creamy texture.

Other Combinations

You can actually use water in a smoothie and still make it super creamy. My blueberry Greek yogurt smoothie is thickened with yogurt, but thinned out to a drinkable consistency with some water. It's a fun combination that always turns out SO tasty!

How to Make a Fruit Smoothie

Follow these simple steps to make a yummy fruit smoothie with any and every kind of fruit that you can imagine:

1. liquids first: If you are using any liquids, measure them out and pour them into the blender first, before any other smoothie ingredients.
2. fresh fruits or vegetables: If you're using fresh fruit or veggies, add it directly on top of whatever liquid you've chosen.
3. greens: Using some fresh spinach or fresh kale? This would be the step to add it!
4. frozen fruits and ice: Only add ice cubes if you're using a majority of fresh fruit, otherwise the frozen fruit should be perfectly fine to thicken the smoothie!
5. any powders on top: Add any powders, nut butters, seeds, or extra add-ins on the top of all other ingredients. If you're using yogurt, add it during this step as well.

Blend well until there are no lumps left and everything is well combined. Test the consistency and if you need to make it thicker or thinner, then check out this post. Then pour into glasses and enjoy!

How to Store Leftover Smoothie

I have a whole post with the best tips and tricks on how to store a smoothie. But here's the gist:

• Freezer: You can pour your smoothie into ice cube trays or popsicle molds and freeze it. Then let it thaw, or add it to a blender with milk and drink up! Alternatively, you can do the same by freezing your smoothie in Ziplock bags and laying them flat in the freezer.
• Fridge: Store leftover smoothie in mason jars, or another airtight container, and give it a good shake when you're ready to drink it.
• Freeze ingredients: If you're a fan of a fresh smoothie, you can still make things easier on yourself by freezing the ingredients for your smoothies. Measure out the ingredients for your smoothie, place them in zip-top bags or ice cube trays, and they're ready to pop in the blender as needed!

FAQ

More Smoothie Resources

• How to Make a Smoothie without Banana or Yogurt
• How to Freeze Peaches
• How to Clean a Blender
• How to Make a Thick Smoothie Bowl