All you need is a few ingredients and 10 minutes to make this easy, creamy strawberry blackberry banana smoothie! Use fresh or frozen berries and the milk of your choice.
This delicious, refreshing drink is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free (if you choose plant-based milk!) and can be served at breakfast or as a snack.
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When I finished testing my vegan gluten-free blackberry muffins, I had a lot of leftover blackberries. I didn't want them to go to waste, so I made more muffins, I ate some as-is, and I made this delicious, refreshing, EASY strawberry blackberry banana smoothie recipe (several times!) to make good use of those berries.
It's filled with natural sweetness, so it doesn't need any added sweeteners, but you can make it sweeter if you'd like, more info on that can be found below. There's also no yogurt in this smoothie, there are other ingredients we're using to thicken it up.
This recipe makes one large single serving or you can share by dividing it into two servings.
If you're looking for more simple vegan smoothies, check these out:
Ingredients You'll Need
All you need is six simple ingredients and you can use fresh or frozen fruits depending on the time of year or what you have available.
I've listed some info about the ingredients below so you know what can and can't be substituted.
Ingredient and Substitution Notes
Strawberries - If they're available, in-season, fresh strawberries are best since they will give your smoothie the best flavour, but if you don't have access to fresh, in-season berries, frozen strawberries can be used instead.
Blackberries - Just like the strawberries, fresh, in-season berries are best for this recipe since they will have the best taste and be the sweetest, but frozen blackberries can be used if fresh aren’t available.
Banana - This smoothie is made without yogurt so there are two ingredients we're going to rely on to make this a thick smoothie with a creamy texture, the banana is the first one. You should be using a ripe fresh banana so it can contribute as much sweetness as possible. A frozen banana can be used instead of fresh if needed.
Note: This smoothie has no added sugar, the sweetness comes naturally from the bananas and berries. If you want a little more sweetness, you can add a pitted date or a little maple syrup to the blender.
Avocado - This is the second ingredient that contributes to this smoothie's creaminess.
Hemp Hearts - This is a great addition to any smoothie. You're just going to be using a small amount, so the taste will be undetectable. If you don't have hemp hearts, you can substitute them with chia seeds.
Dairy-Free Milk - Use milk that has no added flavour or sweetener so you have full control over those things. I make this vegan smoothie with plant milk, usually almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk, but it will work with any type, so use what you have on hand.
If you use milk that has a naturally strong flavour (like coconut milk), that flavour will come through in the finished smoothie. If you don't have any milk on hand, you can use water instead.
Variations: If you like adding greens to your smoothies, you can make it with spinach, too, if you'd like. Simply add a handful of baby spinach to the ingredients.
How to Make It
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)
I recommend using a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix, Blendtec, or a NutriBullet) to make this smoothie. Blackberries have a lot of tough seeds, so using a high-speed blender is the perfect way to break them down and it will make the consistency of the smoothie perfect.
If you don't have a high-speed blender, a regular blender will work but it will not be able to break down the seeds as well.
1. Start by measuring, rinsing, and chopping the ingredients.
2. Add all of the ingredients to your high-speed blender.
3. Blend for roughly 1 minute or until everything has blended and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Pour your strawberry banana blackberry smoothie into one glass or cup for a large serving or divide it into two glasses, garnish as desired, and enjoy!
Making Ahead
It's best to make and enjoy your fruit smoothie right away for the best flavour (and colour since there are bananas and avocado in there!).
If you want to make it ahead for meal prep, I recommend rinsing and chopping the fruits, measuring them, adding them to an airtight container or freezer bag, and freezing them until you're ready to make it.
When ready, add all the ingredients to your blender, add the milk and hemp hearts, blend, and enjoy.
If you are using fresh fruit, you can add crushed ice or ice cubes to the blender. If you make your smoothie without ice, and without frozen fruit, it won't be as thick and cold as if you were using frozen fruit, so add the crushed ice if you want a thicker, colder smoothie.
