If you’re looking for awesome smoothie recipes with no milk or yogurt, you’re in the right place. Today, I’m going to share five delicious dairy free smoothie recipes with you, then, we’ll look at smoothie basics. I’ll talk blenders, best dairy free (and allergy friendly) ingredients, and so on. So, be sure to use the table of contents to jump around.
Also! There are 12 bonus smoothie ideas for you to enjoy for breakfast, snacks, or even dinner. Use the TOC to jump around.
Allergy Status Note: As you may know, my recipes usually have a big allergy status. Since there are 5 dairy free smoothie recipes below, I’ve included a shortened status with each one. All of the recipes are naturally gluten free, and very allergy friendly. Be sure to review ingredients if you’re more than dairy free only and make the tasty smoothies that meet your dietary needs.
Dairy Free Blueberry Spinach Smoothie Ingredients
Quick Allergy Status: Top 9 Free | Top 14 Free | AIP Paleo | EOE | GAPs | GERD | Low FODMAP | Paleo | SCD | Vegan
- 360mL Milk of Choice (13 ounces)
- 140g Organic Bananas (2 small bananas/5 ounces)
- 40 – 112mL Organic Maple Syrup, you can use less (1.5 – 4 ounces)
- 60g Organic Spinach (2 ounces, about 2 handfuls)
- 225g Frozen Organic Blueberries (8 ounces)
GAPs & SCD: Use a sweetener you enjoy.
Vegan Banana Zucchini Smoothie “Milkshake” Ingredients
Quick Allergy Status: Top 9 Free | Top 14 Free | AIP Paleo | EOE | GAPs | GERD | Low FODMAP | Paleo | SCD | Vegan
- 280mL Milk of Choice (10 ounces)
- 280g Organic Bananas (4 small bananas/10 ounces)
- 85mL Organic Maple Syrup (3 ounces)
- 3/4 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
- Pinch Sea Salt
- 225g Ice Cubes (8 ounces)
- 195g Organic Zucchini Slices, Frozen, you can use less (7 ounces)
GAPs & SCD: Use a sweetener you enjoy.
Dairy Free Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Ingredients
Quick Allergy Status: Low FODMAP | Vegan
- 420mL Milk of Choice (15 ounces)
- 170g Banana (6 ounces/2 medium bananas)
- 140g Organic Peanut Butter (5 ounces)
- 130g Organic Maple Syrup (4.5 ounces)
- 1 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 420g Ice (15 ounces)
Alternative Option: If you have frozen banana, you can bump up your banana content a bit and use all frozen banana, and eliminate the ice.
Dairy Free Lemon Berry Smoothie Ingredients
Quick Allergy Status: Top 9 Free | Top 14 Free | AIP Paleo | EOE | FPIES | GAPs | Low FODMAP | Paleo | SCD | Truly Corn Free | Vegan
- 550 Milk of Choice (19.5 ounces)
- 50 – 135mL Organic Maple Syrup (1.8 – 4.8 ounces)
- Organic Spinach to Taste
- 50mL Organic Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
- 380 Organic Frozen Berries (13.5 ounces)
GAPs & SCD: Use a sweetener you enjoy.
Low FODMAP Reminder: Be sure to only use berries you tolerate. It’s better to purchase individual fruit bags than a bag of “berry blend”.
Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie Ingredients
Quick Allergy Status: Top 9 Free | Top 14 Free | EOE | Paleo | Truly Corn Free | Vegan
- 670mL Milk of Choice (24 ounces/3 cups)
- 80g Organic Maple Sugar (about 1/2 cup)
- 40g Organic Cacao Powder (about 1/3 cup)
- 12 TBSP Nut/Seed/Tuber/Legume Spread of Choice
- 390 – 500g Organic Frozen Zucchini (14 – 18 ounces)
Tip: For ease, use a large cookie dough scoop which holds 3T, so you need 4 scoops of your spread.
Directions For All Five Recipes
How to Make Frozen Zucchini/Courgette
Frozen zucchini/courgette is an AMAZING dairy free smoothie hack if you ask me. I mean, I’m a little biased, but the point still stands. You know how adding ice to your smoothie can make it read as watered down, especially after it’s been sitting for a while? Well, frozen zucchini gets around all of that.
Purchase organic zucchini in bulk, get it washed, then pat dry. Cut a little piece off of the end (round/bottom side), then slice into 1″ (2.5cm) pieces. Think about the size of an ice cube and what your blender can handle. Make sure your slices aren’t larger than that.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and add the zucchini slices in an even layer. It’s OK if the sides are touching. Top with a large piece of parchment paper, then add another layer of zucchini. Do this until you have it all on the tray.
