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You only need 3 ingredients to blend up this easy strawberry banana smoothie: strawberries, bananas, and creamy coconut milk! It’s a sweet and satisfying dairy-free recipe that you can enjoy for breakfast, as a snack, or even as dessert.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Blender
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
I go through phases where I make the same smoothie every day for months at a time. Sometimes it’s a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie or a banana chocolate pistachio smoothie (which tastes almost like dessert!). Other times, I can’t get enough blueberry smoothies. And, after strawberry picking recently, I had more berries than we could eat, so I popped some in the freezer to make this strawberry banana smoothie!
Why I Love This Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- A daily dose of fruit. I love smoothies. I pretty much have one a day to compensate for the fact that I’d really prefer a daily dose of ice cream. But blending up frozen fruit is definitely the more sensible option. And it’s so easy!
- Made with coconut milk. This coconut milk smoothie is super satisfying. Plus, it’s both ultra-creamy and vegan.
- Easy to customize. With a few simple additions, you can customize this smoothie recipe exactly how you love it. Add superfoods for their extra benefits or garnishes to make it fun and fancy!
Smoothie Ingredients
There are only three essential ingredients to this strawberry banana smoothie. Of course, feel free to add more to customize it how you like! More on that in a minute. In the meantime, here are some notes on what you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable amounts and recipe details.
- Frozen Strawberries: You can buy a bag of frozen berries at the grocery store or freeze your own (see below). You can also just add fresh strawberries, but frozen ones give you a thicker smoothie.
- Frozen Bananas: Overripe bananas work great in smoothies because they add a lot of natural sweetness, so you won’t need additional sweetener. Frozen bananas also give it an ultra-creamy consistency, just like a classic banana smoothie.
- Coconut Milk: You can use coconut milk from a can or a carton, depending on the thickness you want. Canned coconut milk tends to be thicker and more filling.
Freeze Fresh Fruit for Smoothies
Frozen fruit makes smoothies thicker and creamier. The best way to freeze strawberries is to remove the stems, wash and dry them thoroughly, then put them on a sheet pan in a single layer. Once the berries freeze solid, transfer them to a plastic freezer storage bag. I also always make sure to freeze bananas when they start to turn brown.
How to Make a Strawberry and Banana Smoothie
Ok, let’s make this smoothie! You won’t be surprised to learn that it is incredibly easy to do. Follow the quick steps below and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Blend the smoothie. Add the three main ingredients to your blender, plus any of the optional add-ins you choose. Turn on your blender and blend until smooth.
- Garnish and serve. Pour the smoothie into a cup or glass (I like to coat the rim of the glass with shredded coconut). Then stick in a straw and enjoy!
What Else Can I Add to a Smoothie?
- Sweetener. The fruit will likely be sweet enough, though feel free to add a bit of honey, sugar, stevia, or another sweetener if you’d like to sweeten it up a bit.
- Greens. Any smoothie can be a green smoothie. Many people choose to add kale to their smoothies, but I am a fan of baby spinach. It still has plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, however, it breaks down easily and doesn’t impart as strong of a flavor.
- Superfood seeds. Chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds are all great add-ins and they actually can help make a smoothie extra thick.
- Protein powder. There are many kinds of protein powders on the market. Some are whey-based, whereas others use plant-based protein. Stick to a vegan protein powder if you want to keep your smoothie dairy-free. I like collagen powder as find it does not give it a grainy or powdery texture like some other protein powders tend to do.
- Toppings and garnishes. Smear a little honey or agave around the rim of your glass or jar and dip it in shredded coconut, or sprinkle coconut on top for garnish. Place a sliced strawberry (or a cheesecake stuffed strawberry) on the rim or float banana slices on top. You can also thread the fruit onto a wooden skewer and place that in the glass, cocktail-style! Add a little whipped cream or whipped coconut cream for an extra treat.
