5 Steps To The Perfect Smoothie—And 10 Recipes To Get You Started

A breakfast smoothie is an easy and convenient way to pack fruits, vegetables and added nutrients into one easy-to-drink beverage. It takes minutes to make, and the flavour combinations are endless. Start by taking stock of your fridge, freezer and pantry, and then follow our foolproof guide to building your best smoothies ever.

The 5 Elements of a Great Smoothie

Liquid is essential for helping your machine properly—and smoothly—blend ingredients together. You can use almost any neutral or sweet liquid: water, dairy or plant-based milk, juice or even cold tea or coffee. (We used unsweetened plant-based milk when developing our milk-based smoothies; feel free to switch it up!) If your ingredients are very fibrous, dense, or mostly frozen, you may need to add an extra splash of liquid to keep things blending smoothly.

Almost any fruit or vegetable can be used in a smoothie—don’t be afraid to mix and match! Smoothies are a great way to use up produce odds and ends. While fresh works well, using frozen will efficiently chill and thicken your smoothie. Avoid adding seeds and stems, which may impart a bitter flavour, but feel free to leave skins on for a fibre boost.

Adding protein to your smoothie may help you feel satisfied and fuller for longer. It can come in different forms, including creamy options like yogurt, cultured coconut or silken tofu; nut butters and seeds such as hemp hearts or pepitas; and even quick oats. For the latter three, add extra liquid to help with blending. You can also use unflavoured protein powder for a quick hit (see page 35 for two of our favourites).

Texture will vary based on the ingredients you use. Frozen produce is great for thickening your smoothie. If you’re using all frozen produce, you may need to thaw it slightly or add some extra liquid to help with blending. Frozen bananas and avocado will add creaminess; otherwise, adding a soft protein ingredient such as yogurt or silken tofu—or even a few ice cubes—will give your smoothie a rich, luscious texture. 

When your smoothie base is finished blending, it’s time to add a final layer of flavour. Seasonality may affect the sweetness of your fruit, so consider using honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, chopped Medjool dates, jam or your preferred sweetener to taste. If you’re avoiding added sugars, pump up the flavour with vanilla extract, ground cinnamon or even a pinch of salt. Other ingredients such as ginger, citrus juice or zest and cocoa powder can also lend an extra hit of flavour without the added sugar.

10 Recipes to Put Your Smoothie Skills on Blast

The formula is foolproof: Add ½ cup liquid, 1 cup vegetables, 1 cup fruit, 1/3 cup protein and a few ice cubes, if desired, to your blender and then process until smooth. (Start from low and then increase the speed if your machine has variable speed.) All recipes yield 1¾ to 2 cups.

Red Beet Smoothie

Double up on nutrients by using the entire beet—greens and all—in this scarlet smoothie. Get this beet smoothie recipe.

Pink Dragonfruit Smoothie

Hemp hearts give this fruit-filled smoothie a creamy touch. Get this dragonfruit smoothie recipe.

Tropical Carrot Smoothie

Pineapple juice and ginger add a zingy hit that cuts through the heavier carrot and mango flavours. Get this carrot smoothie recipe.

Golden Turmeric Smoothie

This frozen play on haldi ka doodh—also known as turmeric milk—incorporates golden beets and mango for extra colour. Get this turmeric smoothie recipe.

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Who says you can't have a creamsicle for breakfast? Especially when it contains four servings of fruits and vegetables. Get this creamsicle smoothie recipe.

Green Goddess Smoothie

This avocado, kale, pineapple and mango smoothie proves it’s quite easy—and delicious—being green. Get this green goddess smoothie recipe.

Blueberry-Lemon Smoothie

You may be surprised to learn that chopped cauliflower is what gives this tangy number its creamy texture—but you will definitely be surprised to learn that you can't taste the cruciferous vegetable at all. Get this blueberry smoothie recipe.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Smoothie

A breakfast smoothie classic—with a hit of extra fruit for fibre. Get this chocolate-peanut butter smoothie recipe.

Vanilla Iced Latte Smoothie

Instant coffee gives this silken smoothie a caffeinated kick. Get this vanilla latte smoothie recipe.

Snickerdoodle Smoothie

A cookie-flavoured breakfast? Why not! Get this snickerdoodle smoothie recipe.

Ready to put your smoothie skills on blast? Here are three of our favourite blenders.