Put the entire tray into your freezer. Once the slices are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer baggie and label with the date. Now you have frozen zucchini “ice cubes” for smoothies.
Alternatively, you can put the slices into a freezer baggie and freeze (skipping the tray). Your slices WILL stick together and you have to give the bag a good smack each time you use it. To reduce the sticking, shake the bag every hour or so as it freezes.
Blending Instructions
For each dairy free smoothie, place your empty blender container on your kitchen scale and tare to zero. Add the non-frozen ingredients to your blender.
Blend on high to combine into a smooth liquid. Return the blender to your scale, tare to zero, and add the frozen ingredients. Blend again and your delicious smoothie is ready to roll.
If you’re pressed for time, you can add all of the fresh ingredients to the blender, the liquid, then the frozen ingredients on top. Blend until smooth. You’ll want to use the tamper that comes with your blender to ensure you get a good blend and smooth consistency.
The key is to have the frozen bits added last, so your blender doesn’t struggle as much.
Smoothie Leftovers
So, you made something tasty, but now you have a little left over in your blender. Make popsicles! Smoothie popsicles are one of the easiest snacks you can make because the work is already done. Just fill your popsicle mold and freeze as normal. I love the silicone molds from this brand.
Alternatively, you can send leftover smoothie in a lunch. This reusable smoothie pouch is a really great option. It’s not one that I’ve used, but I have a friend that swears by it.
You can also make smoothie ice cubes to use for future smoothies. Not that I’ve seen the movie, but maybe this is smoothie inception? Essentially, if you have a fresh fruit smoothie that’s awesome and you want to keep the fruity flavours coming, grab smoothie cubes and use those instead of ice cubes (or frozen zucchini). You can also do this for chocolate (and all the other flavors), but fruit was on my brain.
Dairy Free Smoothie Making Tips & Info
Which Dairy Free Milk to Use in Smoothies
The great news is that these days, there are SO many dairy free milk options. From almond milk to oat milk to rice milk to cashew milk to soy milk, and the list goes on. Heck, you can even get peanut milk now.
Truthfully, you can use any vegan plant-based dairy free milk, except for full fat canned coconut milk. That’s the one milk I don’t suggest because the flavour will be very present, and the fat content may not be your jam in a smoothie (great for a curry though).
You can purchase boxed coconut milk which is a lot more watery if coconut is your only safe option.
Depending on the brand you purchase, hemp milk (and other vegan milks made from pungent ingredients) may not be the best choice. It’s also not the worst if it’s your only safe option, or if it will be masked by chocolate.
Dairy Free + Seed Free + Nut Free + Truly Corn Free + No Shared Equipment
For some people allergic to milk, who also need to avoid other allergens, making dairy-free milk at home is your only safe option. If you’re in the 30% group that can’t have food made on shared equipment with what you’re allergic to, know that a LOT of dairy free milk is made on shared equipment with milk. Call or email companies before making your purchases.
A lot of dairy free milk contains seeds (usually in the 2% or less than ingredients). To avoid this, look for tree nut brands that are super clean, like Malk.
If you’re nut free and in the 30% group, most dairy free milk is made on shared equipment with tree nuts, so contact brands before making your purchases.
For truly corn free, the only brands that *might* be a good lead are Malk and Three Trees. Everyone else, I can almost guarantee those dairy free milks contain corn derivatives.
You can read a lot more about dairy free milk here in this article on the Ultimate Guide to Dairy Free Products.
When To Use Ice and/or Milk In Your Smoothie
The general formula for making a smoothie with a good texture is to blend liquid and solids together. The more solids, the thicker the texture. Here’s the catch: for a thicker texture, the solids need to be frozen.
Think of a banana. It’s a solid. However, when it’s at room temperature, it will become a liquid in your smoothie. When it’s frozen, it will become an ice substitute and a creamy delicious addition to your smoothie.
You should use ice in your smoothie when you want to make the drink colder, add thickness, or improve texture.
You should add milk to your smoothie when you don’t have enough non-frozen goods to make/become enough liquid in your smoothie. You’ll know this is an issue because your blender will really struggle to mix your drink and it’s kind of this weird large clump with potential.
Secret Weapon: Milk ice cubes. Get yourself an awesome ice cube mold that’s silicone (ejection is WAY easier). Make ice cubes from your safe dairy free milk. Transfer to freezer baggies and repeat until you have a decent amount of loot.
Now, when you go to make a smoothie and it calls for ice, so long as you aren’t counting calories, grab the cubes and you’ll have an even better smoothie experience.
Best Fruits for Allergy Friendly Smoothies
Good news! Pretty much all fruits work well in smoothies. The key is to choose fruit pairings that work well together. Now, this will be subjective because maybe you like banana and lychee together (or pineapple and plum), but the next guy may not.