Tips for Success
- Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smooth, quick, and easy.
- Measure your ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a scale (this is one I have (Amazon Link) and my weight measurements when making this recipe.
- Use a good blender, high-speed if you have one, it will make your smoothie making much easier and quicker. If you don't have a high-speed blender, the next best way is to blend the smoothie in the blender you have for a longer amount of time until there are no more chunks or pieces of fruit.
- If you are using frozen fruit, you will end up with a thicker smoothie, so you may need to add a little extra milk if you prefer a thinner smoothie.
- If you want more sweetness, you can add a pitted date or a little maple syrup to the blender.
- Adjust the milk or fruit amounts to make the smoothie have the consistency you prefer.
- Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve included a lot of tips and tricks so you get things right. Also read through the actual recipe before getting started.
- Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best and intended results. (The small, optional adjustments mentioned throughout this post are okay to make!)
Recipe FAQ
This depends on what part of the world you live in. In Canada and the United States, look for them in July and August. In the UK, find them from the end of August into October. In Australia, November to May is the peak season for blackberries. Typically, you can find blackberries year-round in grocery stores, but keep in mind that when they are out of season or being shipped from far distances, the quality and taste won’t be as good as in-season berries.
This depends on what part of the world you live in. In Canada and the United States, look for them from June to August. In the UK, find them from the end of May into August. In Australia, strawberries are grown throughout the year. Typically, you can find strawberries year-round in most grocery stores, but keep in mind that when they are out of season or being shipped from far distances, the quality and taste won’t be as good as in-season berries.
In general, a food processor is not interchangeable with a blender, but if it's all you have, you can still make a smoothie in a food processor. Install the food processor's S-blade, chop the ingredients into small pieces, add the ingredients to the processor (add any leafy greens first so they are closest to the blade), and process (don't overfill, add in batches if necessary). Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides. Keep doing this until the mixture is smooth. Note that your smoothie will likely not be as smooth and creamy as it would be if made in a blender, also note that if you are using fruit that has a lot of seeds like raspberries or blackberries, the food processor will not be able to break down the seeds as well as a high-speed blender would.
If You Make This Recipe...
I hope you enjoyed your strawberry blackberry smoothie! Please leave a star rating and comment below or you can share a picture of your delicious smoothie with me over on Instagram (I’m @delightfuladventures on Instagram!).
And If You Like This Recipe...
You may like these other berry-filled vegan gluten-free breakfast recipes:
Strawberry Blackberry Banana Smoothie
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (148g) strawberries (rinsed and hulled if using fresh, see note below)
- ¾ cup (102g) blackberries (rinsed)
- 1 small (110g) banana (see note below)
- ½ (42g) avocado (see note below)
- 2 tablespoons (18g) hemp hearts
- 1 cup (240ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk
Instructions:
- Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth, roughly 1 minute.
- Pour into one cup for one large serving or two cups for two smaller servings and garnish with fresh berries or a sprinkle of hemp hearts.
- Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the info above and below before making this recipe.
- Recipe makes two 1 ¼ cup (300ml) servings or one large (2 ½ cups (600ml) serving.
- If using the weight measurements, strawberries were weighed after they were hulled, the banana was weighed after it was peeled, and the avocado was weighed after it was halved, peeled, and pitted.
- Frozen fruit can be used instead of fresh. If using frozen, your finished smoothie will be much thicker, feel free to add a little more milk to thin it out to your liking.
- Any type of milk will work in this recipe, just make sure it has no added sweetener or added flavour.
- There is no sweetener in this smoothie, it's naturally sweetened with the fruit, but if you would like more sweetness, you can add a little maple syrup or a pitted date to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- A high-speed blender is recommended for this recipe so it breaks down the blackberry seeds. If you don't have a high-speed blender, a regular blender will also work, just blend for a little longer, some seeds may not fully break down.
- Nutrition info is based on one of two servings and on the recipe made exactly as written. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
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