How to Make a Banana Smoothie

Banana smoothies make excellent breakfasts, mid-day snacks, and hangover cures. Since bananas blend so well with other flavors, it's easy to create a smoothie to satisfy your particular tastes. You can make a healthy smoothie filled with protein and fiber, or a sugary-sweet, dessert-like smoothie instead. Once you know the basics, you can let your imagination run wild and make up your own recipes. Banana smoothies are just one kind of fruit smoothie!

Things You Should Know

Blend a banana, milk, honey, and ice for a honey-banana smoothie, or almond milk, spinach, peanut butter, honey, chia seeds, and ice for a healthy smoothie.
Blend a banana, yogurt, orange juice, blueberries, strawberries, agave nectar, and ice cubes for a very berry banana smoothie.
Make a banana cream pie smoothie with banana, half-and-half, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
A banana breakfast smoothie includes yogurt and oatmeal, with optional ingredients like honey and peanut butter as well.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Download Article

For a thicker smoothie, use a frozen banana. If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor fitted with metal blades instead.
For a sweeter smoothie, use vanilla yogurt. For a less sweet smoothie, use plain yogurt. You can also omit the milk and use more yogurt for an even thicker smoothie.
Advertisement
3
Top it off with some cinnamon, honey, and peanut butter. The cinnamon will add a hint of spice and flavor to the smoothie, while the honey will add a touch of sweetness. The peanut butter will add some extra protein. If you are using peanut butter, be sure to use the smooth kind; it will be much easier to blend than the chunky kind.
- If you like your smoothies extra cold and thick, add some ice cubes.
Occasionally, pause the blender and push the ingredients down the walls of the blender. This will ensure that everything gets evenly mixed and that no lumps remain.
You can enjoy it as it is, or you can garnish it with a sprinkle of oatmeal, a dash of cinnamon, or a drizzle of honey.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Honey-Banana Smoothie

Download Article

For a thicker smoothie, use a frozen banana instead. If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor fitted with metal blades.
2
Add the milk and honey. The more milk you use, the thinner smoothie you will get. For a thicker smoothie, use plain or vanilla yogurt instead.
- For extra protein, add 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of peanut butter.^{[1]XResearch source}
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of ground cinnamon.
- If you can't find any honey, you can use sugar, agave nectar, stevia, or even maple syrup instead.
If you are using frozen bananas, then you can skip the ice cubes—unless you like really thick smoothies.
4
Blend the ingredients until everything is smooth and evenly combined. There should be no lumps or clumps. From time to time, you may have to pause the blender, open it up, and push the ingredients down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Depending on what type of blender you have, you may need to choose a setting, such as: "smoothie," "blend," or "puree."
You can enjoy it as it is, or you can garnish it with a dollop of whipped cream, banana slices, or a drizzle of honey.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Very Berry Banana Smoothie

Download Article

1
Prepare the fruit. Peel and slice the banana. Rinse the strawberries, cut off the stems, and cut them into quarters or halves (to make blending easier). Rinse the blueberries.
- For a thicker smoothie, you can use frozen bananas instead.
If you don't have a blender, use a food processor fitted with metal blades instead.
If you'd like your smoothie to be sweet, add in the honey. If you don't have any agave nectar, you can use another sweetener, such as honey, stevia, or sugar.
If you are using frozen bananas, then you can use less ice or skip it entirely.
From time to time, you may have to pause the blender, open it up, and push the ingredients down the sides with a spatula. Keep pulsing and mixing until there are no lumps or chunks left.
You can serve it as it is, or garnish it with a few banana slices, a sliced strawberry, or a few blueberries.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Healthy Banana Smoothie

Download Article

If you can't find any almond milk, you can make your own by blending 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water and ½ cup (70 grams) of almonds.
2
Add the spinach and puree it with the almond milk. You may have to work in a few batches, since spinach leaves can be tricky to blend. Keep pulsing until the leaves are completely blended with the almond milk. Mixing the spinach in first will give you a smoother drink in the end.
- Don't worry, you won't taste the spinach after it is done. It will turn the smoothie an interesting shade of green and add tons of nutrients, however!
For a thicker smoothie, you can use a frozen banana instead. At this point, you can also add 5 to 6 ice cubes; it will make your smoothie colder and thicker.
For extra fiber, add some chia seeds. Also, try to use smooth peanut butter instead the chunky kind. It will be easier to blend and give you a smoother smoothie in the end.
From time to time, pause your blender, and push the ingredients down the sides using a spatula. This will help the ingredients mix together more evenly.
It is packed with nutrients and protein, and will keep you full for hours. It makes an ideal breakfast!