Here are some fruit notes and general pairings that work really well together (these are not exhaustive lists).
Banana: Universal Fruit. This will pair well with pretty much ALL other fruits. It’s also fantastic in dairy-free smoothies when frozen, as it can create a super appealing and creamy texture. For best results, use ripe banana.
Apple: Pairs well with strawberry, peach, banana, nectarine. Think about the sweetness of your apple when choosing one. Natural sweetness can mask greens if you’re looking for a nutrition boost.
Avocado: Yup, it’s a fruit, and it pairs best with chocolate (and dates to sweeten). Avocado in a chocolate smoothie will create a rich, smooth, creamy texture. When done well, you absolutely don’t taste the avocado.
Blackberry: Pairs well with banana, strawberry, mango, blueberry, citrus fruits, peaches, cherries, nectarines. The seeds can be a drawback, so if you’re wanting the smoothest smoothie possible, you’ll need to make a blackberry purée at home first.
Blueberry: Paris well with banana, strawberry, mango, other berries, citrus fruit, cherries, peaches, nectarines. I love purchasing organic frozen wild blueberries for smoothies.
Cherry: For ease, purchase frozen cherries. Pairs well with pineapple, mango, banana, chocolate, blueberries, peaches, nectarines.
Dates: Universal Fruit. Dates are an amazing natural sweetener and come loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You can use whole dates, date syrup, or date paste in dairy-free smoothies as an unrefined sweetener. Dates are also the sweetener of choice for chocolate smoothies and blended drinks with avocado.
Dragon Fruit: Pairs well with banana, strawberry, peach, nectarine, mango. More than anything, pink dragonfruit is really used for colour, as they don’t tend to have a tonne of flavour. Additionally, it’s easy to mute the flavour just by adding other fruits in your smoothie.
Kiwi: Pairs well with peach, nectarine, banana, cherry, raspberry. If tart isn’t your jam, purchase golden kiwi. They’re MUCH less acidic, and have a fantastic sweet flavour.
Lemon: Pairs well with berries, citrus fruits, peach, nectarine, cherry.
Mango: For ease, purchase frozen mango. Pairs well with tropical fruits, citrus fruits, berries, cherry, peaches, nectarines.
Melon: Pairs well with banana, other melon. You’ll have to make frozen melon cubes at home, but frozen cantaloupe in a smoothie is delicious.
Orange: For ease, make orange juice ice cubes. This also eliminates the issue of pith in your drink (you do lose fiber though, but that’s good for some people). Pairs well with berries, citrus fruit, banana, peach, nectarine, cherry.
Pear: Pairs well with strawberry, peach, nectarine, cherry, apple.
Peach & Nectarine: Pairs well with tropical fruits, berries, cherry, banana.
Pineapple: Pairs well with peach, nectarine, berries, banana.
Plum: Not the best option for a smoothie since they’re a small fruit. However, if you’re in, they pair well with peach, cherry, nectarine, banana.
Pumpkin: Pairs well with banana, dates, cashew, cinnamon, warm spices.
Raspberries: If you’re not a fan of tart, seasonally, you can find white raspberries, gold raspberries, and rose raspberries. White and gold are super mellow compared to red and rose. Pairs well with banana, other berries, peach, nectarine.
Strawberry: Pairs well with banana, mango, peach, nectarine, other berries, pineapple.
Watermelon: Pairs well with cashew, banana, other melon. You can use watermelon flesh, or make watermelon juice ice cubes. This brand sells an organic watermelon juice.
Frozen Fruit vs Fresh Fruit
If you’re thinking that fresh fruit is the only valid option because of nutrients, the great news is that frozen fruits have fantastic nutrients as well. The fruit is harvested at peak ripeness, given a wash, then quick frozen with special machines. This locks in freshness, flavour, and nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and so on). Now, I will add, not all brands are created equally and some frozen fruit tastes meh at best. Keep note of the brands that burn you. Costco tends to sell really good frozen organic fruit BTW.
Helpful Resources
If you’re allergic to apples or bananas, these two articles are super duper helpful:
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Vegetables That Work Well In Smoothies
The key to incorporating vegetables in your smoothie, especially where children are concerned, is to use vegetables that are mild in taste. If you want to include greens, spinach is an excellent choice for kids, as compared to kale. That’s not to say that kids won’t enjoy kale, but it’s something to keep in mind if your kiddo is in the picky eating phase.
With some vegetables, they won’t work well raw and should be cooked until soft before they’re incorporated into your dairy-free smoothie. Personally, with something like squash or sweet potato, I roast up a BUNCH and serve some with dinner, then use leftovers from the fridge in a smoothie in the next day or so.
