Easy Banana Smoothies

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Sweet and creamy Banana Smoothies are a great breakfast or snack, and their rich consistency even makes them perfect to enjoy as dessert. The best part is that when you combine them with different fruit and other ingredients, the flavor possibilities are endless. So here are over 15 banana smoothie recipes, plus helpful tips to make them extra delicious!

A two-by-three collage of different banana smoothies with a white box in the middle with text overlay that says "The Best Banana Smoothie Recipes".

Why You’ll Love Banana Smoothies

Smoothies made with bananas might just be my favorite. Oh who am I kidding? Banana smoothies are absolutely my favorite. Just like all smoothies, they are cool and satisfying, but packed with wholesome ingredients. And you can enjoy them any time of the day, from a quick breakfast to a sweet dessert, or a snack any time in between. Here’s why they are the best…

  • Just as good as ice cream. Adding frozen bananas to your blender makes smoothies that have a rich and creamy consistency. It’s almost like drinking a milkshake, but better for you!
  • Sweet on their own. By letting them get overripe before using them in a smoothie, they add a natural sweetness so that you may not even need to add any extra sugar or other sweeteners.
  • Endless flavor possibilities. Make it taste like dessert with chocolate, peanut butter, or other nuts. Go fruity with strawberries and blueberries. Take trip to the tropics by pairing it with mango or pineapple. Or let the flavor of the banana fade into the background and just use it as a creamy base for flavors like chai, mint, or pumpkin spice.

What You’ll Need

The main ingredient in a banana smoothie is, of course, bananas. While there are some smoothies recipes that call for just overripe bananas off of your counter, freezing them is what makes the smoothie thick and smooth. You can either freeze your bananas whole and cut them into chunks once frozen, or freeze the chunks. I’ve got all the details in my article about How to Freeze Bananas.

Besides the bananas, common smoothie ingredients include:

  • Greens – unless you are specifically making a green smoothie, these are usually optional. You can use spinach, kale, or other dark leafy greens. Baby spinach tends to blend the best and have the most neutral flavor.
  • Liquid – I prefer unsweetened almondmilk, but use your favorite non-dairy or dairy milk. Occasionally a recipe will call for water or fruit juice as the liquid.
  • Powders and other dry ingredients – this is a great time to sneak in some extra nutrition or superfoods, and asjust the flavor.
    • Even if the recipe doesn’t call for it, you can always add protein powder, flax or chia or hemp seeds, powdered sweeteners, collagen powder, and more.
    • It never hurts to add a tiny pinch of salt to enhance the natural sweetness of the fruit or the nutty flavor of any nut butters you add.
    • You can add a bit of honey, maple syrup, Stevia, Swerve, or your favorite sweetener if needed. This depends on how sweet your fruit is.
  • Soft ingredients – yogurt, cottage cheese, nut butters, and cream cheese are all ways to add richness and a creamy texture to your banana smoothie, plus some added protein.
  • Fresh fruit – some fruit flavors you may want to add to your smoothie don’t freeze well, so you can always add them fresh.
  • Frozen fruit – besides your frozen bananas, you may want to add other fruit flavors. Using frozen fruit ensures you get a nice, thick smoothie.
  • Ice – you’ll always want to adjust the amount based on how thick or frosty you like your smoothie. The more frozen fruit you add, the less ice you’ll need.
Five bananas without the peels lined up on a baking sheet next to a plastic container and a plastic baggie filled with sliced banana

How to Make Banana Smoothies

You will typically want to add the ingredients to your blender in the order listed above. However, if you are using one of those blender cups that you flip upside down before blending, generally you’ll want to reverse this order.

  • Start with leafy greens and liquid. It is best to add them first to ensure they are able to be broken down completely because they get submerged in the liquid.
  • Add-ins and soft ingredients go next. This is because they break down and distribute in the liquid.
  • Frozen fruit and ice are last. You do this to ensure they blend just enough to keep a thick texture and don’t melt completely.
  • Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass, add a straw or some garnishes. Then enjoy!

The Best Banana Smoothie Recipes

A banana is seen alongside a glass of banana smoothie.