Recipe Tips
- Canned vs. carton coconut milk. For a thinner smoothie, use coconut milk that comes in cartons. Canned regular or light coconut milk gives this smoothie a richer texture and stronger coconut flavor, and makes it more filling. Make sure you’re not buying cream of coconut, though, which is very sweet.
- Use another type of milk. While I love the richness of coconut milk, you can certainly make this with your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk. Good options are almond milk and oat milk. Use whole milk if you’re not making this recipe dairy-free.
- Adjust the consistency. Using only frozen fruit makes this strawberry banana smoothie extra thick, almost like ice cream. You can use only frozen bananas, or add in a little more liquid to thin it out closer to a milkshake.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Smoothies have the best texture when they’re freshly blended. You can store any leftovers airtight in the fridge, however the texture may become watery the longer the smoothie sits. Consider blending it again or giving it a good stir before serving.
- Freeze. You can freeze this smoothie for up to 2 months. Defrost it in the fridge to your desired thickness and enjoy!
Make It a Meal
This strawberry banana smoothie is all I need when I’m after a light breakfast or lunch. And it certainly makes a satisfying snack on its own. That being said, it’s also a great add-on to a heartier breakfast or brunch! Serve it with blender pancakes or fluffy gluten-free banana zucchini muffins. For something savory, try my broccoli, ham, and cheese egg muffins. I also love turning this recipe into a smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit and homemade chocolate granola.
Whenever I take this smoothie on the go, I’ll take along a tub of Graham crackers and peanut butter hummus for dipping or a homemade apricot chia energy bar.
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 frozen very ripe banana cut into chunks
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a can or carton, regular or light)
Instructions
- Add 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 frozen very ripe banana (cut into chunks), and 1 cup coconut milk to a blender, plus any additional optional ingreidents (see Note). Blend until smooth and pour into a glass, then garnish as desired and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Optional add-ins: Leafy greens (kale or spinach), superfood seeds (chia, flax, or hemp), protein powder (collagen or vegan), and garnishes (more fruit, shredded coconut, whipped cream).
Did you make this?
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This looks so yummy! I use coconut milk in the carton. How many ounces are in a can?
You’ll need about 1-1/2 cups. I give a range because coconut milk in a can is about 1 1/2 cups, but it is a thicker consistency, so you might want to use a little less of the kind from a carton so as not to dilute the flavors.
I do a similar recipe for kids but I mix in flaxseed. Flaxseed has so many benefits.
You are absolutely right. Flaxseed is a great healthy ingredient to add to recipes like this one!
I love the use of the coconut milk! Sounds so delicious!
Thanks! It really made it creamy and satisfying.
Look how cute he is with his big bowl of strawberries!!! Your smoothie sounds yummy.
Thank you! I love that picture, and had to share it!
I love how it’s only got three ingredients. Sometimes simplest is best!
Exactly, especially when you have really good, fresh strawberries – don’t want to cover them up with a bunch of other stuff.
Beautiful looking smoothie and I love the addition of coconut milk, sounds delicious.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my CCC entry: Mango Melon Banana & Chia Smoothie.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
Thank you! It was really yummy!
Love the addition of coconut. yum!
Thanks – it made it really creamy and filling.
I love the picture!. Too bad strawberries are not in season here in Calgary yet.
Thanks! Ugh, and I was getting disappointed by all the California folks talking about their produce while we weren’t getting anything in New Jersey.
This smoothie looks delicious! With strawberries in season this is a smoothie that will be sure to please everyone! Thanks for such a simple yet lovely recipe!
Thank you! The little guy and I are loving strawberry smoothies of all kinds right now.
What a fantastic mix of flavors! I’m so ready to try coconut in smoothies now 🙂
I’m CCC #5
Thanks! It is such a good addition. I wasn’t a coconut fan until recently.
I love that this uses coconut milk! And I love those picking strawberry pics! Gorgeous!
Thank you! We had a lot of fun!