You’ll also want to pair the vegetables well. In some cases, chocolate is the best because it masks the flavour whilst you enjoy the health benefits. Other times, you want the veggie to be almost the star. You could make a delicious fall themed sweet potato smoothie that will have you doing a little happy dance.
Generally speaking, these are the best vegetables to use in your dairy free smoothies:
- Acorn Squash (needs to be oven roasted first)
- Beets (steamed or oven roasted, only use a small amount, works best with chocolate to mask the flavour)
- Butternut Squash (needs to be oven roasted first)
- Carrots (steam, cool, freeze, use like ice cubes for an EPIC smoothie)
- Cauliflower (some people like the taste of frozen cauliflower with chocolate smoothies as an ice alternative, but not everyone is sold)
- Ginger
- Kelp & Sea Vegetables (use a small amount as a nutritional boost)
- Mushroom (powder only, use in small amounts to boost nutrition, works best with chocolate to mask the flavour)
- Spinach
- Sprouts (broccoli sprouts, mung bean sprouts, etc. etc., use a small amount as a nutrition boost)
- Sweet Potatoes (steam or oven roast first)
- Tiger Nuts (not a tree nut but a tuber root vegetable, tiger nut butter is the top use followed by homemade tiger nut milk)
- Turmeric (only use a small amount for a nutrition boost, works well with tropical fruits or chocolate to mask the flavor)
- Zucchini/Courgette (used as an ice replacement when frozen)
Best Nuts & Seeds for Smoothies
This will be subjective, and will also change if we’re looking at a fruit smoothie versus something like a chocolate smoothie. For example, hazelnuts (filberts) have a lot of depth and pair very well with chocolate and banana. I wouldn’t suggest pairing it with a tropical flavor profile.
Cashews are the super-nut in the nut category. They add an amazing amount of creaminess and thickness to a smoothie. If you go a bit overboard, you’ll end up in a more “solid dessert with bite” space rather than a smoothie. The top perk to using cashews is that they pair well with just about everything, due to their mild taste.
Almonds are another excellent choice, as they have a bit of a bland flavor.
If you’re struggling with certain GI issues, soaked and sprouted nuts may be a better option for you.
I don’t suggest using sacha inchi seeds in your smoothie, as they have a very pungent flavour. Hemp seeds are in the same category, and will work best in small amounts when masked with chocolate.
Chia seeds work, but keep in mind, they thicken once they’re blended into a liquid. This can throw off the texture of your smoothie if you use too many seeds.
Overall, adding nuts and seeds is a great way to include healthy fats, a little protein boost, and extra nutrients to everyday smoothies.
Nuts and Seeds for Chocolate Smoothies
- Almond
- Cashew
- Chestnut
- Hazelnut
- Pecan (only in small amounts, or in a pecan forward smoothie)
- Pilli Nut
- Pistachio (only in small amounts, or in a pistachio forward smoothie)
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Hemp Seeds (only in small amounts)
Nuts and Seeds for Fruit Smoothies
- Almond (without skin will be even better)
- Cashew
- Macadamia
- Pilli Nut
- Chia Seeds
- Flaxseeds
Bonus: Nutmeg (only with fall themed dairy-free smoothies that also incorporate cinnamon and/or ginger)
Note: You may be wondering where pumpkin seeds (and sunflower seeds) are hiding. The don’t always bring the best flavor to vegan smoothies (especially if chocolate isn’t there to mask the flavour). If you adore pumpkin seeds and that’s the hill you’ll die on, absolutely add them to one of your dairy-free breakfast smoothies.
Nut Butter, Seed Butter, Peanut Butter, and Tuber Butters for Smoothies
These days, you can purchase spreads GALORE. This is a brand that I like because it’s super high quality, but any spread will work. Let’s break it down by chocolate smoothie and fruit smoothies. I’ll also add a misc. category this time, and for good reason. There are some REALLY cool drinks you can make outside of the chocolate and fruit categories.
Nut and Seed Butters for Chocolate Smoothies
- Almond Butter
- Brazil Nut Butter (only use a small amount)
- Cashew Butter
- Chickpea Butter (aka garbanzo beans, only use a small amount)
- Hazelnut Butter
- Oat Butter
- Peanut Butter
- Pistachio Butter (only use a small amount)
- Pumpkin Seed Butter (use sparingly)
- Soy Butter (great peanut butter alternative if you’re allergic to peanuts but want that legumey flavour)
- Sunflower Seed Butter
- Tahini (sesame seed butter, use sparingly)
- Tiger Nut Butter (tuber, not a tree nut)
- Walnut Butter (only use a small amount)
- Watermelon Seed Butter (use sparingly)
Nut and Seed Butters for Fruit Smoothies
- Almond Butter
- Cashew Butter
- Hazelnut Butter (only for a banana forward smoothie)
- Macadamia Nut Butter
- Oat Butter
- Pistachio Butter (good in small amounts with berry forward smoothies)
- Sunflower Seed Butter (only use in small amounts)
- Tiger Nut Butter (tuber, not a tree nut, best with banana forward smoothies, only use in small amounts with other flavours)
Best Nut and Seed Butters for Special Smoothies
Almond Butter
You can make ANY kind of special smoothie with almond butter. It’s mellow enough that it wont clash. Think fall flavoured smoothies, green smoothies, and so on.