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

Download Article

1
Pulse the banana and half-and-half in a blender. Peel and slice the banana first, then add it to the blender. Pour the half-and-half over the banana, then blend until evenly combined. This will create a nice, smooth base for your drink.
- For a thicker smoothie, use a frozen banana instead.
- For a lighter smoothie, use whole milk or skim milk instead of half-and-half.
These will give your smoothie a layer complexity and a final boost of flavor. If you aren't a fan of maple syrup, you can use another sweetener instead, such as: agave nectar, honey, jam, molasses, sugar, etc.
3
Consider adding crumbled graham crackers for an extra crunch.^{[2]XResearch source} You can also use 2 crumbled vanilla wafer cookies instead.^{[3]XResearch source} At this point, you can also add other flavors as well. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Add some cocoa or mini chocolate chips for a subtle chocolate flavor.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Make a spicy-sweet smoothie by adding ¼ teaspoon (0.65 grams) of cayenne.
You don't want any lumps, chunks, or swirls. From time to time, you may have to pause the blender, and push the ingredients down the sides using a rubber spatula; this will ensure that everything gets evenly blended.
You can drink it as is, or you can garnish it with extra cinnamon, nutmeg, or banana slices. To make it truly dessert-like, garnish it with a swirl of whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and a dash of colorful sprinkles; finish it off with a maraschino cherry on top.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question
Can I add yogurt and apple to these?
How.com.vn Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
How.com.vn Staff Editor
Staff Answer
If you'd like the flavors of yogurt and apple, then they'd make ideal additions to the banana smoothie. For the yogurt, a teaspoonful would be enough. For the apple, add a few slices when adding the banana.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
Question
Can I add vanilla ice cream?
Community Answer
Absolutely! You can even use chocolate ice cream as well! You may have to add some more of your liquid ingredient if your smoothie is too thick, however--unless you like it thick.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 13 Helpful 42
Question
Do I have to use ice, or is it optional?
Community Answer
The ice is there to help thicken and chill your smoothie. If you don't care about thickness, you can skip the ice; if you want your smoothie to be cold, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. You can also use other things instead of ice, such as frozen bananas or ice cream (ie: chocolate or vanilla).
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 13 Helpful 35

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Ingredients

Honey-Banana Smoothie

1 banana
½ to 1 cup (120 to 240 milliliters) milk
1 tablespoon (15 grams) honey
5 to 8 ice cubes (optional)

Makes 1 to 2 servings

Very Berry Banana Smoothie^{[5]XResearch source}^{[6]XResearch source}

1 banana
1 cup (250 grams) plain yogurt
¼ t0 ½ cup (60 to 120 milliliters) orange juice
½ cup (cc grams) blueberries
4 large strawberries, stems removed
1 teaspoon (5 grams) agave nectar (optional)
5 to 8 ice cubes

Makes 1 to 2 servings

Healthy Banana Smoothie^{[7]XResearch source}

1 banana
1 cup (240 milliliters) almond milk or soy milk
1 to 2 cups (225 to 450 grams) spinach
1 tablespoon (15 grams) peanut butter
1 teaspoon (5 grams) honey
1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) chia seeds (optional)
5 to 6 ice cubes

Makes 1 to 2 servings

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

1 banana
1 cup (240 milliliters) half-and-half
1 teaspoon (5 grams) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) maple syrup
½ (1.5 grams) teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon (0.65 grams) nutmeg
1 tablespoon (15 grams) crumbled graham crackers (optional)

Makes 1 to 2 servings

Banana Breakfast Smoothie^{[8]XResearch source}^{[9]XResearch source}

1 banana
½ cup (120 milliliters) milk
½ cup (125 grams) yogurt
½ cup (40 grams) oatmeal
2 tablespoons (30 grams) peanut butter (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 grams) honey (optional)
¼ to ½ teaspoon (0.65 to 1.5 grams) cinnamon (optional)
Handful of ice cubes (optional)

Makes 1 to 2 servings

More Smoothie Recipes

Green Smoothie with Banana Recipe

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe

Avocado Banana Smoothie Recipe

Video

Read Video Transcript

Reader Videos

Tips

Instead of using milk and ice, try using yogurt. Simply substitute the yogurt for the milk and omit the ice. You can use plain yogurt; for extra sweetness, use vanilla yogurt instead.
Thanks
Helpful1 Not Helpful0
Use frozen fruit for a thicker smoothie. You may not even have to use ice.
Thanks
Helpful1 Not Helpful0
The fresher the fruit, the better the smoothie.
Thanks
Helpful1 Not Helpful0

Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of How.com.vn readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on How.com.vn, please submit it in the field below.

I use frozen banana, papaya, mango, pineapple, mixed berries and sometimes green apple with coconut water. Always delicious.
A couple drops of vanilla extract gives a banana smoothie a lot of depth and subtle flavor.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!