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Enjoy a thick and creamy Chocolate Banana Smoothie for breakfast, snack, or even dessert! This dairy-free smoothie recipe gets an extra dose of protein and richness from pistachios, plus the luscious chocolaty flavor you crave.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Blender
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
I’m all about smoothies, especially chocolaty ones! So this one certainly fits the bill. You are probably used to seeing Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothies, so the addition of pistachio instead of peanut is an unexpected twist that adds a rich and interesting flavor. Here’s why you’ll enjoy this tasty treat:
- Perfect any time of the day. We all know smoothies are great for breakfast or snack when you need some fuel. But the flavor and thick texture make this smoothie almost like a milkshake, so you’ll want to enjoy it for dessert too!
- Super creamy. The creaminess comes from the banana, because blending a frozen banana into a smoothie is almost like the ice cream in a milkshake in how it adds a thickness along with the creamy goodness.
- Naturally sweet and dairy-free. By using a nice, ripe banana, you don’t have to add any additional sweetener. And as long as you use a plant-based milk, this is a vegan smoothie.
- Crave-worthy flavor. I dialed back the cocoa powder from how chocolaty I typically like my smoothies so that the pistachio flavor comes through. The pistachios also add a bit of richness, along with some additional protein and fiber to make this smoothie more satisfying.
Chocolate Banana Smoothie Ingredients and Substitutions
Here is a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this chocolate smoothie recipe. Be sure to scroll down the recipe card for the full quantities.
- Almondmilk. I prefer to use unsweetened vanilla almondmilk, but you can use your non-dairy milk of choice. You can even use dairy milk if you prefer and don’t need a vegan smoothie.
- Spinach or kale. This is optional, but a great way to add the benefits of dark leafy greens.
- Banana. Frozen and cut into chunks. See How to Freeze Bananas for tips.
- Cocoa powder. Unsweetened, or raw cacao powder.
- Pistachios. You can use raw, but I like roasted and salted for a nuttier flavor with a hint of salt to enhance the sweet, chocolaty flavor. If you aren’t a fan of pistachio, you can still get the richness by adding your favorite, such as peanuts, cashews, or hazelnuts.
- Ice cubes. You can adjust the amount based on your desired consistency
- Optional garnishes. You can sprinkle additional chopped pistachios or dairy-free mini chocolate chips on top, if you like.
How to Make a Chocolate Smoothie
Smoothie prep is as straightforward as it gets. Add the ingredients to your blender, preferably in the order listed for optimal blending. Then turn on your blender and blend till smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass, garnish as desired, and enjoy!
Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk or your milk of choice
- 1 cup spinach or kale optional
- 1 large banana, frozen and cut into chunks
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons pistachios
- 1/2 cup ice cubes, or more or less based on desired consistency
- additional chopped pistachios or dairy free chocolate chips, optional garnish
Instructions
- Add ingredients to the blender in the order listed (except the optional chopped pistachios and dairy free chocolate chips) and blend to desired consistency.
- Pour into a glass and serve, topping with chopped pistachios and dairy free chocolate chips if desired.
YUM! I just made this for breakfast & added unflavored protein powder. Thank you Brianne! Xoxo.
Great idea to bump up the protein!
Ive tried 3 of your smoothie recipes and they are all amazing. thank you
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the smoothie recipes, Megan. Thank you for your comment and for rating the recipe, too!