Brazil Nut Butter
Make a snickers smoothie!! So, Brazil nuts + dates + chocolate chips + finishing salt = raw delicious Snickers bar. You can make a smoothie with cacao powder, milk of choice (make milk ice cubes and use those instead of ice), and dates. Blend that up with a little milk of choice (regular, not the ice cubes), and you’ll have a drink that tastes like a candy bar.
Cashew Butter
Cashew butter is a universal ingredient and will work with every type of smoothie. Make tropical smoothies, green smoothies, tangy smoothies, red smoothies (think about loads of red produce), banana forward smoothies, chocolate smoothies, fall smoothies, and well, any other dairy free smoothie you want to make.
You know what’s really good? Cashew + milk ice cubes + milk of choice + cacao + maple + organic food grade peppermint oil. It’s like a chocolate mint smoothie on steroids.
Pecan Butter
Pecan pie, but in smoothie form. You’re welcome.
Pistachio Butter
Pistachios are super popular in Middle Eastern cooking and you can draw so much inspiration from that cuisine. Pistachio rose smoothies would be a great starting point. Don’t use a tonne of rose, or it’s like eating perfume. And be sure to use milk ice cubes for this one, since watering it down would be terrible.
Pumpkin Seed Butter
For fall months, if you plan to make a delicious pumpkin smoothie, a *little* pumpkin seed butter can be great. Just remember, this butter has funk, so don’t go overboard.
Tiger Nut Butter (tuber, not a tree nut)
This. Is. My. Jam. Well, also the only butter/spread I can really enjoy safely. Tiger nut butter will FREAK YOU OUT the first time you eat it because it’s like a cross between peanut butter and almond butter and you’re like, crap, I’m allergic to both. And then you’re like, right… phew… it’s tiger nuts, which have a terrible name.
You can use this butter with berries, chocolate, banana, and fall themed smoothies.
Boosting Nutritional Content of Your Dairy Free Smoothies
These days, I feel like we’re being bombarded with all the stuff we “have to do” to be healthy. It’s getting noisy if you ask me, so let’s keep it simple. Protein, fiber, quality fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. That’s generally what you’re looking to add to your smoothies if you want a nutrition boost.
The good news is, there are SO MANY ways to get these ingredients into a dairy free smoothie, so here’s a list (non-exhaustive):
- Beet Powder
- Collagen Powder (get chocolate if you make loads of chocolate smoothies, or get the unflavoured)
- Dairy Free Protein Powder (I love the Zego option, as well as the dairy free options from Just Ingredients)
- Freeze Dried Fruits or Vegetables (great because you can add a small amount and get a big return)
- Maca Root Powder
- Mushroom Powder (super healthy, use in small amounts)
- Tree Nuts (see the section above for loads of details)
- Seaweed (dulse, kelp, etc., use small amounts)
- Seeds (see the section above for loads of details)
- Spinach Powder (don’t use a tonne)
- Spirulina Powder (the blue one is really fun to work with)
- Tomato Powder (pairs well with berry smoothies, use in small amounts and it’s easy to mask)
You can look at brands such as Loov and Nutivia for a lot more ideas on different powders you can add to your drinks. Whilst some are super pricey, it can be worth the investment, especially if you’re struggling with a nutritional deficiency.
Before Adding a Protein Powder, Confirm That It’s Necessary
We live in a world where buzz words are always flying at us. Check the RDA for protein based on your gender and weight before adding a supplement. Most people are surprised to learn that they (and their kids) are doing A-OK in the protein department and don’t actually need the protein boost.
If you’re serving a child or adult that’s struggling with GI issues, (lack of) weight gain, etc. be sure to work with a professional to make sure all of their needs are being met. You also want to avoid going overboard on protein, as too much can stress some systems.
On a side note, 1 tablespoon of a healthy fat, such as avocado oil or tiger nut oil (not a tree nut) is an excellent addition to a smoothie made for someone who needs to gain weight.
The Best Sweeteners or Sugar To Use In Your Smoothie
When it comes to adding a sweetener to your dairy free smoothie, it has to be on a case by case basis. There are some ingredient combinations that simply don’t need you to add a sweetener.