Banana Smoothie

Bananas may be a blank slate for adding lots of other flavors and ingredients, but let's kick this off with the basics. This pure banana smoothie is the starting point for all of the other combos you can make.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Funky Monkey Smoothie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

You'll love this classic flavor combination, one I affectionately refer to as "Funky Monkey". It's chocolate and peanut butter along with those bananas, so naturally, it tastes totally decadent.
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Overhead of a Coconut Strawberry Banana Smoothie garnished with coconut and fresh strawberries and bananas.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

The coconut milk in this strawberry banana smoothie does triple duty. It makes it extra creamy. It's actually dairy free. And it gives this classic fruity pairing a little tropical twist. You only need three ingredients to make it so pretty in pink, but you can always sneak some superfoods like greens and seeds.
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Closeup of top of a Chai Tea Latte Banana Smoothie

Chai Smoothie

You only need four ingredients, and no super sweet concentrates or powdered mixes. Naturally sweet and creamy with the perfect hint of vanilla and warm spices you love in a Chai tea latte. But now you can enjoy it as a frosty breakfast, snack, or even dessert.
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A chocolaty smoothie in a glass with a handle and a graphic of a caffeine molecule on it on top of brightly-colored cloth napkins.

Blended Cold Brew Coffee Smoothie

Coffee and chocolate come together with a frozen banana and almond butter making it rich and creamy, but still good for you. Move over Starbucks, there’s a leaner, meaner option to satisfy your Frappuccino cravings.
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Looking down at the top of a green mint smoothie in a glass with two straws, one pink and white striped and one green and white striped.

Shamrock Shake Mint Smoothie

Satisfy your minty milkshake craving, but without the extra sugar, crazy ingredients, or artificial colors. Yes, this naturally green mint smoothie has the refreshing flavor and creamy texture you love, but with these ingredients, you can feel good about enjoying a Shamrock Shake for breakfast, as a protein-packed snack, or even a light dessert.
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Looking down at a chocolaty smoothie topped with mini chocolate chips and chopped pistachios.

Chocolate Banana Pistachio Smoothie

Thick, chocolaty, and oh so naturally sweet and delicious. The pistachios add richness along with extra protein, fiber, and good fats to make it more satisfying. And of course, the banana gives it that milkshake texture.
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Overhead of a Creamsicle Orange Smoothie

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

A bright and refreshing way to start your day with a nostalgic flavor that kids love and will bring you back to your own childhood. Only five ingredients, this creamy, easy sweet treat is packed with Vitamin C and protein.
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Chocolate Mint Smoothie in a glass bottle

Chocolate Mint Smoothie

Nobody can resist rich chocolaty flavor with a fresh burst of mint. With the flavors of a sweet treat, you'll think you are enjoying a milkshake for dessert, but it's truly a wholesome breakfast or snack.
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A peanut butter smoothie in a jar topped with banana slices and chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

This smoothie can be made ultra decadent with peanut butter or lighter with powdered peanut butter. But either way, it's a protein-packed snack that has the consistency of a thick milkshake. Add some texture, and, yes, chocolate with a few mini chips or pack in the chocolaty flavor with superfoods by adding cacao nibs.
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Overhead of a Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie surrounded by strawberries and striped straws

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

While this smoothie might be all about the strawberry flavor with the tangy goodness of cream cheese, it's the banana that makes it feel extra luscious. You don't get that smooth consistency reminiscent of cheesecake with just strawberries.
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Two pumpkin chocolate smoothies on a counter in front of a white tile wall with white ceramic pitchers of various sizes against the wall

Chocolate Pumpkin Smoothie

Here is another case where the banana doesn't add so much to the flavor as it does to the texture, as well as providing some natural sweetness. If you are a pumpkin-lover, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the pairing of the warm pumpkin spices with just the right amount of chocolate.
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Matcha Swirl Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Start with a strawberry smoothie and add a banana matcha swirl. This makes for an extra special smoothie that's as sweet and yummy as it is beautiful. It's like a version of a limited-edition Starbucks treat, the Cherry Blossom Frappuccino that was available only in the Washington, DC area.
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Two Honey and Vanilla Swirled Blueberry Smoothies side by side with red and white striped straws.

Swirled Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Another swirly smoothie, this one combines a basic blueberry smoothie with a honey vanilla smoothie made with bananas. Sure, you could just blend everything all together, but this makes it a little more fun. And then you have two smoothies to share with someone special or split between the kiddos.
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More Recipes for Banana Smoothies

Banana Smoothie Bowls

If you prefer to eat your smoothie with a spoon, maybe you prefer a smoothie bowl. They are blended up extra thick, poured into a bowl, then dressed up with your favorite toppings.

pink and white polka dot bowl filled with a thick pale yellow smoothie and fruit and granola on top

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

A paradise-inspired breakfast, snack, or dessert that will transport you to the islands with plenty of fruit and your favorite toppings. The banana makes it extra creamy.
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Chocolate Banana Smoothie Bowl

Banana Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

If you want to indulge in chocolate for breakfast or are looking for a good-for-you dessert, then dig in. You can add toppings for more superfoods or make it more indulgent.
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If you want some more fruit smoothies, check out these:

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