Fruit heavy smoothies generally don’t need an added sugar. Chocolate forward smoothies on the other hand will require a sweetener, especially if you’re like me and you’re using an unsweetened organic cacao powder (minimally processed).
Smoothies that really highlight a nut, seed, or legume (like a peanut butter smoothie) will need an added sweetener to balance the flavour. Smoothies that are tart or citrus forward will absolutely require a sweetener to balance things out (maple is an excellent option for these smoothies).
Ultimately, you get decide if your smoothie needs a sweetener, and how much to use. When in doubt, start with a little, blend, taste, and add more as needed. Better to need to add more, than to use too much and ruin your drink (and waste your money/ingredients).
Whole Food Natural Sweeteners:
- Apples & Applesauce
- Ripe Bananas
- Steamed Carrots (make sure it’s a sweet variety)
- Dates
Natural Unrefined Sweeteners:
- Coconut Sweeteners
- Date Syrup & Date Products
- Honey (including raw honey, manuka honey, and so on)
- Jagery
- Maple Products
Granulated Sweeteners for Smoothies:
- Coconut Sugar
- Date Sugar
- Maple Sugar
Dairy Free Yogurt for Smoothies
There are a lot of dairy-free yogurt options these days, and each one comes with pros and cons. Obviously, you’ll want to use a brand that makes something safe for you. The two considerations I personally make:
- What’s the base (coconut, soy, oat, rice, etc.)
- How much other “stuff” is in the yogurt.
Unfortunately, some dairy free products read like science experiments, so always check the label and make sure you’re comfortable. Ive found that a lot of coconut yogurt brands are offering super clean products, and there are a couple tree nut brands doing the same.
The good news is that if you find a smoothie recipe online that calls for yogurt, it’s a 1:1 swap for your safe, plain dairy free yogurt.
You can read the yogurt portion of my article on the Ultimate Guide to Dairy Free Products to learn about allllllll of the current options.
If You Want to Get Experimental with Your Smoothies
Up above, I’ve shared some of my best dairy-free smoothie recipes with you. Now, let’s do what I LOVE doing: talking about experimental options. We’ll look at less common pairings, and I’ll give you ideas on how to run wild.
Blue Spirulina Banana Smoothie
You can get blue spirulina powder and not only have a fun looking smoothie, but a fantastic nutrition boost. Here’s what I’d include:
- Blue Spirulina Powder
- Ripe Banana
- Soaked Organic Cashews
- Organic Medjool Dates
- Frozen Milk Cubes
- Milk of Choice
- Tiny Bit of Lemon for Pop
- Organic Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Pecan Smoothie
Earlier, I mentioned pecan pie. This keeps us in that direction. Here’s what I’d include:
- Ripe Banana
- Organic Sprouted Pecans
- Organic Pecan Butter
- Organic Medjool Dates (enough so it reads as PIE)
- Organic Cacao Powder (not the same thing as cocoa)
- Frozen Banana (not a tonne, want it there for texture)
- Frozen Milk Cubes
- Milk of Choice
- Organic Vanilla Extract
Add a little flax seed to boost the nutrition so it’s less dessert for breakfast 🙂
Chocolate Rose Smoothie
This smoothie is all about elegance and uniqueness. Sure, we could make a dairy-free strawberry banana smoothie… but that’s been done a billion times. Chocolate rose? Not so much. Here’s what I’d include:
- Unsweetened Organic Cacao Powder (not the same thing as cocoa)
- Rose Water (this is the one that I use)
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Frozen Milk Cube
- Milk of Choice
- Little Flaxseeds for Nutrition
If you’re in it for the Instagram picture, sprinkle some edible organic rose petals around the cup.
Coffee Smoothie
I make this for my kids who can have milk because they’re obsessed with coffee, and let’s just say, they didn’t get that from me. No idea where they got it from honestly. Now, in their case, I use dairy milk (raw milk and raw milk cream) to make it have a lot of body. Here’s how I’d make a dairy free version (not that my milk allergy kid wants any):
- Organic Coffee Grounds
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Organic Maple
- Milk of Choice + Milk Ice Cubes
- Organic Vanilla Extract
Alternative: Make your FAVE coffee or buy your FAVE cold brew coffee. Make ice cubes from that, then use that in your smoothie.
My kids tell me it’s like having a coffee milkshake, so keep that in mind if you decide to make this tasty drink.
Cranberry Orange Smoothie
This is a fantastic holiday drink if you ask me. Here’s what I’d include in this tasty dairy-free smoothie:
- Organic Frozen Cranberries
- Orange Juice Ice Cubes
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Small Ripe Banana
- Organic Dates (not a tonne, just enough to take the edge off)
- Milk of Choice
Dairy Free Matcha White Chocolate Smoothie
If you’re a matcha fan, this one is for you. Now, to pull this off, you’ll need to do some planning, but I think it could be worth the effort. Here’s what I’d include:
- Brewed Matcha Ice Cubes
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Dairy Free White Chocolate Chips (this is the brand I use)
- Milk of Choice
- Little Bit of Flax Seeds (for nutrition)
- Organic Vanilla Extract
With this, you don’t want to use a tonne of the chocolate chips. Only use enough to know that there’s a little something extra in the mix. A drink like this would also do well with freeze dried strawberries, or other fruits that pair well with matcha.
To make matcha ice cubes, make your matcha (a lot), cool, then pour into ice cube molds and freeze.
Earl Grey Peach Smoothie
Like our matcha smoothie, this is going to take a little work. Here’s how I’d make a drink like this:
- Brewed Earl Grey Ice Cubes
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Organic Freeze Dried Peach Powder
- Milk of Choice
- Little Bit of Flax Seeds (for nutrition)
Alternative: Make ice cubes from a peach herbal tea and use a combo of the ice cubes.
Golden Milk Smoothie
Golden milk seems to be picking up traction in the general population these days. A smoothie version could be mega delicious. Here’s what I’d include:
- Organic Cashews
- Organic Medjool Dates
- Organic Ground Ginger
- Organic Ground Turmeric
- Pinch Black Pepper (for the nutrition boost when combined with turmeric)
- Small Ripe Banana
- Milk Ice Cubes
- Milk of Choice
- Organic Vanilla Extract
Papaya Strawberry Mango Smoothie
This fruit trio tastes fantastic together, and can make one heck of a smoothie. Here’s what I’d include:
- Organic Papaya
- Organic Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder
- Organic Frozen Mango (Costco sells a BIG bag at a great price)
- Orange Juice Ice Cubes
- Organic Maple Syrup (only as needed)
- Organic Vanilla Extract
- Milk of Choice
Strawberry Cucumber Smoothie
This feels like the kind of smoothie they’d offer you at a spa on a hot day. You’ll need to make cucumber juice to pull this off, but I think it will be worth it. Here’s what I’d use:
- Organic Frozen Strawberries (Costco sells a BIG bag at a great price)
- Homemade Cucumber Juice
- Organic Medjool Dates
- Frozen Milk Cubes
- Splash Organic Vanilla Extract
- Optional: Cashews (for more body)
Strawberry Yuzu Smoothie
If you don’t know yuzu, it’s time for me to make an introduction. It’s a Japanese citrus fruit that’s like a floral, fragrant version of lemons. It brings a sharp tang and pop of elegance to whatever it touches. Here’s what I’d use in this smoothie:
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Organic Honey (I’d pick one with floral or citrus notes)
- Organic Frozen Strawberries (using that big Costco bag again)
- Organic Yuzu (here’s an example)
- Splash of Organic Vanilla Extract
- Little Bit of Flax for Nutrition Boost
Vanilla Orange Blossom Smoothie
And finally, one more elegant smoothie to see us off. Orange blossom water is like… floral, honey, citrus. So, here’s what I’d use in the drink:
- Organic Sprouted Cashews
- Organic Honey (with citrus or floral notes to reinforce the flavour)
- Orange Blossom Water (not a tonne or you’re drinking perfume, and just no)
- Frozen Orange Juice Cubes
- Milk of Choice
Best Blender For Making Smoothies
So, blenders. There are budget blenders, and there are blenders that will last your lifetime. Here are the high speed blenders I think you should purchase during a Black Friday sale so you save a little cash, but have something that’s going to go the DISTANCE.
I’ll also add, each of these appliances is for more than just smoothies. If you live in a home where a lot of food is made from scratch, these can be seriously helpful in your kitchen adventures and endeavors.
NutraMilk
In addition to making dairy free milk, you can purchase the smoothie attachment for the base and have smoothies as well. What I like about this over a Vitamix is the sheer power. The Vitamix can get bogged down with thicker smoothies whilst The NutraMilk keeps chugging along.
Vitamix
I’ve had a Vitamix for years, and it’s a bit of a love-hate relationship. The first one I had would struggle with thicker smoothies, something I made for my kids a lot because we love ice cream and it’s an easy alternative.
With the newer unit, first I had the digital one. HATED It. So much. That damn touch screen was going to make me lose my religion.
The third (and hopefully final) Vitamix that I purchased is similar to this one. It’s dumb (no bluetooth), has manual buttons, and a motor that tends to keep up with me. There’s no touch screen, and dare I say… I love it. I also purchased the metal blending containers (dishwasher safe) and the Aero container (because I’m a sucker for that sort of thing).
Blendtec
A lot of my friends have a Blendtec and they work really well. It’s a solid name with a good reputation. My understanding is that it’s less expensive than a Vitamix. The newer models have lots of fancy buttons, and I’m genuinely considering one if my third Vitamix lets me down.
Bullet/Individual Containers
I have a few friends who have a small blender base that connects to a cup/container that’s perfect for an individual serving. Whilst it’s not the strongest of the bunch, it’s wonderful for small spaces and single people. This is also a fantastic option if you have one person with food allergies and you only need to make them a small amount of smoothie each time.
Small blenders are also a great option if you’re managing several allergy profiles, and need each person to have their own blender. Whilst you can do this with a larger blender and have extra containers (I did this for years) it’s not always practical because a small amount of smoothie will struggle to blend in a BIG container.
Answering Your Dairy Free Smoothie Questions
Can I Use Water In My Smoothie?
Yes! You can absolutely use water in your smoothie. This should only be done in a pinch, or if you don’t have any safe milk to choose from. Both dairy and dairy free milks work wonderfully in smoothies.
Before I had a NutraMilk to make my safe milk, I had to use water in smoothies. They turned out OK, but take a little getting used to. In the end, you’ll have to use what’s safe and available to you.
What’s a good low budget blender?
Honestly, I’d go to Target and see what’s available. As long as there’s a decent return policy, anything in the $50 – $70 range should take care of you. Happy shopping!
Is coconut water a good milk alternative for dairy free smoothies?
It is, but it’s not for everyone, and here’s why:
- It’s not for all diet types, including Low FODMAP.
- It has a TASTE and said taste can clash with other flavours.
- It has a taste, and not everyone will like it.
If you LOVE coconut water, use it in your next smoothie. You can also make coconut water ice cubes and use that as an alternative to regular ice cubes. Talk about a fun time!
How do I make a thicker smoothie?
Frozen banana and cashews are going to be the number one line of defense. Both of these will naturally make your smoothie thicker, without adding liquid content.
If those aren’t an option, ice cubes, frozen zucchini, frozen milk cubes, and frozen juice cubes will all make your smoothies thicker. However, you need to balance how much of an ice type product you use, as to not water down your drink.
Frozen fruit in large amounts will create a thick smoothie, but if that’s not your goal, go with the other options instead.
Do I need to do anything special to make a smoothie bowl?
Nope. Here’s how you make a smoothie bowl:
- Make a regular smoothie you love, and it should be thick.
- Pour it into a bowl instead of a cup.
- Crush some nuts or seeds or *something* and sprinkle on top.
- Take a picture and post it to Instagram. Bonus points if you’re in workout gear (you don’t need to workout to wear the gear)
- Eat the smoothie bowl with a spoon.
- Do extra dishes because you could have had the smoothie straight from the blender.
How can I make green smoothies taste good?
This is going to be subjective, but when it comes to green smoothies, here are some options:
- Homemade fuji apple juice (or apple juice ice cubes)
- Very Ripe Bananas (not quite banana bread ripe, but pretty ripe)
- Medjool Date Paste or Pitted Medjool Dates
Balance is another thing to take note of. If you’re putting half a bunch of kale into your green smoothies, they’re not going to taste all that great. But, if you pull back on the kale and create balance, you’ll find that your green smoothies are naturally better.
Can I use ground vanilla beans instead of vanilla extract in my dairy-free smoothies?
Yup, you absolutely can use ground vanilla beans. The flavour will be more present so start with half of what’s called for in the recipe. If the recipe calls for one teaspoon of extract, you’d use half a teaspoon of powder. Blend, taste, and add more if your heart and tastebuds deem it necessary.
Are smoothies considered a healthy snack?
From thick smoothies to a creamier smoothie, I’d argue that they are a healthy snack. However, there are several considerations to make. First, the term healthy isn’t a regulated term. It can mean something different to each person that you ask. Second, no two people are the same. Your favorite combination may be super nourishing for your body and wreck someone else because of an underlying medical condition. See where I’m going with this one?
One can argue that it’s a healthy snack since you can serve up a delicious smoothie that only has natural sugar. You could also boost the grams of protein in said smoothie to make the argument stronger.
On the other hand, for some people, more than a few ounces of a smoothie is way too much natural sugar for their system. So, it’s really going to come down to who you ask and what their dietary needs are. At the end of the day, you have make and consume foods that nourish you and keep you well fueled, because that’s what’s healthy for you.
If a smoothie recipe calls for dairy products, how do I make substitutions?
Great, fantastic, awesome news. Dairy products and dairy free products are almost always a 1:1 swap. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but for the sake of smoothies, it’s a 1:1 swap.
If a recipe calls for 14 ounces of regular milk, use 14 ounces of dairy free milk. The same rule applies for yogurt.
